Feng Shui for Weight Loss

Feng shui can help with a wide range of problems and concerns, but there are some questions that are more popular than others when it comes to feng shui consultations. Along with feng shui for more abundance and feng shui for love, I often get asked how to utilize feng shui in weight loss. Though there is no magic solution, there are a few ways to update your space to encourage shedding a few pounds!

Keep Your Kitchen Tidy

Nancy Guberti, a good friend of mine and nutritionist, recently sent me a study conducted on the effect of messy kitchens on caloric intake. The study showed that when women were asked to wait in a cluttered kitchen and presented with the exact same snack options as those in a neat kitchen (carrots, cookies, crackers), those in the cluttered kitchens consumed more cookies and calories. This makes complete sense in terms of feng shui. When your space is cluttered, it's easy to feel out of control and react by seeking comfort, which people often find in food. Instead, keep your kitchen organized, your countertops clean and everything in its place, and see if you find yourself spending less time snacking!

Declutter Your Closet

Another place clutter tends to build up is in our closets. Many of us tend to hold onto certain pieces of clothing for whatever reason, often because we see them as "weight goals", but in feng shui, keeping these clothes in your space can actually do more harm than good. Holding onto clothes that no longer fit can actually translate as holding onto weight. If you instead let those pieces go, you actually metaphorically let go of some of that weight!

Get Enough Sleep!

This aspect of weight loss tends to be overlooked, but it's very important to get enough sleep if you want to be successful here. Of course, sleep is important anyway, but slacking on it can result in your stress levels rising, which in turn leads to overeating and poor impulse control. It's hard to say no to those annoying cravings if you're exhausted! The first step here is making sure you're getting to bed on time, but there are also feng shui factors that can improve the quality of your sleep, which is just as important as how much time you're in bed. Most importantly, make sure your bed is in the commanding position! The commanding position is one of the most important concepts in feng shui, because sleeping, sitting, eating and cooking out of command can build low levels of stress over long periods of time, and it adds up! If you can't move your bed into the commanding position, use a feng shui mirror adjustment

Another way to improve the quality of your sleep is to ensure that you keep electronic devices either out of the room or at least five feet away. Anything that needs to be plugged in gives off EMFs, which can also result in low levels of stress over time in addition to other symptoms like fatigue, headaches, nausea and more! It's a good idea to move books out of your sleeping space as well, if possible, as they can be too active for a bedroom. 

There is no magic feng shui cure for weight loss, but if you are willing to do the mundane and take the time to make your space welcoming and nourishing, you may well see surprising results just from clearing negative energy and practicing self-care!

by Anjie Cho


My Favorite Things: 5 Back-To-School Must Haves

Welcome to My Favorite Things! Each month, we highlight products to help you create a holistic lifestyle that inspires and nurtures you, so that you can be happier and feel supported.

As summer is wrapping up, many of us are gearing up to head back to school or double down for the fall season. Of course, it's much easier to take on a busy few months if we're organized and ready for what's ahead. So this month we've curated our top recommendations for getting back into the school season swing with a clear head and a neat space. Be sure to also check out our next podcast, with Diane Lowy from New York at Home. Diane creates "apartment solutions", and she's offered our listeners tips on getting organized!


Focus Mist

Our most recent podcast features my good friend and colleague, Andrea Giordano, who is a feng shui and essential oil expert. She also helped curate the Holistic Spaces Apothecary collection, and the Focus spray is one of my favorites!

A blend of fair trade essential oils and carnelian crystal, our Focus Mist was created to provide grounding, clarity and mental focus, and it's ideal for back-to-school!

Available at: Holistic Spaces


Mini Round Boxes

In our next podcast, I chat with organizer and space designer, Diane Lowy, and ask her advice on getting organized. 

Diane was also kind enough to recommend some of her favorite organizational tools for this month's My Favorite Things, and these mini round boxes made the cut!

"These are great for pretty much anything small that's otherwise tough to find in a drawer or your bag: SIM cards, paper clips, earrings, safety pins, a pair of earplugs, Tic Tacs, Tylenol. 12 clear boxes for $2.29 makes them an easy yes."

Available at: The Container Store


Recycled Notebooks

Notebooks are great for keeping notes and lists, setting goals and even organizing your thoughts through journaling

I love MUJI notebooks! I use these to keep all my notes, from meditation class to client meetings. It makes it easier for me to keep things in one location, and I like to write it down rather than put it in my phone. I love that they're recycled too!

Available at: MUJI


Post-It Tape

Another of Diane's favorites is Post-It tape.

"Post-It Note Tape is a great way to make labels anywhere that just peel off without leaving a residue but stay in place for as long as you need it. It comes in white as well as highlighter colors, and you can write on it just like paper. 

Labels can be super helpful when brainstorming for layouts after a move or renovation. They are also great reminders for that first week or two after moving stuff around and are very helpful when living with roommates!"

Available at: Amazon


Saraswati Yantra Mandala for Knowledge and Creativity

I love the Saraswati mandala because it is useful in so many ways! This yantra is associated with the Knowledge area of the bagua, since Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of wisdom and the arts. 

For inspiration in these areas, place the Saraswati yantra mandala in the Knowledge area of your space. 

Saraswati can also be used to cultivate abundance! Deepak Chopra shared a story about this in his book, Creating Affluence. You can read more about it in my blog post on attracting abundance

Available at: Holistic Spaces



Q&A Sunday: Colors and Meanings of Crystals

I was wondering if you could talk a little about crystals, what colors they are and where to place them for the effects wanted in your life.

Andrea S., MA

Hi Andrea, 

What a great question! I love to use crystals in feng shui adjustments as I find many people are attracted to them. Here are some suggestions for how to apply crystals for feng shui adjustments. In the Holistic Spaces store, we have crystal sets for the seven chakras and the nine areas of the bagua map as well as rose quartz for love, citrine for abundance and black tourmaline for grounding. There are many types of crystals, and I can recommend some reference books if you are interested in other types.

As for the stones we sell at the Holistic Spaces Store, I've provided some information about each below!

Green Quartz

We offer green quartz to represent the New Beginnings area of the feng shui bagua, thanks to its color. This crystal may inspire new beginnings and help sprout projects of all kinds. To get the best results from green quartz, place it on your desk for help with projects or in your home to work on inspiring new beginnings with your family

Amethyst

Amethyst is a purple or lavender stone we associate with the Abundance area of the feng shui bagua map. The colors of amethyst echo the royal colors associated with Abundance area which attract abundance of all kinds. For best results, place amethyst in the Abundance area of your desk or bedroom.

Tiger's Eye

A natural Tiger's Eye crystal is offered to resonate with the energies of the earth and the Health area of the feng shui map. It is typically a collection of earthy hues. These earthy colors, coupled with the ability of this stone to provide grounding, make this crystal a great addition to any holistic space. Tiger's Eye is also said to anchor change in the body, balance yin and yang energies and heal issues of self-worth and self-criticism. To activate this crystal, place it in the center of your home or bedroom. 

Smoky Quartz

The darker shades of smoky quartz relate to the Benefactors area of the feng shui bagua. Smoky quartz is beneficial in your home, as it provides protection (like benefactors) and is a stone of cooperation. This means it may stimulate energies to work together toward the same goal, and it can attract helpful people to your life. Smoky quartz may also assist in tolerating difficult times. This stone may also be effective in the Benefactors area of your home or desk, depending on where you need help. 

Clear Quartz

Clear quartz is a perfect addition to the Completion area, as it is said to provide clarity and the precision of the Metal element. Clear quartz may aid in concentration and unlocks memory and can be used to transform thoughts in sounds, thus bringing ideas to completion in the world.  If you're using a clear quartz, place it anywhere in your home or bedroom for optimal results. 

Blue Sodalite

We love Blue sodalite to work with the Knowledge gua, which may unite logic with intuition and brings information from the higher mind down to the physical level. This crystal may also be used to deepen meditation, eliminate mental confusion and encourage rational thought. Blue sodalite is best used as a pendant near the throat or placed in the Knowledge area of your desk. 

Carnelian

Carnelian, a crystal of a red color, is helpful in bringing fame and recognition, much like other adjustments in the Recognition gua. Carnelian gives courage, promotes positive life choices, motivates for success and is used in dramatic pursuits (like taking that huge leap of faith). To get the best outcome, place Carnelian in the Recognition gua of your home or desk. 

Black Tourmaline

Black is the color of wisdom and relates to the Path in Life area of the bagua. Black Tourmaline works to absorb negative energy and transmute it into wisdom, making it a wonderful addition to a holistic space. In addition, Black Tourmaline is very effective in spiritually grounding and providing protection from EMFs. For this reason, placement between yourself and EMF sources is also very helpful. 

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is one of the most useful crystals in feng shui, as it is known as the stone of unconditional love and peace. Rose Quartz teaches the true essence of love, purifies and opens the heart at all levels and brings deep inner healing and self-love. This crystal is also known for its power in helping to attract love, and you can place a pair on your nightstand or in the Relationship gua for this effect. If you're looking for self-love, opt for one stone!

Citrine

Citrine is known as one of the stones of abundance, and rightfully so. It teaches how to manifest and attracts wealth, prosperity, success and all good things. Citrine also encourages sharing what you have and simultaneously helps you hold onto your wealth, a concept that we are very familiar with in feng shui! Citrine is helpful in your holistic space or even in your wallet!

As I mentioned, these are just the few of the many crystals available for healing work. I would recommend The Crystal Bible and Love Is In the Earth if you are interested in learning about more crystals and how they work. As a note, when you purchase sets for feng shui, like the Feng Shui Bagua Natural Crystal Set, it's best to only use the three you need the most. Use the crystals as you need them, but don't just place them in all nine baguas, since you'll likely forget about them there. Choose the three most important areas for work, and consciously place the stones there. 

by Anjie Cho


Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!


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