Q&A Sunday: How to Improve Focus in Your Home Office

Anjie Cho June 21, 2020

I’m working from home and having a hard time staying focused. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for your question! I think a lot of people who are not used to working from home, or working from home with family around, are in a similar situation. There are definitely a few ways that feng shui can help.

First, you want to make sure your desk is in the commanding position. This means you are able to see the door from where you sit without being directly in line with the door. This position minimizes stress, and it allows you to see any opportunities coming your way.

It’s also important to consider the view from your desk. If your desk is facing a wall, this can represent a block in your career. To fix this, try hanging a mirror at eye level to expand your view. Make sure it’s not too high; you want to be able to see the reflection in the mirror while you are working. It’s also not ideal to face directly towards a window, because your energy will flow outside, rather than staying with the projects you are working on.

You can also place a small round mirror on the ceiling directly above your head where you work. Be sure that it’s fastened securely and that you feel safe. If it’s not fastened securely it could cause more anxiety and make it harder to focus. This mirror will elevate your qi, or energy, and help with mental focus and clarity. In turn, this can help to create more abundance.

Another thing that can help with focus is to clear the clutter off your desk. It’s ok to have a messy desk sometimes, if having your supplies and inspiration in front of you helps you feel creative—but if you’re having a hard time staying on task, you might want to try clearing off your desktop and seeing if that helps. This can be especially helpful when you’re starting a new project.

You can also ring a metal bell before you sit down to work. Metal helps with clarity and efficiency, and the sound of a metal bell can clear your home office space of stagnant energy.

I hope that helps!

by Anjie Cho

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The Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Health, Happiness and Beauty

Anjie Cho March 4, 2020

The sun is a star fixed at the center of our solar system — everything revolves around it. In many ways, the sun sits at the center of our lives, too. We orient our homes to capture its warmth. We keep time by its passage. It produces the heat and light that keeps us alive.

These are obvious ways that we depend on the sun. But science tells us that we benefit from sunlight in surprising ways too. Did you know that sunlight can:

• Make you happy?

• Help you to sleep better?

• Boost your immune system?

• Reduce your risk of cancer?

• Lower your cholesterol and blood pressure?

Research shows that a few minutes of sunlight each day can produce so many significant benefits. Health care professionals may not agree about how much sun we need, but they do agree that we suffer without it.

The Science of Sunlight

The rising and setting of the sun has a lot to do with our body’s natural rhythm, known as our Circadian Rhythm. Our body’s hormones actually respond to sunlight. At night, our bodies produce melatonin to make us drowsy. Come morning, our bodies respond to sunlight by producing serotonin, a “feel good” hormone that stimulates our brains, influences our moods, controls our appetite, and fights stress. Without sunlight, our body can fall out of its natural rhythm.

In response to direct sunlight, our body produces vitamin D – crucial for healthy immune systems and skin, brain activity, and bone growth. Vitamin D has also been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fight disease, and to encourage better sleep.

Disruptions (or lack of sunlight) can trigger a domino effect that leads to poor sleep, depression, and compromised immune systems – an obviously unhealthy cycle. Kind of makes you a little eager to get out in that sunshine, huh? It should. We have a long history (and healthy relationship) with the sun and that’s not going to change any time soon.

So how can you add more natural light to a dark space?

• Add some shine

The more shiny surfaces you have in a room, the brighter it will appear. Add brass doorknobs and lighting fixtures, mirrors, silver frames, or acrylic furniture.

• Treat the windows

For maximum sunlight, keep your windows unobstructed. Choose sheer fabrics, or cover only the outer edges of the window to create a larger appearance without blocking any light.

• Go light and glossy

Lighter paint colors on the walls and ceiling – especially the glossier finishes – will reflect the most light back into the room.

by Anjie Cho

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Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui Adjustments for Powerlines and Manholes

Anjie Cho February 16, 2020

Anjie, I listen to your podcasts as soon as they come out, while driving to work. Very cool! Thank you for doing those. You had a phone consultation with a woman that you aired on the podcast. She asked about gas pipes in the back yard. I have something even worse (I think) - a sewer manhole in the middle of the back yard, and front of house looking at high voltage electric lines. How do you think those two effect us and what can be done to remedy them if they have a negative effect?

Alex Y., Gaithersburg, MD

Hi Alex

Thank you for listening to my podcasts! I’m happy you are listening to them.

The first part of your question is about manholes in your backyard. A manhole is like a drain of sorts, where resources can become depleted. In BTB feng shui we use a ritual called “sealing of the drains” using cinnabar and a mantra to close off and seal the drain energetically and with intention. It’s a cure that’s shared through a consultation - so unfortunately I’m not able to post it publicly online. However, you can contact me for a consultation. Otherwise you can try placing a pot with a flowering green plant on top of the manhole to bring more positive life energy to the drain.

SUBSCRIBE to Above Average: http://bit.ly/LlHUTM The Headcrusher crushes businessmen's heads on Wall Street Like us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/AboveAverageProductions Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/AboveAv The Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson.

Now on to the second part, the issue of high voltage electric lines in front of your house. High voltage lines may impact your environment because of the EMFs (electromagnetic forces). Energetically you can try to cut those lines by taking a pair of scissors and symbolically cutting them with the intention that they are not harming you. Now you’re not really cutting anything. It’s kind of like that Kids in the Hall skit, “Head Crusher,” where Mark McKinney "crushes" the heads of random people from several feet away with his fingers.

Another way to deflect this negative qi is to use a bagua mirror, the kind you find in Chinatown. You can place this on the outside of your home facing the electric lines. However, be careful as this may also deflect opportunities from your life.

As with many conditions requiring feng shui adjustments, each of these issues, and the circumstances surrounding them, can be different on an individual basis. These basic remedies should work, especially with good intentions, but if you're really worried about the adjustments, I would definitely recommend finding an expert who works well with you.

by Anjie Cho