Mind, Body, Home: Transform Your Life One Room at a Time (20 page)

ated with love for others, self-love, and compassion. In cases of a “broken heart,” the 4th chakra will feel the brunt of this emotion. Other

common emotions held in the fourth chakra are resentment, bitterness,

coldness, and fear. The 4th chakra is also linked to following our heart’s desires or passions in life. When the 4th chakra is open, we have more

clarity in life. Our heart is our true compass, not the mind.

5th Chakra (Vishuddha)

The 5th chakra, also known as the
throat chakra
, is located at the throat.

Not surprisingly, it relates to our communication and expression. Have

you ever felt like someone put a sock down your throat, felt tongue-

tied, or like you were misunderstood? These imbalances relate to the

5th chakra. Our forms of expression can be through speaking, writing,

cooking, dancing, or any other form. While the passion originates in

the 2nd chakra, it is expressed through the 5th chakra.

You can imagine then how important the 3rd and 4th chakra are in

the full spectrum of how we manifest our ideas into the world. In fact, the throat chakra is the bridge between the spiritual and physical world.

When we don’t have an adequate outlet for expressing ourselves, this

could result in shoulder tension, throat issues, and thyroid imbalance.

Over time, it can put emotional and physical pressure on the heart as

well.

6th Chakra (Ajna)

The 6th chakra, is commonly referred to as the
third eye
because it is located between the two eyebrows. This chakra is related to visualizing, imagining, and dreaming. It is associated with the pineal gland, which is linked to our intuition. When the 6th eye chakra is open, we are more

in tune psychically and with our dreams. This chakra also helps to bal-

ance the right and left brains. Headaches and migraines are common

signs of an imbalance of the 6th chakra.

7th Chakra (Sahasrara)

The 7th chakra, also referred to as the
crown chakra,
is located at the top of the head. It is often symbolized by a thousand-petal lotus and located
118 Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff

on the crown of the head. This chakra is our connection to higher con-

sciousness, overall wisdom, oneness, and to Source, or God. It is linked to the pituitary gland and relates to the brain functions.

Chakras and the Bagua Map

Although feng shui is based in Chinese Medicine and the chakras are

based in Ayurvedic Medicine, these eastern sciences often overlap, par-

ticularly among Westerners who are less likely to differentiate between the various eastern modalities. Because the chakra system has become

widely known and accepted in the West in alternative medicine, it is

used in conjunction with and in the same conversation as many modali-

ties, including feng shui.

In feng shui, each section of the Bagua Map represents certain as-

pects of the physical body in accordance with Chinese Medicine. These

sections also correlate with certain chakras. As a result, the Bagua Map is a tool to be used, not only for abundance, prosperity, and happiness, but for physical health as well. Our home can often unlock health mysteries we are experiencing or be used for preventive medicine in con-

junction with other Eastern modalities or Western medicine.

Below is how each one of the sections, or guas, of the Bagua map

relate to your health and physical wellbeing:

Wealth Gua and 1st Chakra

The Wealth Gua of the Bagua Map relates to the 1st chakra. The 1st

chakra is also referred to as the root chakra and rules the energy around our basic needs—food, shelter, and clothing. In other words, the 1st

chakra is responsible for our survival. And while we may not fear lack-

ing food, shelter, and clothing, our old brain can be easily triggered.

When fears arise around providing for ourselves or our families, an im-

balance is triggered in the 1st chakra. Over time this could manifest as lower back pain, hip, or leg issues. In Chinese Medicine, the Wealth Gua is also associated with the hips, pelvis and bones.

Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff 119

Family Gua and 2nd Chakra

The Family Gua of the Bagua Map relates to the 2nd chakra. The 2nd

chakra is located just below the belly button and relates to how we re-

late to our tribe and our early emotions during childhood development.

The physical areas associated with this section are the reproductive organs, intestines, kidneys, and urinary tract.

Career Gua and 3rd Chakra

The Career Gua relates to the 3rd chakra, our power center. Similar to

the stages of development, once we leave the family and go out on our

own to pursue our career and life purpose, the energy of the 3rd chakra becomes predominant. The 3rd chakra is related to how we take action

in the world and our sense of self. It relates to the adrenals, stomach, gall bladder, pancreas, and small intestines. The 3rd chakra is located right in the gut. If someone were to punch you in the gut, that is not coincidentally your 3rd chakra. It is the place you become powerless if not in balance.

Love Gua and 4th Chakra

The Love Gua is associated with the 4th chakra. The 4th chakra is the

energy relating to one-on-one relationships. In feng shui the Love Gua

relates to the energy of marriage and partnership. The trigram for this gua is a yin feminine energy that represents receptivity. This is apro-pos for marriages and commitments because a successful relationship

means being open, receptive, vulnerable, and a good listener. On the

physical level, the 4th chakra relates to the physical heart and lungs.

Creativity & Children Gua and 5th Chakra

The Creativity Gua relates to the 5th chakra. The 5th chakra is our

communication center and often referred to as the throat chakra. It is

centered at the throat and also relates to the mouth, jaw, teeth, upper shoulders, neck, and thyroid gland. It is the center for expression and closely related to the 2nd chakra. Whatever we birth from the 2nd

chakra—whether it is a business idea or a child—will be expressed

through the throat chakra. These two sections are located opposite

120 Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff

one another on the Bagua Map, which is a common correlating pattern

among the Guas.

Wisdom &
Knowledge Gua and 6th Chakra

The Wisdom & Knowledge Gua relates to the 6th chakra. The 6th

chakra is located at what is referred to as the third-eye center between the eyebrows. This chakra relates to our intuition, dreaming, and balancing of the right and left brains. This section of the Bagua Map is related to our self-actualization or spirituality. On the physical level, the Knowledge Gua relates to our sensory organs. Our senses are the doorways to our intuition through clairvoyance (sight), clairsentient (feeling), clairaudient (hearing), and claircognizant (knowing).

Fame Gua and 7th Chakra

The Fame Gua is related to the 7th Chakra. The 7th chakra is located

on the crown of your head and often depicted as a thousand-petal lotus

on top of the physical head. The 7th chakra connects us with source

and the divine. The Fame Gua relates to one’s integrity, reputation,

karma, and destiny during this lifetime. The Fame Gua is closely related to our Career and Life Purpose Gua, located across from one another

on the Bagua Map. It connects you with your innate talent and skills to help you along your path. On the physical level, this chakra relates to the brain, eyes, and neurological system.

Helpful People and 8th Chakra

The Helpful People Gua is related to the 8th Chakra. While seven

chakras are the most common of the main chakra system, more

chakras have been identified. The 8th chakra is said to be located above the head as a white light and connects us with our angels, guides, higher self, and perhaps beyond. The Helpful People section, often associated

with travel and new directions, can relate to helpful people and travel on the physical plane or spiritual realms. It relates to the central nervous system.

Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff 121

Health Gua

The Health Gua is not associated with a particular chakra and instead

considered to be a balance point for all of the chakras. The chakras interrelate with one another similar to a double helix. This same shape

shows up in Western medicine with the two serpents intertwining a

staff in the caduceus symbol. In Chinese Medicine, the center of the

Health Gua is represented by the yin yang symbol representing a per-

fect balance.

Inanimate Objects Have Feelings Too

As a result of Source energy via the Earth and Sun, all beings and ob-

jects emit an energy field. How a non-living entity responds or con-

ducts the energy depends upon its properties, such as its shape, color, and composition. For example, a red, round ball will respond to the energy differently than a yellow, square cube. Similarly, a rolling hill will respond differently than a jagged cliff. Whereas, the energy of a living entity will be more determined by its state of consciousness in coordination with thoughts and emotions.

Just as humans can affect each other’s energy fields, the same is true

with inanimate objects. The most obvious example is electronic com-

ponents, such as televisions, phones, and computers that transmit elec-

tromagnetic waves. It has been proven that excessive and concentrated

exposure to electromagnetic waves can cause fatigue, sickness, and de-

pression. Because we emit electromagnetic waves, there is a resonance

and our energy can affect electronics as well.

This may seem far-fetched at first, but many of us already intuitively

acknowledge this. Have you ever talked to an inanimate object in the

form of a pep talk to help it work properly? For example, your car is

having a hard time starting and so you begin saying, “Come on, come

on, come on!” Maybe you even give it a morale booster, such as, “You

can do it!”

My iPod is another great example. I have a large variety of musi-

cal genres on my iPod, ranging from classical to jazz to rock, and it

automatically shuffles to an energy that matches my energy. It is also

122 Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff

not coincidental that people who hate technology always have technol-

ogy problems, whereas those who love technology never have technical

glitches.

It is not just electronics that are sensitive to energy. It just so happens that they are more equipped to communicate back to us. Any

object will take on our energy. The more time we spend with certain

objects, such as our car or a personal object such as a ring, the more

affected it will be by our energy. Psychics or intuitives can usually read a person’s energy by holding a personal item. This is known as
psychom-etry
. An energy field around an object will hold the energy projected at it, similar to a memory. Each time that same thought or emotion is projected on the object, the stronger it will be to where one will automatically pick up that emotion just by being near the object. Psychometry

applies to everything in a house, including décor items, the walls, and furniture.

Furniture

Just as your jewelry and photos hold energy, so does your furniture. In the same way your walls can talk, so does your furniture. It is therefore important to not only space clear your home, but your furniture too,

particularly antiques. I remember as a kid having an extreme aversion

to going into antique stores. I would feel claustrophobic in the store and usually had to go outside. When selecting furnishings for a children’s

room, keep in mind that they are much more open and sensitive than

adults. Even today when I go to antique stores, I have to pull in my energy field and browse quickly.

If you bring an antique piece of furniture into your home, keep in

mind that you are also bringing in energy from the past generations—

the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some people love having these slices of history in their home and may even characterize themselves as a historian of sorts. If this is you then just be conscious of the energy in your home and how you feel. When a new piece is purchased and displayed,

notice if the room feels different. Be aware of any unexplainable mood

shifts within yourself. It is also recommended to smudge furniture just
Our Energy, Our Emotions, and Our Stuff 123

as you would space clear your home. This will help to clear the old en-

ergy and minimize its effect on you and your home’s energy.

Whether new or old, furniture can be one of the most disguised

forms of clutter. We usually think of clutter as being small items stuffed in the back of a closet, not an ornate armoire that costs thousands of dollars. While we need furniture to sit on, sleep on, and eat on, it can clog up a floor plan quicker than anything else. You may have a feng

shui-compliant floor plan, so to speak, but too much furniture can re-

verse the benefits. Having too much furniture will cut off the flow and breath of the space.

Furniture seems to bring up a lot of emotion for people. One of my

client’s homes was filled with antique chairs passed down from fam-

ily members. There was enough seating in her home to accommodate

a small army. Although she admits that she has too many chairs for

the space, she can’t imagine getting rid of any of them because they