Q&A Sunday: Feng Shui for Love?

Anjie Cho May 13, 2018

A friend of mine is not having any success in finding love and has been down about it lately. Is there any Feng Shui that can help her?

Kristina O., New York City, NY

I’m sorry to hear about your friend, and it’s kind of you to ask for her. Feng shui can definitely help with finding love, but I need to know more about the situation. Based on my intuition about this given situation, and as a general suggestion, take a look at KUN which is the Relationship area of the feng shui bagua map. Then look diagonally across from it, you will find GEN which represents KNOWLEDGE, specifically self-cultivation. The first suggestion I would make is that if she works on improving the GEN/self-cultivation area, it indirectly improves KUN/relationships. This is actually more effective than going directly to KUN/relationships.

Feng shui is not a magic pill, but it can help improve areas like love, relationships, and “feeling down." It requires some work! My suggestion in this case is to work on self-cultivation by placing a feng shui crystal (available in the Holistic Spaces shop here) in the GEN/Knowledge area of her home to enhance, clarify and focus self-love and self-care.

In addition the what I’ve mentioned above, there are some other basic feng shui adjustments your friend can do in her bedroom. I was actually single when I started learning about Feng Shui, and it absolutely helped me to bag my husband! The first thing I did was make sure I had open space on both sides of my bed. It’s also important to have a nightstand and lamp on each side, if she has the room. This tells the universe that she’s ready to create some space for an equal partner to come into her life.

Good luck to your friend!

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!

Note: To locate the KNOWLEDGE or RELATIONSHIPS areas of your home, please refer to the Feng Shui Bagua Map here. New blog post to come soon discussing the Feng Shui Bagua Map!

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Q&A Sunday: I Ching Divination for Moderation and Self Care

Anjie Cho November 12, 2017

What would be the most effective way to bring, health, protection, and prosperity to our home? My 87-year-old mother lives with us. My husband is struggling, and his mental and physical energy is very low. Can you help prevent him from forgetting so much and struggling to concentrate and increase his mental and physical energy?

Eliane B., Coral Springs, FL

Hi Eliane,

Thank you so much for your question! It's a little complicated and there are a lot of things going on in this question. I understand you're having problems with health, protection and prosperity and with your husband forgetting a lot and having mental health issues. My intuition guided me to an I Ching reading for this question, so I'll share that insight with you.

The I Ching is also known as the Book of Changes, and it's a way of divination based on Taoism. As is the I Ching practice, I threw coins for your question and received what is called Hexagram #39, which is Water over Mountain. This hexagram represents obstacles. One thing the I Ching tells me is that right now you have a lot of stumbling blocks in your life, and that's obvious in your question. It feels like you may have a lot of confusion there as well. I Ching reflects that as you're experiencing these obstacles, now is not a good time for you to push ahead into the danger. Imagine you're like a rushing river, but you have a lot of snags in your way. If you wait and build up your strength, you will push through these difficulties naturally, much like a river makes its way through a mountain.

So my suggestion would be to not use force right now. Instead, just sit and be patient. The I Ching suggests you don't have the strength to move past these obstructions yet, so focus on building your power and vigor. The second hexagram that comes up is 15, which is Moderation. This confirms that now is a time of moderation, not stubbornly moving forward. Practice moderation in your eating habits, how you spend money and in everything you do, and be careful not to go to extremes, because that could actually create more problems for you.

As for a feng shui adjustment that could support this path, you may begin to cultivate patience and moderation in your journey to gaining the might you need for this task. I recommend working on a few opposite areas of the feng shui bagua: Self-Knowledge and Relationships, which is also related to self-care. Both of these areas are Earth elements, so nurturing them is not about doing anything, but about taking care of yourself, moving slowly and implementing self-control as you build strength. Since this is an issue between you and your husband, I suggest activating these bagua areas of your bed. To do this, place a nine-inch long red ribbon under your mattress in each area, Knowledge and Relationships. When working with a bed, set the bagua at the head of the bed so that the headboard runs along the Abundance, Recognition and Relationships areas, and the foot borders Knowledge, Path in Life and Benefactors.

Facing your headboard from the foot of your bed, the left corner closest to you would be Knowledge. Put a nine-inch long red ribbon there. The far right corner, near the headboard, would be where you place another ribbon to activate Relationships. That's my advice for now. Make these small adjustments with intention and keep the idea of moderation in mind. You are experiencing setbacks, but instead of focusing on that, really take care of yourself and actively work on your self-cultivation and self-care right now. Good luck!

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!

Visit the Holistic Spaces Store

Rebecca Casciano's Sacred Beauty

Anjie Cho February 15, 2017

I recently met the incredible, Rebecca Casciano, creator of the Sacred Beauty Salon Series. Rebecca's series aims to not only provide women with practical makeup tips, but also to hone in on the relationship between self-love, acceptance and appearance. Beauty does start from the inside, after all! This week, we sat down with Rebecca and sussed out exactly what's behind her idea of sacred beauty and how it relates to our philosophies at Holistic Spaces. Ready for a quick lesson on finding your inner beauty?

AC: What does it mean to have "sacred beauty"?

RC: It means that we acknowledge, honor and celebrate the connection between our inner and outer selves: the mental, spiritual and physical. I believe this is a sacred relationship, one that connects us with our higher power and the deep knowing that beauty comes from the inside out. Sacred Beauty is confidence, connection and sisterhood.

How does non-toxic makeup relate to the idea of beauty and radiance?

For many years, the beauty industry has relied on toxic products and ideas to sell the standard of beauty. Consuming these products and ideas has negative effects on women's physical and mental health. Choosing more natural, non-toxic makeup is an act of self-care, as it is so much healthier for our skin, bodies and the environment. When we honor our overall wellness, we create a more effective, sustainable approach to beauty.

Can you offer 3 tips to start the switch to "sacred beauty"?

First, set the stage for Sacred Beauty by preparing the space you use to apply your skincare and/or makeup. Clean off countertops and go through your products, letting go of anything that is old, broken or you don't use. Add a favorite photo of yourself, a candle, crystals and any items that represent beauty to you. Make it a space that feels welcoming, clear and inspiring.

Next, create a new intention to bring mindfulness to your beauty routine. Rather than rushing through the task or criticizing your reflection in the mirror, take the time to savor the moment to yourself. Notice the scents of your products, give yourself a face or neck message-- think about this quote that is thought to come from Buddha:

“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”

It's so true!

Last, I like to recommend clients to use their time in the mirror to say beauty affirmations. These are positive statements that reinforce how you want to feel about yourself. Beauty affirmations can be unique to you, you can take a few moments to create your own! Begin by tuning into some of the negative thoughts that come up when you look in the mirror. Then, write out the opposite of that thought, starting with the word I AM. For example, if I say to myself "I am disgusted with my skin. This acne is horrible," then I will replace that with "My skin is radiant and healthy." Even though it may feel untrue, the more you say it, the more your mind will begin to believe it!

What do you find is the most surprising thing your clients learn when working with you?

I would say they learn that they can love themselves/their looks more and that they CAN wear red lipstick!

How do you create your own holistic spaces?

I love vibrant colors, bright light, candles, crystals, art, nature and handmade objects. I tend to create little altars with beautiful items I've collected over the years. I love to burn incense, sage and palo santo to bless the space, clear energy, help me to feel more peaceful and grounded. I definitely feel best when my environment is tidy, organized and clean. I think feng shui is an amazing sacred art, and I would love to incorporate it more in my home.

We can absolutely help with that! Keep checking back for more tips on incorporating feng shui into your holistic life style. Thanks so much to Rebecca for stopping in and sharing her thoughts on sacred beauty. I think her series is an amazing way to tap into our inner beauty and make getting ready a thing of joy. We'd love to hear your thoughts on sacred beauty and if you're preparing to make the switch!

by Anjie Cho

Rebecca Casciano is a Makeup Artist, Natural Beauty Expert and Sacred Beauty Coach whose mission is to help women discover the connection between their inner health and outer beauty. She strives to bring this intention to each person who sits in her chair, attends one of her events or reads an article she's written. She loves what she does and from what her clients tell her, it shows! For more on Rebecca's story, her services and her Sacred Beauty Salon Series, check out rebeccacasciano.com!

Browse the site and learn all about her makeup artistry, makeup workshops, one-on-one coaching, live events and more. Or contact her with any questions or to set up an appointment. Rebecca's new 3-month membership program, Sacred Beauty Collective, also begins on March 9th in NYC. For more info visit rebeccacasciano.com/collective.