Space Clearing Workshop
Learn to Space Clear Your Home Workshop
Become Your Own Feng Shui expert!
Want to rid your home of negative and stagnant energy? There is a whole world of invisible energies in our spaces that affect all of us on some level. Learn the importance of space clearing AND how to use space clearing techniques to instantly shift the energy in your home or office. A variety of methods will be discussed and practiced so that you will leave being your own feng shui expert.
When: Thursday, June 24th 5:30pm-8:30pm
Location: East Nashville
Registration:
ADVANCE REGISTRATION ONLY $40
To register,pay by credit card below or contact me for other arrangements at Tisha@mindbodyom.com.
27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home
27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home
ISBN: 9781596525672
Price: $9.99
Description:
“If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home.” This ancient Chinese proverb speaks of the powerful connection our homes have with our lives. In 27 Things To Feng Shui Your Home, Tisha Morris shows in creative, basic steps how to use the art of feng shui to create an inviting, personal atmosphere in your home that will renovate your life.
Discover how to:
- Manageably clear clutter to optimize space
- Use lighting, color, and simple objects to create good energy flow
- Space clear to promote good health
- Integrate the Five Elements into your home to create harmony
“27 Things provides readers with an easy-to-follow, knowledgeable guide to applying Feng Shui principles to your home. This guide is great for every homeowner, even if you’re a Feng Shui skeptic.” ~ At Home Tennessee
“[A] new resource for people who want the energy in their home to work for them, not against them, but perhaps feel intimidated by feng shui, or the art of space planning to promote health and prosperity.” ~ Denver Post
About the Author:
Tisha Morris is a certified life coach, energy healer, feng shui consultant, and yoga instructor. After practicing law for five years, Tisha obtained a Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. She founded Mind Body Om in 2008 to help others align with their life purpose by transforming the mind, body, and home. Tisha resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
PRE-ORDER NOW! Available April 28th at:
40-Day Challenge: Sold!
My Vision Board
For anyone who has been following my 40 Day Challenge to Sell My Home, you may have noticed a drop-off in updates. This has partly been my sitting in and understanding the energy dynamics that were underway and partly to keep on the LD (low down) as to contractual negotiations. Last Thursday a contract was signed and set to close on May 31st. Yay!!
This last month has taught me so much about the energy of our homes – from making feng shui enhancements to looking at dozens of other homes to potentially purchase. Was there any one feng shui technique that sold my house? Was the trick using the St. Joseph statute? Yes and no.
All of the energy that was put into the house over the last couple of months has been crucial to selling the house. In fact, right before the open house the house looked and felt so amazing that I started to have second thoughts on selling the house. It was in that moment when I realized the missing piece. If I didn’t love the house, then no one else was going to. And so from that day on, I started up a new love affair with my home. It was as strong as the day we met! I remembered and felt all the reasons I had first fell in love with this house. Did that mean I needed to stay there? No. I know my time is up here and I have come full circle with this house. It is time to move on.
Within a couple of weeks of this love affair, showings picked up and I knew it was just a matter of time. And it was. I had solved the riddle of selling this house. It already looked like a showplace and was feng shui-ed to the hilt. It was a matter of getting my own energy right with this house. And as soon as I did it opened the doors and I am now able and ready to let it go and move on.
27 Things in 27 Days Giveaway
I am excited to announce the release of my book, 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Turner
Publishing) and am offering my 27 Things in 27 Days Giveaway!
WHAT AM I GIVING AWAY?
One (1) FREE 2-hour Feng Shui Consultation
AND
Three (3) FREE copies of my book
HOW TO WIN?
It’s simple. SIMPLY COMMENT BELOW in 2-3 sentences what your biggest challenge is with your home OR what you would most like to change about your home. That’s it. The first three (3) people that leave their comment will receive a free copy of my book. I will simply email you requesting your mailing address.
At the end of the 27 Days, I will select the best Comment and that person will win a 2-hour Feng Shui Consultation with me. (If the winner does not reside in the Nashville area, then the consultation will be held over the phone in 2 one-hour sessions.)
CONTEST DATES?
April 21st through May 17th (Leave your comment anytime between these dates.)
Thanks for participating!
Due to an unusually large amount of SPAM comments I’m receiving, I have to close off the Comments. I am still taking Comments however through my email through May 17th. So please continue to enter!
Email me your comment at tisha (at) mindbodyom (dot) com.
ORDER Your Copy of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home Here!
Q&A: How Does an Artist Keep Her Studio Decluttered?
One of my readers posed this question: What does an artist do to keep her studio clear? After all, the lives of artists, writers, and other creative people collect all types of “special flotsam & jetsam in the name of the creative process.” According to this reader, there are so many items that need to be kept that are a record of process. How do we decide if our ephemera is worthy of that?
Great question. And being a former Interior Design student and one who paints as a hobby, I can totally relate!
In my blog article, What Your Home Says About You, I note that artists tend to be more right-brained – the non-organizing part of the brain. And as I pointed out, is having your home, or especially your art studio, a little messy such a bad thing? Of course not. It’s all part of the creative process, right? Or is it?
We all have a different standard as to what is too messy or too much clutter. You know when your home or studio has gotten out of control. You feel scattered, cloudy, weighed down, or creatively stuck. That’s when you know it’s time to take action.
First off, the size of your studio space will ultimately dictate how much art and supplies you can have on hand. When it comes to art, you can fill a warehouse space just as easy as you could fill a small corner of the kitchen. For example, when I decided that I wanted to convert my art studio space from a whole room to a corner in order to do yoga, I had to downsize the amount of art materials I kept. So designating how much space you are willing and wanting to take up is the first step.
Art Cart from dickblick.com
Next, organizing units are essential. If you don’t already have proper storage, then these can be purchased from any art supply store. Have proper storage and organization in your studio so that you will at least have a standard for organization and have a place for everything. That way, when you know your space has gotten too messy for even your right-brain, you have bins and drawers to put stuff in.
If you then have too much stuff to fit into your organizing units, then it’s time to downsize. This is where the emotional aspects come into play – what to keep and what not to keep. If you keep items for inspiration, such as photos, cards, images, etc., then go through them to see what still resonates with you. You may be surprised how different you may feel about some of the items. Discard any items that you don’t absolutely love or that no longer inspire you.
What about your own past work? This can be very difficult. It took me several different clearings to finally dispose of my interior design projects. I had kept what I needed for purposes of including in a portfolio. For boards that I knew I would never need or use again, I took pictures of them before eventually disposing of them. It was difficult knowing how much time had gone into them. But honestly, I haven’t missed them since. In fact, I feel much lighter once I got rid of them. Every time I would see them in the closet, I was subconsciously reminded of the long hours I spent on them. I still keep a small portfolio of photos I took of my projects for nostalgia.
When your designated space for past projects gets too full, then it’s time to go through them to determine what needs to go. For me, I periodically dispose of my pieces of art that aren’t that great, meaning that I’ve improved since then. For pieces of art or art supplies that you no longer want, consider listing them on freecycle.org or craigslist.com. Taking pictures of your work is a great way to track your progress without being overloaded with projects. Clearing out old projects will also make room for new ideas and creativity. So don’t get too weighed down in your past projects. Instead, let creativity flow through you and your studio.
40-Day Challenge: Energizing Stagnant Areas
It is Week 2 of my 40-Day Challenge to Sell My Home using feng shui techniques to improve then energy in my home. Over the weekend, I decided to tackle one particular corner of my home that has always, well, bothered me. This brings me to a good point… Most all of the techniques that you would use to sell your home are things that we should do anyway to improve the energy in our home and thus in our lives.
For me, I have been wanting to get a floor lamp for this particular corner since moving in. Because this space has no real function, it tends to get ignored (aside from the dogs using it). But as I mention in 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, turn your least favorite room or area into your favorite. In other words, make lemonade out of lemons.
You can see from the picture below that it is an extra deep corner that gets very little, if any, light thereby creating a bit of an energy vacuum.
Corners are usually fine so long as they are clear of clutter and periodically space cleared of any stagnant energy. It is rare that I would advise adding something to a corner, but this space needs some energy! Did I mention that it’s part of my Wealth corner?
So I’ve added a floor lamp to bring in light into the corner as well as a plant and some simple decorative items. Not only do I have an aesthetically pleasing new area, but all Five Elements are represented to harmonize the energy. The entire living room feels so much better even though this was only a corner of it. The uplighting from the floor lamp lends to a yin yang balance of the entire room. You can see how much cozier the space is as the light provides a depth to the space, unlike the one dimensional feel in the before photo.
This is definitely a change I should have made a long time ago, especially with only spending $59.99. And for purposes of selling the house, the better I feel about the house, the better potential buyers will feel about the house as I project my energy in the space.
The Art of Detaching From Our Stuff
In the documentary film, The Story of Stuff, Annie Leonard examines our national obsession with stuff and how it all began. She attributes our consumption addiction to the post-World War III economic policies that propagandized the notion of buying stuff. Our insatiable appetites haven’t been able to stop since. That is, until now.
With the decline of the economy – whether directly affected or not – we have all started to take pause before making a purchase. More importantly, we are beginning to take inventory of the stuff that we do have. Even more so, we are beginning to feel taken over by all the stuff that we have accumulated over the decades, which is why so many of us are having the urge to purge or declutter our homes.
But is it as easy as making some runs to Goodwill?
Of course not.
Why?
We have become addicted, or emotionally attached, to our stuff.
Buying and accumulating stuff is just another way to distract ourselves from our present lives. Like cigarettes or alcohol, it is a quick fix to feeling good. But when the high wears off, we are left with an icky feeling. But we need the icky feeling so that we can punish ourselves and perpetuate our guilt. And then we need the high again so that we don’t feel the pain, and the circle continues.
Is this an overreaction to buying a new toaster? Maybe. But consumption can be an addiction (or at the least an emotional attachment) that, unlike cigarettes and alcohol, is hard to recognize because it is so affirmed by our friends, family, media, and government.
So how do we detach from our stuff?
Knowledge is power. Knowing what and why we are attached to our stuff or certain items will oftentimes break the emotional attachment with our stuff. For some of us, having a lot of stuff is simply a distraction from our everyday life. A cluttered space results in a cluttered mind, which is exactly what some of us want, at least subconsciously. In the same way alcohol makes things fuzzy, having a lot of things in your space will do the same. And on some level, that is the desired outcome. If this resonates with you, then bring awareness to it. (If you are highly resistant to this idea, then you might want to take a second look.)
For many of us, it is certain items that are difficult to part with. It may be books and magazines for some or old pictures, clothes, gifts, collections, etc. for others. Either way, if you don’t love the item(s) or don’t use it, then it is time to part with it. If you are still having resistance, then it’s time to acknowledge an emotional attachment to the item….
Start asking yourself questions.
What am I feeling right now?
What memories does this item bring up?
Who gave it to me?
Why did I originally buy it?
Who does it remind me of?
Do I feel guilty getting rid of this item? If so, why?
Why?
Why?
And Why?
Be your own detective… or therapist. Get to the root of why you are hanging on to an item that you know would be in your best interest to get rid of. You may be surprised. What you thought was just an old hairbrush may actually be a reservoir of past emotions that you and your sister shared when she helped you get ready for prom. Or maybe the green gingham shirt with the price tag on it conjures up guilt for buying things that are on sale and never wearing them. Until acknowledged, the shirt will hang in your closet serving only to attract the pattern for more guilt.
Once you have awareness around an item, you will be amazed at how easy it will be to let go of it. If you have the awareness but still don’t want to get rid of the item, then it may simply be too early. See how you feel the next round of decluttering.
To start the process of decluttering, I recommend working in baby steps with attainable goals as I set out in 5 Steps to Clearing Clutter. You will build up the confidence that will keep you going through the long haul. Once you realize that life will go on with fewer items, you will not only want to clear out more stuff, but will start to feel free.
And when you feel this sense of freedom you know you have mastered the art of detaching from your stuff.
40-Day Challenge to Sell My Home
40-Day Challenge: Using St. Joseph
Within 10 minutes of bringing the St. Joseph statue home, I received a call for a showing and before I had a chance to bury St. Joseph, I had two showings! So we will see what happens now that he is actually in the ground. I also put one in my backyard as well to anchor in the energy.
40-Day Challenge to Sell My Home
I often advise clients and real estate agents ways to use Feng Shui to help sell their home. So now that it’s come time to sell my own home, I thought what better time to put my own advice to work. That’s why I’ve decided to embark on a 40-day Challenge to sell my home. Why 40 days? My home must not only sell, but close, by April 30th to meet the contract on the house I want to purchase.
Although I put my house on the market about 4 weeks ago, I have yet to use any Feng Shui techniques (aside from the Feng Shui principles I generally apply) that I would advise others when selling a home. Not surprisingly, there have been very few showings and little movement. But now I am ready to get moving!
Over the next few weeks I will be updating you with the techniques I use and any corresponding changes that may or may not result. Stay tuned!
5 Steps to Clearing Clutter
We are realizing how little we actually need in the physical world and turning more to the simple pleasures in life. Furthermore, it simply doesn’t feel good to be in our living space if it is filled with items that we no longer need. And, for good reason. Anything in your space that you no longer use or love is simply taking up space for something else to come into your life.
Feng Shui is based on harmonizing the free flow of energy, or chi, in living spaces. If the flow is restricted, then it becomes stagnant. By keeping your spaces clutter-free, you are not only allowing the free flow of energy, but you are also removing stagnant energy that was created by that clutter giving yourself new opportunities in your life. Clutter is anything that you are keeping that stagnates your energy because it serves no purpose in your life.
Clearing clutter can evoke feelings that range from overwhelment to bliss. For those who feel overwhelmed by the idea of clearing clutter it is best to start with small, achievable spaces even if that simply means cleaning out a drawer. Once you’ve attained that goal, you will be more inspired to keep going.
The following are the 5 steps to clear clutter from any space:
1. Set Aside Time
For many, clearing clutter can be overwhelming which is why it has accumulated to begin with. We put it off and just let stuff collect. So the first step of clearing clutter is to make time for it. Make it a priority. To do this, create a block of time out of your schedule. For example, take a day off from work or carve out an afternoon or simply designate the next 30 minutes for clearing clutter. The point is consciously making time knowing that this is important for your well-being.
Again, if clearing clutter seems especially daunting to you, then break down the job into small tasks. Do one box, drawer, or closet at a time.
2. Have Materials On Hand
Make sure you have boxes and/or plastic bags, recycling bin, and garbage bags on hand. Also Sharpies are great to label boxes. This step is important because you don’t want to clear one closet just to shift it all to another closet. While you are clearing, you want to be able to immediately place the item into its destination to reduce any further clutter.
You will want to sort the items accordingly: trash, recycling, returns (all those things that you’ve borrowed over time and not returned), donation, for sale, and an undecided pile. For trash items, place in trash bags. For recycling items, place in recycling container immediately. For returns, place in a designated box. For items that will be donated, place in an appropriate bag or box for immediate delivery.
For the items you have designated for sale — whether it be for a garage sale, craigslist, or ebay — make sure the item is worth your time to sell. Make sure you are not using the “for sale” items as a way to distract yourself into keeping it. For items in the undecided pile, keep reading…
3. To Keep or Not to Keep
Knowing what to keep and what to get rid of is the quintessential question of clearing clutter. In determining what to keep, ask yourself the following questions:
Do I use it?
Do I love it?
If the answer is “No” to both, then it goes. You should love or lovingly use everything in your home. If you don’t, it is taking up valuable space.
4. Final Decision
For those items that you either can’t make your mind about or just can’t part with, then ask yourself why? You will find a deeper meaning. And perhaps then you will be able to part with it. If not, then save it for the next round of clearing clutter. The emotional weight will eventually get to you. Just like everything in life, we hold on to it until it becomes easier not to.
Each time you clear clutter you will be amazed at how much easier it gets and how much more you can part with. In fact, it becomes extremely freeing. When you successfully do it once, you realize life really does continue without that item(s).
5. Delivery Time
This step is as crucial as the first step. There is no point in going through your items, just to put them in a box in your closet. Instead, immediately take the trash out. Recycle items. Deliver the donation items within 24 hours, along with any items to be returned. Begin the process for selling the items to be sold. This step can be more time consuming than you think, so build in plenty of time for properly disposing of your items. This last step can be the most annoying, but also the most therapeutic. Once you have properly rid of the items you will feel so much lighter.
AND one of the biggest payoffs from clearing clutter is that you will be so much less likely to accumulate clutter in the future.
Twitter
Facebook