Ask A…Feng Shui Consultant

Jayme Barrett is a certified Feng Shui consultant and author of the book Feng Shui Your Life.

What Is Feng Shui?

According to Barrett, a misconception about Feng Shui is that it is a religion. "It is absolutely not a religion," she explains. "Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art of arranging your surroundings in a way that makes you feel happy and healthy and motivated. And it can bring you success and abundance." Barrett says that Feng Shui can change both how you feel and how you are going to attract new things into your life.

Related: Move it or lose it: Feng Shui tips you haven't heard

"We have an energetic attachment to everything we own," says Barrett. "Each object either increases our energy or decreases it. If you have enough in your home that's pulling your energy down, making you feel bad on a subconscious level, it can really affect you in a negative way."

Related: 6 small ways to Feng Shui your home

What Is Your Job?

A Feng Shui consultant will come into your home and ask you questions about your life and about the space. Then, says Barrett, he or she will give you recommendations for your home. These suggestions may include updates to furniture arrangements, color, and plants. "It's a lot about how your home feels and the psychology of your space," she says.

Getting Started

To get started with Feng Shui, says Barrett, clear your clutter and bring plants, flowers, and other natural items into your home. She says these things will energize you and create a relaxation response within you. "Don't have dried flowers, dead plants, or potpourri," she adds, noting that those things represent dead energy. She also says to open the windows and shades in your home to bring in the natural light. "And really you should love everything in your home. You shouldn't just tolerate it."

Other tips from Jayme Barrett:

• Mirrors can reflect negative energy and push it away.
• Your stove represents prosperity, so keep it in working condition and use all the burners "because that will bring lots of money into your life."
• Keep your bed against a solid wall so you feel grounded.

Finally, says Barrett, "One of the most surprising tips that people might not know is that you should Feng Shui your bathroom. Water represents prosperity and abundance. So when you're flushing the toilet you're literally flushing money energy down the toilet." Keep your toilet seat down and your bathroom door closed.

Why Feng Shui?

"The main thing I would love the world to know about Feng Shui is that it's easy, and you shouldn't be scared of it," says Barrett. "Everyone should use Feng Shui because we could all use more energy in our lives."

Find Jayme on Facebook or at jaymebarrett.com.

Related links

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