Frequently Asked Questions

Implementing Feng Shui is useful at any time. The principles provide a way of aligning our environments with the natural flow of life. It's important that our space reflects who we are today. The following situations often render a consultation:

• New home/work space
• Love your home, but something just doesn't feel quite right or need to get the best use of space
• Ready to change/transform your space (though you may not be sure what needs to happen)
• Need a boost of energy in a specific area of your life: relationships, career, finances, children and family
• Times of transition
• Improve health, well-being and energy level

Organization is essential to any balanced environment. An organized space opens the flow for new opportunities and can benefit health and well-being. An organized space relieves stress and makes it easier to live, work and function. Helping Hand Organization is useful when:

• Your home is glommed up with a lifetime worth of belongings that are no longer relevant to your life
• Specific areas of your space need de-glomming (cluttering): Kitchens, closets, bedrooms, photos/memorabilia, home offices, attics, basements
• Home/personal office needs help with: furniture arrangement; setting up functional, successful work areas; creating filing systems; eliminating paper clutter
• Need gentle guidance for sorting and purging - making the important decisions as to what to keep, what to toss and give away. Then, putting belongings away in a realistic way that will work for the long-term.
• Creating a space to implement Feng Shui recommendations

• top

Feng Shui consultations take practical action and focus on specific areas of the home or business to improve the flow and accumulation of Chi. Initial consultations review the Bagua (Feng Shui map) placement on the space and identify areas that are representative to the situation currently being experienced. Follow-up consultations work on fine-tuning the environment and implementing the natural five elements based on your “elemental mix."

Feng Shui solutions may include: rearranging objects, furniture and artwork to improve the flow of energy, placing personal items and natural elements with specific intentions, enhancing lighting and color selection and clearing what is no longer of value to your life to make room for the new. A reasonable amount of recommendations are provided during each consultation so that you are able to successfully make the changes in a timely manner. We start small as changes may be subtle or require just a simple adjustment, and we always go at your pace; some changes may be made during the consultation. At the end of each consultation, you’ll have a prioritized list of changes and intentions, and then together we’ll determine the next steps to help you maintain a balanced environment.

• top

Specific areas of the space that need work are identified. It's not always about throwing a bunch of stuff away, but knowing what to keep, where to keep it and then yes, what to let go of. Helping Hand Organizing Sessions follow a system: 1) sorting and purging 2) categorizing 3) putting away and creating systems for that which is determined necessary in an arranagement that works for you and the funtion of the space 4) once the space is organized, Feng Shui assessment can be applied (optional).

• top

Recommendations are derived from Essential Feng Shui ®, which is a Western version of Feng Shui that places the Bagua, the Feng Shui map, on a space based on the location of the front door. Chinese Five Element Theory and implementing the natural five elements based on what one needs to feel in balance are a large part of the practice. Working closely with clients to bring awareness to what is actually in their space and how it is affecting their visual and physical fields is an important aspect of the process. Astrology and the compass are not part of the practice. The Western version of Feng Shui is simple and easy to explain and understand, and, in this regard is a reflection of the simplicity of Feng Shui, especially geared towards the Western part of the world and culture.

• top

It’s best to leave the space in regular condition so that your living/working patterns are identifiable.

• top

The study of Feng Shui is thousands of years old, yet the principles can be applied to today’s lifestyle because the ubiquitous nature of Feng Shui exists whether we apply the principles or not; therefore, it is to one’s benefit to create the most positive, supportive environment possible. Feng shui is beneficial because it pays attention to the messages that our environment is sending out and how we are reacting to it. Whether it’s where things are positioned, how they make us feel, glom (clutter), even sharp corners and the meaning of our things - they all affect us – either positively or negatively.

Sometimes things in our space are affecting us and we don’t even realize it. For instance, look at the artwork in your home – what is the message it’s constantly sending you. Is it positive or negative? How do you feel when you are looking at it and how does it affect how you are going through your day.

Feng Shui sets you up for success by simply creating a space that you feel good in and that is supportive and functional for the use of the room. Together, this sets the scene for you to do what needs to done in that space. Feng Shui helps you be the best that you can be! When you feel good in your space, you are able to fully express yourself in your life! A supportive, organized, clean, beautiful, nurturing environment sets the scene for productive, meaningful, intentional and positive life! The study of Feng Shui is thousands of years old … things of quality last and nature keeps what it needs. It seems important to look to well-established principles of the past for ideas for the present.

• top

In Feng Shui we recognize that everything, even inanimate objects, are energy, therefore, all these items in our environment are affecting us in some way. Because all things are comprised of energy, they can also absorb the energy that is around them. Feng Shui works by bringing awareness to all things situated in the space, then discovering how they are affecting and reflecting the inhabitants. In an interview with Jenna’s teacher, Terah Kathryn Collins, she explained that “every second our nervous systems are responding to our surroundings.”

The way we feel about our belongings is important, for instance, if they remind us of a particular person, place, memory that will correspond to how we feel day to day. If your space is “glommed” up with a bunch of stuff that you don’t like or that is not relevant to who you are today, then all that stuff may be holding you in a particular situation.

Colors have frequencies and generate different emotions. Feng Shui works on a psychological level to select specific colors and elements for areas of the space to balance certain areas of life. Color selections are based on the way different colors will affect inhabitants, how the room will be used and placement within the Bagua. By adding friendly colors that have a positive frequency will bring about a new feeling and attract different intention to the space.

Additionally, Feng Shui works by aligning an environment with the Bagua and the five natural elements. Elements of Harmony provides practical solutions for creating a space that honors the areas of life that need attention or intention, and providing recommendations for creating a comfortable, harmonious space.

• top

The Bagua is the Feng Shui map that represents the natural flow of life. Just like water spins a certain way down a drain and the antlers on a deer spiral in a particular direction, as do DNA strands, life and the universe flows in a circular motion. Feng Shui recognizes how this natural flow is manifested within our environments and suggests that by aligning with it, we are putting ourselves in line with what needs to be happening in our life.

The Bagua is like a “road map” that represents the nine areas of life; each section is called a Gua: Career/Journey, Knowledge & Self-Cultivation, Family & Ancestors, Prosperity, External Recognition, Love & Marriage, Children & Creativity, Helpful People & Travel, Health.

Essentially, the map provides a way of seeing and understanding our environment and provides suggestions on where to place our belongings, specific colors and things in the space with intention. The Bagua can be applied to any environment or surface - home, office, retail store, garden or even your desk.

The five natural elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) are aligned with the four sides and center of the Bagua. Each element is characterized by color, shape and object so by adding in particular elements to specific areas or Guas, honors the alignment with the natural flow. A balanced space has all five elements.

• top

No, Feng Shui is about creating a meaningful environment that exemplifies your personal style, includes colors that uplift your spirit, arranges your furniture with an open, welcoming flow and places your artwork and the belongings with intention. Feng Shui has nothing to do with Asian artwork, teak furniture, nor red dragons and tassels, unless you love these items and they make you feel amazing in your space!

• top

A healthful environment can be created with positive arrangement, color, plants and eliminating what is no longer useful or relevant. Different areas of the Bagua (Feng Shui map) correspond to different areas of the body, therefore areas of the space and can be associated with aspects of health related issues. Health issues can possibly be overcome by removing clutter and items from the space that cause negative feelings and associations.

Check out this link to the Arthritis Foundation that describes how applying natural Feng Shui principles can be beneficial for health.

• top

Feng Shui is different than interior design because it pays special attention to placement and intention. From a Feng Shui perspective, different areas of the space represent different areas of one’s life; therefore, color, elements and belongings are placed in specific areas of the space for optimal energetic flow. By using Feng Shui principles in correlation with interior design creates a wonderfully balanced space – beauty and nature combined. Feng Shui and interior design/decorating are natural alliances.

Interior design focuses on the aesthetics, trends and style while Feng Shui focuses on what the environment reveals. In some situations, Feng Shui principles can determine why things are happening in a space and offer suggestions to create a better situation through one’s environment. Go beyond aesthetics and into conscious living with Feng Shui.

Bed, desk and furniture arrangement are key fundamentals to creating a balanced space with Feng Shui. Also, Feng Shui reviews comfort and safety of a space, like in the case of a square, glass top coffee table that is pretty to look at, however, has very sharp edges that may cause injury to those living and walking near it often; Feng Shui would recommend a rounded table with soft edges. Perhaps the colors that are selected may be the latest trend, however, their frequencies may not be appropriate for certain areas of a space or may be better used in other areas.

Feng Shui balances what looks good with what is good for the space, or really what is good for the inhabitants of a space. Certainly, the latest trend, style and fashion can easily be worked into the Feng Shui of a space, but it will be worked in based on where it needs to go in regards to the natural flow of life.

Elements of Harmony can work with you and your designer/decorator to ensure that you space is beautiful and balanced!

• top

You may call 801-673-2282, send an email to info@elementsofharmony.com, or contact us through our site and we’ll get back to you right away.

• top