Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life

by Karen Rauch Carter

  I paid a lot for it.

  I might need it in the future.

  It was a gift from someone. I can’t just get rid of it right away.

  It’s been in the family for a long time.

  I’m afraid to throw anything away.

  It might come back in style.

  These answers don’t fly because they are based either on lack or on guilt. If you come from a point of view of lack, you will never be in the universal flow of things, and yes, things will be hard to come by. And if you have guilt over pitching something, you are living someone else’s life and not your own. Is this stuff really worth paying to keep? Think about it.

  I live on a houseboat. Can I use feng shui, and if so, how?

  If you live in a boat, mobile home, car, or RV, you can still employ feng shui. It is a bit trickier, though, so my best advice would be to call in a professional. But if you are up to it, I would suggest using your intuition as to the bagua layout. Motors usually land in the Fame section, but not always. Start by finding the main door. Use the bagua as usual and see how it feels.

  My other suggestion is to be aware of the elements surrounding you and balance them appropriately. Living on so much water in a boat or inside so much metal in an RV can set up ch’i imbalance. Use the Creative and Destructive Cycles described in Chapter 1 to get into balance.

  If you live in a box, tent, cave, or tree house, carry on as usual with the opening as the main doorway, and proceed from there.

  chapter 12

  * * *

  Pump Up the Feng Shui—Adding Extra Power to Your Feng Shui Cures

  It’s finally time to share the secrets of how to pump up the volume of your feng shui. Once you get the hang of spreading this pixie dust in your home, you will see just how fast your life can really change!

  | OK, Stuff Moved—Volume Level 3 |

  First of all, by placing the appropriate physical items in the right spot in your home you are on track to achieve success. Let’s say, at this rate, your ten-level feng shui power knob is turned up to about level 3. If that is working all right for you, by all means stick with it. Some people can take only a certain amount of change at a time and like to move at a slow pace. Or maybe you have changed only a few things in your home as a tester to see how things go. Fine. As I said before, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Trust that you will do exactly what you need to do. But if you do want to pump up the feng shui to a higher level, there are several nonphysical things you can do. Using these methods increases the power of your feng shui and lessens the time it takes to achieve results. Are you ready for warp speed?

  Before we learn how to pump up the feng shui, please note that in order for you to get from point A to point B in life, some things have to move. Remember, we’re talking about making changes here. Some changes may appear negative, but I’ll say it again—the universe does not make mistakes. It may look like chaos for a while if you do not like change, but keep the faith—the energy you have put out toward your new goals will make good things happen. If you said you wanted a career change, don’t be surprised if you lose your job. If you said you wanted to get along better with your parents, don’t be shocked if you have a huge fight with them that exhausts you all into agreeing to see a counselor. Your perception that these things are not good is just that—a perception. They are just what they are, and there is really no good or bad to it until we attach that perception. Keep your focus on the big picture and when these negative things happen, see them as confirmation that you are on the road to getting what you want!

  Energy follows thought. So wherever intention goes, the energy flows.

  | Invisible Feng Shui |

  Just as we are composed of our physical body and our non-physical mind, feng shui is composed of physical changes (moving your stuff) and changing your mind (with intention). If you think of creating the life changes you want as similar to placing an order in a restaurant, you might better understand what I mean. Picture a restaurant well stocked with the finest ingredients, and you are in the dining room, hungry and looking to place your order. The waiter approaches and says there are no menus because they can make anything—anything. It’s up to you to think of exactly what you want. You must get very clear about what you want to eat (just as you must be extremely clear about what you want out of life).

  Now, you picture the best meal you can think of, and then you simply state your order. The waiter leaves to tell the chef. You just sit there and wait. That’s one way to order. But unfortunately, it is limited by your past dining experiences and your knowledge of food.

  Another way is to describe the taste you would like to have, and allow the chef to choose the ingredients he thinks will achieve that sensation. You leave your taste buds in his hands. He may use ingredients you’ve never heard of or tasted before.

  As in the above analogy, there are two ways to place an order. If it is something specific you want, order it. If not, think of the way you want to feel and to be living in the future. Describe it and let the universal chefs cook it up for you. If you are leaving it up to the chefs, I would add cover-your-butt clauses to your request, like “I would like the perfect (whatever) for me” or “I would like a new (whatever) or something better.” This may help you get the best possible outcome.

  The amount of energy you put toward your visualizations, affirmations, and meditations is directly proportional to the results. If you are scattered in your thoughts or do not feel you can make the shifts necessary to counter-balance negative items in the home, it might be wise to call a professional or use the Helpful People visualization in this chapter.

  | Adding Helpful People to Your Power—Volume Level 5 |

  If you really want to get things moving, get powerful people to help you. Picture this:

  Stand in the center of your home and face the Fame section. Then picture some helpful people standing behind you (over your right shoulder) in the Helpful People corner. Now, these other people can be any people you think of as wise and helpful. They can be religious figures like Jesus or Buddha, guardian angels, or your grandmother, who may or may not have passed on. You can even use me as one if you wish (photo on back of book) since I’m trying to be helpful by explaining this wisdom to you in this book. The reason you are doing this is to draw upon their power to help you with giving intention to your new life. Once you have assembled your team, you can proceed to pump up the feng shui knowing that as long as you ask for their help, they indeed will respond.

  | Reality Bites If You Let It—Volume Level 7 |

  Pump up the feng shui even more using visualization and intention. Those Olympic downhill skiers and divers know the value of visualizing a successful outcome before they compete. They train their minds to see only success, going over their runs and dives in their heads until they believe they can do it and actually feel as if they already did. Tiger Woods said he dreamed of winning the Masters ever since he was a kid. That’s about twenty years of visualizing, and his life lined up just perfectly for him to succeed. He was causing his future to happen just as he thought it would—so, watch what you think!

  When making changes in your home, visualize what you want to have or be in the future. If you are looking for the perfect mate in life, when making adjustments to the Relationship corner visualize yourself already in the perfect relationship. Get into the daydream of it all until you feel yourself crossing over to a place in your mind where you actually feel as if it is already true. The more you can make it feel like the present, the more present it will be. I heard Jim Carrey in an interview say that he used to go up into the Hollywood hills, sit there looking over the valley, and daydream about receiving $10 million for acting services rendered. He said he would not leave the hill until he really believed it was true. To make it more real, he wrote himself a check for $10 million and wrote “acting services rendered” in the memo portion of the check. The check was his physical adjustment to remind him of his goal. He carried the feng shui cure in his w
allet! I don’t think it was a coincidence that he eventually received exactly $10 million for acting services in one movie deal. How would history have been written about him if every day he had made a point of saying to himself, “I’m never going to make a living acting. Who am I kidding?”

  What kind of visualizations should you do? There is really no specific answer, because everyone sees successful results differently. But if you know you want to change something in your life, you probably have already visualized how you want it to be different. Just get in touch with that picture or idea, sit quietly with it, and add power by filling in any missing details. If it is money, fill in the amount and see yourself using it. If it is having your art displayed in an art gallery, picture yourself enjoying the champagne that is being served at the opening. Paint the picture over and over again. Change things if you come up with better ideas. Just keep the thought strong in your mind. Make a habit of consistently going to that place in your mind where the future is real, and you give it even more power.

  When you make adjustments to your home, really concentrate on why you are placing an object in a spot. And every time you see the object, it should trigger that future picture in your mind again. It may take a little practice, but it will definitely pump up the feng shui, I’d say to a power level of about 7.

  | Magic Words—Volume Level 10 |

  Another secret to pumping up the feng shui is to say it out loud. Affirm whatever you want to change in your life. Just as you have visualized the change in your mind, say it in your speech as if it has already been changed. In Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O’Hara demonstrated this quite well as she vocalized her vow to the space around her and the dirt in her hand that she would never be hungry again. And remember, anything is possible, so you are limited only by your imagination. Words are filled with a power—power to change your future.

  So, when you move your stuff in your house to get results, picture the result you want and declare it out loud as if it has already happened. A great way to do this is to actually give thanks for it as if it has already happened. Say, “Thanks for the money to buy that new house,” as you place that little green Monopoly house in your Prosperity corner. And if it is a personal state of being, start it off with an “I am” as if you already are that way. “I am in the perfect relationship with the perfect mate for me.” Take some time to come up with your affirmations. The time is well spent. Use adjectives to paint the picture better. Saying, “My backpack purse is totally jammed with cash and all kinds of large checks made out to me!” paints a clearer picture than “I have a lot of money.” Both work, but because the first makes you visualize, you are adding more thought to it, thereby giving it more power.

  Some important keys to effective affirmations:

  Say, “I am,” instead of, “I want,” or, “I will” (because if you say, “I want,” the universe will keep you wanting it).

  Give thanks as if it has already happened.

  Use adjectives that help make a clear picture.

  Here are some generic affirmations for each area of the bagua. You can use them as is, or build up your own picture by adding your personal meaningful adjectives to them.

  Family

  I feel great and I am in perfect health.

  I find joy in my family relationships.

  I find strength in my flexibility with others.

  People always treat me like part of their family.

  Prosperity

  Money finds me easily, now and always.

  I always have enough money.

  As I give to others, I receive.

  Fame

  I am well respected in the world.

  I am well known for my talents and skills.

  Relationships

  I am in the perfect loving, intimate relationship.

  I accept myself unconditionally and love and honor myself.

  I love everyone, and receive love from everyone.

  Creativity

  I find joy in my ability to easily express my creativity.

  There is an endless supply of creative talent within me, and I am able to tap into it whenever I wish.

  I am in perfect harmony and balance with my children.

  Helpful People

  I am always in the right place at the right time.

  People are always available to help when I need them.

  People always treat me fairly and honestly.

  Career

  I am now living my true calling.

  I am now in the flow of my destiny.

  I now live the perfect life for me.

  The universe now knows my dreams and is making it my reality.

  Skills and Knowledge

  I am a wise person in all situations.

  The genius within me is now available and I am in touch with universal wisdom.

  Health

  I feel great and I am in perfect health.

  I am centered, grounded, healthy, and at peace with all.

  I am harmonious and find joy in my own power.

  Joyful surprises reach me every day.

  If you do not wish to say an affirmation, you can give power with your speech by saying what the Tibetan monks call the six true words. They are Om ma ni pad me hum (pronounced aum, ma, nee, paad, mee, hum).

  There is a long story as to what they mean and why they are used, but they still work without your knowing all about that (kind of like how people say “Gesundheit!” when someone sneezes—what the heck does that mean?). Just say these words out loud (and I would recommend saying them nine times) after visualizing your result in each area of the bagua. No religious conversion needed.

  If the whole affirmation thing is not your scene, try simply giving thanks. You can thank the people who have given you the stuff that you just moved around, you can thank the people who allowed you to make the money to buy the stuff, or you can thank God or the universe for providing these things. Or finally, you can thank your lucky stars for finding this information so you can create more opportunities to give thanks.

  | Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk—Volume Level 12 |

  If you do your visualizations and affirmations in a specific order, you can add yet another level of power. In feng shui terms, it is called tracing the nine stars. (Each “star” is one of the areas of the bagua.) Employing all of the above techniques to your cures will increase your feng shui power exponentially to around level 12 on your ten-level volume knob.

  Start in the Family gua by literally going there, standing, perhaps touching one of the items you placed there, and then doing your visualizations and affirmations. Continue doing the same thing in all of the other areas. Follow this order: (1) Family, (2) Prosperity, (3) Health, (4) Helpful People, (5) Creativity, (6) Skills and Knowledge, (7) Fame, (8) Career, (9) Relationships. (See Figure 59.)

  Don’t worry if prohibiting walls fall in your path and make you enter an out-of-order gua on your way to the correct one. It will work anyway.

  | When to Call In the Pros |

  Since this book is confined to describing the very basic principles of feng shui, it may be in your best interest to seek the advice and counsel of a feng shui professional in certain circumstances. Extreme physical or mental health conditions, physically dangerous situations, and cases of haunting are better left to professionals.

  There are several styles of feng shui. Make sure you are comfortable with the style the practitioner uses. Ask them what style they practice when interviewing them.

  If you have your home set up based upon this book and would like to find someone that practices close to this style, I would recommend a practitioner who practices Black Hat Sect style. That is the style in which I was originally trained.

  The “Tracing the Nine Stars” order.

  FIGURE 59

  | OK, I Moved My Stuff—Has My Life Changed Yet? |

  I wanted to make this final note hit home with the power it deserves. The answer to the question above is undoubtedly yes. Your life
has changed because you have willed it to. Everything you do affects your future, so by merely reading this book (even without moving your stuff) you have ever so slightly propelled yourself further along your path in an ever so slightly different direction. When you project that slight change in course far into the future, you will obviously arrive at a place that is very far from the original fork in the road. The more you intend to make change, the more off your old path you will be.

  The fact that human beings have free will is an essential ingredient in the workings of feng shui. Because the future can be changed, and this change is guided by our thoughts, we can discover ways to use the universal power to create our vision of the perfect future. This may include a loving relationship, material wealth, or a host of other awesome events and circumstances. Your intention matters because of the energy it is constantly pulling toward you. If you notice, those who constantly harp on the negative are usually surrounded by it. And those who always seem to see the good in things more often find themselves in rosy situations. And let’s not forget the ambivalent ones out there, who do not focus on anything in particular and wonder why nothing ever really happens in their lives worth talking about. They probably wouldn’t recognize their life path if it had a neon sign pointing toward it! Your thoughts are of great importance, and they matter. Notice the word matter? Your thoughts create matter. It is this matter that you are striving to bring about and change with feng shui. Thoughts control matter—therefore your intentions are a key ingredient in feng shui. Give something mundane an intention, and its matter will change. Common laws of physics have proven this. You affect even those things that you breeze by without the slightest notice. So imagine what happens if you actually give notice. Take charge of your life by evaluating what things are working for you now and what things need to be upgraded in order to do so. Find a love source inside, bring it forth, and guide it toward higher thoughts.