I Interviewed a Feng Shui Consultant and Learned Some Tricks to Increase Uplifting Energy.
Dana K. Race has been working as a Feng Shui Consultant since 1999. She is also a spiritual life coach and has been doing virtual and in-person consultations for the last twenty years. She is currently based out of San Diego, California.
We sat down and connected recently to chat about Feng Shui, and how it can help ward off anxiety.
“Your home is truly a reflection of you, and you are a reflection of your home.” - Dana Race
Jasmine: “Can you share what attracted you to Feng Shui in the first place?”
Dana: “I’ve always been sensitive to spaces, sensitive to people, and just energy in general. When I started delving into it, I thought, oh my god, this is it. It led me to discover feng shui.”
We don’t have control over the outer world, and we never will. It’s a powerful feeling to let go of that control. We do, however, have control of our inner world and the way we respond to things. We can reorganize our homes and change things quickly, allowing chi to flow, which will give us a sense of control.
Feng Shui and intuition go hand in hand.
Whether you realize it or not, you are using your intuition at all times. People have this incredible ability to subconsciously pick up on subtle energies surrounding them. That’s why sometimes we feel tired, upset, or overwhelmed for no apparent physical reason.
Feng Shui is a systemized approach to how we use our intuition. It’s a practice of using your intuition when it comes to energy in the space around you.
“Where the eye goes, energy flows.” -Dana Race
Jasmine: “How can one get started? Is there something you can share that anybody can do?”
Dana: “Clutter is a big deal. If you have a pile of laundry in the corner, and it might be in the corner so you might think that’s not blocking my path, but it is. Every time you go by, your eye goes to that, and then you’re thinking ‘I need to do laundry, and I need laundry detergent and bleh bleh bleh,’ this whole conversation goes on that you’re not really even aware of, so that’s just stripping energy away [from you].”
An organized space helps create an organized mind. Dana recommends clearing clutter away with intention. Once you clear out space, have in your mind what the purpose that area will serve now. Being mindful about what you do allows you to stay organized and keeps the clutter away.
Dana also recommends giving your front door some attention. Make sure the door opens and closes freely. Have a clean and clear entryway. A really excellent feng shui tool to use is a bell. Dana likes to get a bell with a red ribbon and tie it to the inside of her door. She then blesses it with the intention that all who enter the space bring love, good tidings, and good thoughts. The bell also offers an added security layer, as it always chimes when someone walks in or out.
A trick Dana likes to use with her clients is pictures of the spaces. At first, you might not notice anything off in your room. Step back and take a picture. Does anything look off in the image? You might notice something you didn’t before.
Having small blockages in our home can build up over time and increase anxiety and stress. If you keep thinking about that pile of laundry and how you’ll take care of it later but later never seems to come, it’s still in the back of your mind.
Jasmine: “Which kind of clients come to you often that you find? Is there a pattern that you’re seeing in your clients?”
Dana: “Well, it varies; I will say right now the common theme is people are starting to feel a little discouraged, and people are at home right now too, so they are starting to pay more attention and being able to kind of plan the next step. That’s the common theme right now. I’ve had periods of time where I was getting women who, fertility was their thing.”
Release the things that no longer serve you.
Jasmine: “Is there a specific thing that you’ve found in people’s homes that can cause anxiety or stress that you’re aware of?
Dana: “Clutter and or disorganization. When you are organizing something, you have control over that. When you’re feeling this out of control, you’re really resisting structure. This organization allows you to put structure back into your day.”
Too much stuff can lead to overwhelming emotions. Organization and reducing clutter gives people a sense of stability and optimism. Organizing not only helps the physical space but the mental space as well.
Aromatherapy can be beneficial in Feng Shui.
There is a book called Feng Shui: Harmony By Design By Nancy SantoPietro, which was actually one of the first feng shui books Dana ever read. It is still one of her favorite books, and I love it as well. In the book, there is a beautiful quote,
‘Aromatherapy oils work on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels by allowing the body to absorb the scents and shifting energy.’
Feng shui is all about creating positive energy shifts in your life and home, and scent can be a powerful tool for increasing positive energy. Dana often uses orange oil because of its cleansing and purifying effects.
The book also has a list of recommended oils to use:
- Bergamot
- Eucalyptus
- Geranium
- Jasmine
- Juniper
- Lavender
- Orange
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Sandalwood
- Ylang ylang
Experiment with some of these smells in your home and see how you feel.
Dana’s last piece of advice is to try and make cleaning your house into a meditative practice. Use intention, appreciation, and gratitude, and watch your life and home transform into a beautiful and positive space.
Dana does virtual consultations, so go check out her website here.
