Best things to do at home during Mercury Retrograde

Who’s afraid of Mercury Retrograde?

The first time I came across this phenomenon was when I was a teenager, all I knew was that travelling plans tend to get disrupted and there tended to be more political disputes than normal. The more I pay attention to Mercury Retrograde, the more I realised how all our lives are affected - whether you are an artist in Edinburgh, or an engineer in China, you cannot escape the power of Mercury Retrograde ; I tended to enter into misunderstandings with people and my electrical appliances have a tendency to end their lives during this period. I used to dread Mercury Retrograde, as I felt that during this period it’s a manifestation of Murphy’s law - whatever can go wrong, go wrong.

I’ve recently been to a wonderfully healing Labyrinth workshop by my friend Tania Ho - she also has a physical one in Thailand! Visit if you can

As someone who likes to get things done and get annoyed with disruptions in life, Mercury Retrograde could mean a heightened of emotions and the explosion of frustrations. However, I found out that my fear of Mercury Retrograde is simply a disguise of my inability to stay grounded and my irrational need to control everything. Now I come to appreciate that it is a time of reflection, review, reexamination as well as reconsideration. In our home, our own sacred spaces, there are a lot of things we can do to make the best use of the energy of Mercury Retrograde, and also things that help us to manage the unexpected during this potentially stormy time

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Check your electrical appliances’ statuses, warranty information

"It is vital for our electrical applianes to work for feng shui

because the break down of appliances affect energy flow

This Mercury Retrograde my fridge broke down for the 3rd time (probably it broke down the last 2 mercury retrograde!), I ended up spending 3 working days on the phone with customer service - of course, communication isn’t the easiest during this period. However, I am grateful that I am under the absolute certainty that my fridge was still in warranty and therefore knew where my consumer position was during the 3 whole days on the phone, with 3 separate departments and 15 different customer service agents!

It’s a great time to review your appliances’ status and whether they are in warranty. It is vital for all major appliances to work for feng shui, as the break down of appliances will affect energy flow (think about it, would you get annoyed when a major appliance like washing machine break down? This will affect not only your home energy, and also yours!) Use this time to consider the lifespan of appliances and replace any lightbulbs, fixtures that no longer work. When your appliances work , your home is vibrating at a higher frequency. I’d also use this time to check whether they are in warranty; you can create a list of warranty information with the model numbers so that you can easily access should a breakdown happens - usually when a breakdown occurs, we are in panic mode and information we thought is easily accessible just disappeared, so this list would prevent the panic and able to help you should any accidents take place. Mercury Retrograde is a good time to review, and also plan - and knowing where you are at is part of planning.

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Organise paperwork

While you are checking the electrical appliances, you might realise you have lost While you are checking your electrical appliances, you might realise you have lost or misplaced the instruction manual. When the time is calling for us to review, it is a good time to look at the ways you organise your paperwork. Do you keep all your instruction manuals together so you can easily find what you need? Do you put all your pet’shealth record in one single folder? Take the time to develop or create a filing system that works for you. Personally, I like to make use of boxed files and file divider for anything business-related. I’d separate clients’ projects in each tab with an index for the box file so I can easily find what I need. For instructions manuals, separate them into rooms of your home, or function of the appliance. I have so many appliances I’m shocked how thick the manual folder is - what I did to make the folder significantly smaller (and hence, less overwhelming!) is to only keep the English instructions, and to digitalise the small appliances’ manual.

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Review what you no longer need and declutter

When we are decluttering, we are letting go of the parts of life that no longer serve us

When we are busy, clutter accumulates. My deadliest clutter is the assortments of cables - from phone computer, lamp chargers, very often I find out I have so many cables that they tangle together. Its not uncommon to find out that I have over 10 copies of the same cable - usually it’s the android cable which seems to be the standard for a lot of small appliances. I tend to take stock of my possessions during Mercury Retrograde, and I keep what I need, and put the rest to donation. Its still lockdown in Edinburgh which means that my usual go-to place for donations are not opened, however you can still declutter by posting unwanted items on the internet such as Facebook marketplace and gumtree. What you dont need might be exactly what someone else is looking for.

When we are decluttering, We are working on to let go of the parts that no longer serve us, and consciously making a choice to live an aligned life with things that support us in our daily work and life, or with things that we treasure. Decluttering can be overwhelming, and that’s definitely something you don’t want during mercury retrograde, so start small! start with a drawer - for me, it’s just a basket of electrical cables!

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Reexamine your relationship with your home

Mercury Retrograde calls for us to reflect and review - which is the prerequisite for growth. It’s a wonderful time to review whether you are still in alignment with your home, perhaps the recent addition of a furry child means you need to make it more pet safe? Or that you struggle to focus at your home as you don’t have a suitable desk? Or you don’t feel inspired, productive, relaxed at your home?

You don’t need to renovate or move when the misalignment happens. Sometimes all you need is space clear the room, shuffle your decorations, repaint the colour of the wall. Another thing is you can apply feng shui to your home (If you’ve already feng shui home, check if the cures you applied is aligned with the year’s flying stars and auspicious placements) - just adding some symbols in the correct direction could increase the vibration of your home. If you are feeling misaligned, click the button at the end of the blog and let’s chat.

It’s taken me a long time to appreciate the introspective aspects of Mercury Retrograde - however, knowing that this astrological phenomenon takes place every now and then offers us the opportunities to look inwards and reflect on our own being and where we want to be. I hope that by realigning your home with your life, you can feel some peace despite the usual turmoils of Mercury Retrograde!

A soul space is a space where we feel nourished and inspired

Imrama

Celebrating Imbolc at home in your soul space

Do you celebrate the pagan and gaelic festival, Imbolc? Since I feel called to move to Edinburgh, I started to become immensely interested in spirituality and merged it with my love of creating nourishing home, I find the Celtic wheel of the year very beautiful and relevant to our lives. Imbolc, a festival to mark the ending of winter and the beginning of spring always falls on February 1. The Celtic goddess associated with Imbolc is Brigid, also known as Brigit, Brig.

Spring Cleaning

The best way to welcome Spring is Spring cleaning. The word spring cleaning can bring negative energies to some as it denotes huge amount of task. The way I see it (I like Marie Kondo, but I’m definitely not as tidy and organised, far from it!) is set an intention of what you want to achieve. It can just be giving your home new energy after the cold winter, and to achieve that, just some sweeping will do the work. Do as much or as little as your soul calls for. If you feel stressed and extremely exhausted after an intense day of cleaning, it is pointless because it doesn’t serve your intention of celebrating the beautiful season.

Have a beautiful meal filled with Imbolc significance

It’s time to get out all your beautiful diningware, all candlelabras (The more the better as Fire is one of Brigid, the patron saint/ the Gaelic Goddess is associated with Imbolc) and make it a special occasion. While you’re preparing your meal, take note of the decoration. I’d suggest to ensemble the following on your dining table;

Flowers: Think White, Yellow flowers, flowers that symbolise beginning. Personally, I’d pick up some snowdrops, or get some daffodils. Snowdrops is also associated with Brigid.
Candles & Candleholders: As Brigid is associated with fire, I’d encourage you to light as many candles as you want to. Plus, candles just help you to enter another state of mind
Set the centerpiece or decoration in 3: Firstly, aesthetically it’s always nice to style things in 3 for a sense of scale and proportion. Secondly in Imbolc where we pay our respect and thankyou to Brigid, it’s nice to style things in 3 to celebrate her. Brigid’s triple aspect is often highlighted and celebrated; the first Brigid was worshipped as the Goddess of poetry, but she also has two sisters who are also named Brigid, Brigid the patroness of healing and fertility, and well as Brigid the patroness of smithcraft

In terms of the food, traditionally Celtics would celebrate it with colcannon (It’s an Irish good that’s mashed potatoes with green vegs), Brambrack. To keep it accessible and convenience during lockdown, I think any fresh bread together with fresh seasonal produce would be a good fit.

Write a poem

"When we are creating,

we are more aligned to our soul blueprint

Brigid is the goddess of poetry and there are a lot of poems that’s dedicated for her from both Paganism and Christinaity. In fact, there’re also rivers named after her. She’s also a goddess of creativity and it’s great to celebrate Imbolc You don’t need to be a literature graduate to write a poem, as long as it’s something coming from the heart, it’s good enough. I find writing poetry very therapeutic and cathartic, and who knows? if you call in Brigid, maybe you’ll find some guidance and insights during the process of writing. Remember, when we are creating, we are more aligned to our soul’s blueprint

Make an Imbolc Altar

Similar to the family meal, you can also feature white and yellow flowers. I’d also light some candles (I’d do at least 3), of course if you already have a Brigid statue, that’d be a lovely addition.

If you don’t have a statue, you can simply print a photo of Brigid and put her on the altar. Or she’s also featured in a wide range of oracle cards. Since she’s associated with healing, some herbs, especially those that you use for different healing purposes could be put on the altar. You can also put the poetry you’ve written on the altar. If poetry is not your thing, perhaps write your favourite quote and put it on your altar. In terms of crystal, moonstone, calcite, malachite, amethyst are all quite good with the energy of Imbolc.

Make a Brigid Cross

It’s interesting because I only knew about Brigid Cross since I researched Brigid after working with her for a month. I was talking to my husband and turned out making a Brigid’s cross using rushes was something he did every spring when he was a kid. You can easily find rushes near lake or loch as it’s something that tended to grow this time of the year. There are different styles; some have 4 arms and some have 3. Do what your heart tells you. I’m quite excited this year as we are going to find some rushes and he’ll teach me how to make one! I found a useful tutorial here.

4 arms brigid cross made with straws. You can purchase it from this website

3 arm brigid cross looks like that. If you are not into crafting but want to hang a brigid cross at your home. You can easily purchase online, this particular one is from etsy

After you make your Brigid cross, hang it in a living room. Its seen as a symbol of protection. I’d try to hang it in the center of your home; in terms of feng shui bagua, the center is where wellbeing is governed.

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May you be filled with brightness, light and creative magic

Imrama

Last year I felt very stuck in my business when I was challenged to change the name of my business and felt unable to move forward. I was questioning everything I’ve done; my approach, my ethos, my beliefs. Creativity is one of my core value and I felt I was in a creative ruck because of all that going on the admin side of my business. Brigid is the guide I turned to for guidance in creativity. Her gentle encouragement during my soul time with her helped me a lot during the renaming process and allow me to feel 100% aligned with my business. if you have followed my Instagram, you’ll know that I’m now expecting our wee girl in July. I find that during my pregnancy, working with Brigid has been extremely comforting and I can’t wait to celebrate Imbolc - I’m ready for some freshness and brightness after stressful few months with the move. Check out part 1 of my journey here. If you feel called to go on a soul journey and find your sacred space, inside and outside, click the button below and let’s chat

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My Imrama, my Soul Journey | Soulful steps to do before property hunt

I have been documenting part of my soul journey over on my Instagram. It has been challenging, exhilarating, transformative. Over the last few months, I have wanted to share more deeply but I felt that I was not vibrating at a compassionate frequency. It took me a long time to work out my emotions, get closer and more grounded at my home, and now I’m ready to share my soul journey, encompassing space clearing (a lot of it!! Have you downloaded the free meditation?), feng shui and interior design.

I’m not a newbie to property hunting and I know that property market in Edinburgh is extremely fast and it requires quick decisions and leaps of faith. As we intend to grow our family in the new home, the purchase therefore came with a lot more emotions than previous ones. As a soul space creator I’ve always be affected by the energy of a space, finding an aligned home is instrumental to me. Before I started my property hunting, I know that it is of utmost importance to find an aligned, inspiring home that would support my growing family (we are expecting in summer 2021!). Based on my previous experiences, I understand how overwhelming the buying process can be and I am committed to making the process a soulful, grounded, divinely guided one.

Using my spiritual lessons and practice, I’ve done the following steps before I even begin the journey. Setting intentions make the journey a more aligned one.

I took this photo during a lockdown walk. The sky was bright and I was contemplating on how intricate the cloud pattern is, it reminds me of our soul, and our soul journey

Visit/ Revisit your kua number and astrology chart

When I work on spaces, I tend to combine different tools that I have learnt over the year. Manifesting a dream adobe is not an exception. Revisiting the family members’ kua number helps me to connect with the process; Besides ach person has their own kua which means there are directions, certain elements that are favourable to them. Having the kua in mind allow you to eliminate some properties immediately; for example, if your top priority is your child’s health, you would want to make sure the second/ third bedroom in the new home would be in a favourable corner for his health.

I have a lifelong interest in astrology and decided to take it seriously at the beginning of lockdown. It allows me to have a fuller picture of my client and enables me to create home that’s truly supportive for them. When we are looking for a property, I find it helpful to print out the star chart, and analyse it. Aside from the moon sign (governs our emotional needs), I like to explore the planets in 4th house (house of home and family, ruled by cancer), it can tell a lot what kind of environment would be beneficial to the inhabitants.

Personally I’d like to explore Venus and Jupiter as well as beauty and expansion are core values to me.

if you are unsure how to read your chart or interpret your kua number, don’t get despaired. Very often we let our ego out and confuse the process, even as a professional soul space creator I have enlisted others’ help during the process. I’m also always available for a one-off session to provide you more guidance and clarity.

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Visualisation

"Are you feeling expansive? uplifted? Inspired?

Notice how you are feeling at the home during visualisation

Home is not only about the what and where, most importantly is how - how you are going to live, how you will feel. Visualisation is a useful tool to help you navigate how you want to feel in the coming property.

It is simple and all you need is relax. You can take as short or as long as you want. If you have worked with spirit guides, you might like to call them in for extra guidance. (I’m hoping to create a special property hunting visualisation for you soon, click here if you want to stay in the loop).

It’s vital we are in the flow while visualising our next chapter, I suggest grounding and settling yourself by doing the following exercise;

breath in for 5 seconds
Hold for 5 seconds
Breathe out for 5 seconds

Tune in to the feeling during visualisation, and ask for the guidance to use this feeling to lead you during property hunting

Do the above for a minute or until you feel relaxed. Next, visualise you walking Into your next home, you climbing to bed, having a meal with your loved ones, or other activities you usually do at home. You can take note of the home’s details; any structural element? Any numbers show up?

However, the most important is how you feel at this home. Are you feeling expansive? Inspired? Uplifted? Notice how you are feeling in that home.

After you finish the visualisation, journal for At least 5 minutes. Do not overthink and let your hand flows on the paper. Afterwards, highlight any feelings you have written in your journal.

Use these feelings as an indication of whether a property is suitable or not. If you feel the complete opposite when you are visiting a property, chances are that it is not the right one. Your experience in the visualisation is a useful anchor when you are finding your aligned property

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Surrendering

Looking back I felt like I haven’t surrendered enough.

In Edinburgh where the property market is quick and vibrant, very often we need to make such a life-changing decision in just a few days (or hours!) time, and it’s not unusual that offers are outbid. When an offer is rejected or outbid, it is easy to get fed up, especially when it happens over and over.

To surrender means to trust that everything that happens or not happen is for the highest good of all. Giving our faith to the universe allows us to stay at a higher frequency even when an offer got rejected or when we missed out on a closing date.

Before I start my property hunting, I have meditated on surrendering the process and write a little prayer. I asked the universe to take the lead on this process. I then wrote the prayer on a sticky note and stuck it on my computer.

When there’s absence of suitable properties or when I found out I missed a closing date, I looked at the note and was reminded that it’s all part of the plan.

"When you think you have surrendered, Surrender more

Gabby Bernstein

When I was experiencing difficulties in the negotiation, I am glad I stilll have that note on and I find a lot of comfort in knowing that it’s for the highest good of all.

One month since I moved into this property, I feel a lot more aligned and settled and I’m grateful to have gone through the challenges as it brought me to curate a programme that seeks to support women who are looking for the next soul home, the programme is something I wish I could have during my move - from choosing the date, energetically space clearing, packing to simply having someone outside of my family to share my worries with. It. I’m hoping to birth it soon, click here if you want to be updated.

In the meantime, I’m available to support you for any decluttering, interior design, moving, property search or feng shui needs. Click the button below and let’s chat :)

Using your home to support you when you are anxious

As an high sensitive empath, I tend to feel a lot - (I guess that makes me a good interior designer and soul space creator?) . Sometimes the feeling is so strong and so overpowering I feel my whole body is paralysed. 

After diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I have become in touch with all my emotions. Sometimes I hate it, thinking why some kind of emotions can cause me so much heartache, pain and ultimately make me unable to function like a normal human being. However the awareness and then acceptance of these feelings mean that I’m able to employ different methods to feel grounded and safe.

Today is one of the day that my anxieties engulf me. My dear dog is going to have his neutering surgery. I have given him preparation, stroking his hair and ensuring that everything is fine. He gives me a cute looking face, wondering where he’s going and what unknowing disastrous act will be done to him.

Hendrick definitely knows something’s going on this morning…

What I forgot to do is to give myself the same amount of preparation. As you might know, I spend all my time with my dog and Hendrick has become my greatest supporter and companion since I got him last year. My logical mind tell me the neutering is a safe procedure, but my heart is unbelievably anxious.

After sending him to the clinic, I walked home in the rainy weather and knew in 100% certainty that today I needed to be gentle to myself, and fall into the arms of my supportive home.

Open the window 

First thing I did when I got home is to open the window for awhile. Despite the cold weather outside, letting fresh air in helps me to be grounded, know that the air element of the Universe is here with me. If you have a garden, I encourage you to stay in your garden for a wee while to feel the nourishing energy your healing space offers

Sense of smell

A lot of us have underestimated the power of scent. Essential oil is a great way to calm our nerves. Lavender is my go-to as it’s non-toxic to pets and also just smell divine! 

Another thing to reach out for healing is to use incense at your home. Incense is traditionally used as a way to connect to the higher spirits; when you’re in a state of unshakable anxieties and feel like it’s beyond your control, it’s a good idea just to connect with some healing energies from the divine

Calming lighting and colour

 Generally I’m prone to anxieties because of my history of mental illness, so I’ve opted for calming colour like green and pale blue in my home. However, when I’m in a state of heightened emotions, I need everything to be as calming as possible, so I’d turn off all spotlights at home. I’d go for some warm and soothing light just to create an atmosphere that I can relax

Shift your own energy 

There are a couple of ways you can instantly shift your energy. The first is moving 27 things in your home. It can simply be placing things in a drawer, throwing a paper, moving the candle from your bedside table to your bookshelf. When you’re shifting these 27 things, concentrate on the act of lifting an object up, and moving it. Meanwhile breathing slowly. Have a go and see if it’ll make you feel better?

Move 27 things to shift your energy

Otherwise you can easily shift your energy with meditation. I’ve just done an amazing one with my soul bliss retreat group. Or if you feel your home is not supportive or nourishing enough, try the free alpha-waves boosted meditation I’ve created for you

The bottom line is we all have some days that we’re anxious and you can feel like there’s nothing can be done. We just need to accept that it’s one of those days and trust that this too shall pass. When I finish writing this blog, I feel that by voicing it out heals me as well, and of course wrapping myself in a comfy blanket helps. I’d love to know what other tools you employ when you’re anxious? Or are you an empath like me?

If you want to get more tips in having a nourishing home, click the button below!

4 ways to use your home as support when you are angry

A few weeks ago I experienced racism, for the first time since I moved to Edinburgh. Covid has definitely upset a lot of our usual routines, and with the lack of education some folks were unfortunately convinced that all Chinese-looking (I’m from Hong Kong, but this lengthy topic better wait until another time) people are carriers of this pandemic which has disrupted so many people’s lives.

I was on the way to Tesco in my neighbourhood and an elderly lady stopped in front of me, cough right to my face.

I was shocked.

I was mad.

I was speechless.

I could have initiated an argument but I think the shock was far too big for me to actually verbalise how I was feeling, and I simply didn’t believe such thing would happen in my neighbourhood which is shared by so many different nationalities. It was simply beyond my understanding that at current time of anxieties about this scary disease, someone would actually cough to another person’s face. Even when we are not in covid, isn’t it rather impolite to do that?

There was not much I could do, I carried on getting my groceries at Tesco but I was fuming. I wanted to shout, to scream of this horrifying treatment that I received. And while I was at Tesco, all I wanted to do was go back to my safe space - my home to work through the emotions.

Make your entrance as welcoming as possible

As soon as I turned my key, I felt a new waves of energy diluting my anger. I love the entrance of my home; a bench with macrame cushions, a star map of the time when my husband and I got married. I particular chose the colour blue at that time, knowing that I would want a calming energy to welcome me when I arrive home. And when I was fuming, the entrance helped to calm me down so I didn’t direct my anger to my husband or my dog. Of course, it’s always nice to go home to a dog wagging his tail. A dog really is a blessing isn’t it?

The cushion with macrame textures immediately create softness and calmness to the entrance

Get comfortable with cushions, throws

Sense of touch is extremely important when it comes to nourishments and supports. Grab your loved cushions, throws and lie on the sofa for a moment. Get extremely comfortable and cozy, allow your emotions to released through your sense of touch. Do you feel your fingers agitated, or shaking? Or do you feel the need to move your body to settle in? Take note of what your body is telling you, and then if you want, just throw the cushion as hard as you can - symbolising the anger is out of your body!

Candles to bring in new energy

There’s something extremely powerful about the fire energy that candles carry. Traditionally in feng shui, candles put in certain directions are thought to be bringing in abundance, opportunities. And candles are always used in a lot of religious and spiritual rituals. I’m sure candles mean different things to different people - but when I was in an angry state, I like to light up a tea light candle in a candleholder that reads “Root Chakra” - it’s a confirmation that I’m safe, I’m nurtured, I’m at where exactly I should be.

Looking at the candle wax growing longer and longer, until the point the frame diminishes is almost a recognition of my feeling, and when the smoke becomes part of the air - it’s like the feeling has been released and let go. This is my go-to tool to release my anger or disappointments.

Meditate facing the wisdom direction

Everyone has their own kua number and there’s specific wisdom direction. When an unwelcoming feeling surfaced in my heart, I’d like to meditate facing my wisdom direction to obtain guidance from the universe. Every single action in our life is a soul lesson, and part of our soul journey. Rather than letting the anger consumes us, let’s see what this lesson can teach us - and facing your wisdom direction whilst doing it offers you cosmic support, as well as allowing you to be in touch with the spirits easier.

After a short meditation, I was able to reframe the experience - it is a lesson to teach me to forgive, and it actually ignites the fire inside me to educate the public about the importance of treating everyone equally. (Well, I’m a libra who really values justice and equality). If you feel drawn, you can also pull an oracle card while facing your wisdom direction. My experience is, my intuition and my ability to receive download always increase when I face the wisdom direction.

As you’ve brought some of the anger energy into your home, you don’t want it to linger, so perhaps it’s a time to do a space clearing meditation (I’ve created a free one for you which you can download here)

You’ll feel much lighter after this!

The truth is, I used to be very angry all the time - I blame the hectic lifestyle of Hong Kong, or the fact that I just feel suffocated in the space. However, I begin to realise that anger happens for a reason, a lot of the time we are actually angry about part of ourselves. I invite you to look into the anger at the comfort of your home, because that is part of soul journey, and it will take you closer to your true soul essence.

Want to see whether your space is supportive enough? Click the below button and book a complimentary soul space assessment call

Making peace with the Scottish Weather at home

It’s one of those days that the rain just never stop. I look outside of the window, thinking it has stopped, so I quickly get changed and take Hendrick out. The minute I opened the main door of the tenement building, of course, it started raining again. How glorious our Scottish Weather is

A lot of HKers are thinking to leave home because of the horrible political situation there, and a lot of people have reached out to me, asking me if Edinburgh is a good place to stay. A lot of them cite the famously unpredictable and wet Scottish weather and it seems to be a reason that deters people moving here.

There’s a Chinese quote that really resonates with me since a young age, it basically translates to “You can’t change the weather but you can change your mood”. Yes, a we have a lot of rainy days in Edinburgh, however, we can make use of interior design to make peace with the occasional discomfort during the darker days

Use colourful, uplifting curtains

I think a lot of the time in Edinburgh we have Gluggavenour (Icelandic word: window weather). I love looking at the raindrops on the window, witnessing the changing rhythm of the rain, contemplating if or when rainbow would come out. It’s a well-known science that lack of light can bring a decline in our mental health, so we can definitely brighten it up by using a colourful curtain. The contrast of a bright curtain with the dark palette outside would create a beautiful and interesting vignette

Snuggle up with throws

What would you like to do on a dark, cold, rainy day? Snuggle up in your sofa! Invest in quality throws, cushions that give you a sense of comfort. I always love a soft wool throw which provides me with such coziness. Together with a mug of warm coffee and an engaging series (just finished little fires everywhere!), a rainy day doesn’t seem too bad. Also, if you are an animal lover but circumstances don’t allow you to have a pet, a cozy throw would offer psychological comfort too!

A statement wallpaper

A client of mine lives in a beautiful converted apartment with large window overlooking the river. The north facing window means she does not get as much natural light as she hopes. Plus the famously wet and dark weather in Scotland means that we might need to spend more time indoors than we thought. But who said we can’t bring the bright nature in?

A statement mural wallpaper does not only provide a wow factor to any rooms, it also creates a very different atmosphere. I love to use a nature inspired mural wallpaper as I think it gives us affinity to the beautiful Mother Earth. If you choose a wallpaper that features l, that’ll bound to cheer you up on a wet day!

I am recently in love with all wallpapers at Woodchip and Magnolia and have already used it in a few projects. Imagine having this beauty at your home - you probably don’t even notice the horrible Scottish Weather.

Let there be light

There are a lot of smart lighting systems in the market. In short, smart lighting allows you to adjust the intensify, brightness, colour of light. There are countless options, and of course you can even control some with your voice! With such a system, you have a lot of control on the lighting at your home and you can brighten up your home on a gloomy day. Or you can even create a dreamy atmosphere by adjusting the colour as well.

If a whole new lighting system is too much, it never hurt to add a cozy reading lamp by your side table to make it more atmospheric. If the lack of sunlight really bothers you, a SAD lamp is a good investment. It definitely helped my first year in Edinburgh when I was still adjusting to the long winter

Activate Feng Shui

Your mental health is part of your overall health

and it should be given the same attention

Feng Shui is about creating harmony between you and your environment. A lot of my clients feel more connected, supported, uplifted by their home after raising the vibrations. Its so crucial for you to vibrate at the same level of your home. If you really struggle with sadness during the winter months, perhaps it is time to see explore your personal health direction. Remember, you mental health is also part of your overall health,
and it should definitely be given the same amount of attention.

Lessons from the dog

I’ve taken quite sometimes writing this blog. The rain just does not seem to stop. When I first started the article yesterday, I felt that I was not aligned with the energy that I hope to project. So I stopped and meditated as I trust that I write what the Universe wants the world to hear, and yesterday just did not seem to be the correct timing.

One thing about being a dog mum is you need to take your dog out regardless of the weather. On a rainy day, this usually pleasurable activity can become a troublesome one when you need to dry your dog and yourself after the walk. Today Hendrick and I went out during the rain. Despite my opposition, I could not say no to this cute face, so I wore my wellies and raincoat, and went to the park.

Of course, we were the only one there.

While I was so irritated by the raindrop on my glasses, and the stickiness of my clothes, Hendrick was having the best time chasing his ball, rolling on the grass. He was not bothered by the rain. He behaves exactly the same way as a sunny day; he still tries to catch the ball by jumping high, he still runs towards me happily and triumphantly whenever he catches the ball. And when he’s tired, he was rolling in the grass, completely unaffected by the dirty mud. That’s the moment I realise the Universe has sent my dog to teach me a lesson; do not let the weather changes your day. Let everyday be the best day in your life.

Let
everyday be
the best day
of your life

And then when I came back home and restarted this article, everything just flows because I’ve finally made peace with the Scottish Weather, with the help of my very inspiring dog.

Reframing "letting go" in your soul space

Lately I’m taught a lesson of letting go in a very hard, challenging way. I feel that I tried to hold onto something, only found out that by ruthlessly clinging onto it, I sacrificed a lot of my energy, time, and potentially harming my relationships with those closest to me.

A lot of us share the feeling of the immense stress when we move, indeed some cite that it cause more stress than losing a job. During the process of moving, we are consciously letting go of things that we just can’t bring to a new life, that they no longer fit into the new life we are stepping into. Indeed, it is emotional and painful. As someone who has moved 3 times in last two year, (from Hong Kong to Edinburgh, then a few times within Edinburgh) , I feel that we should welcome the process of letting go on a regular basis, instead of doing it in one go the day we move, or the annual spring clean.

Just like the cycle of flowers - our belongings have a cycle. They come, and they go.

Let’s call it letting go soulfully…

It’s actually a very liberating exercise; the whole process of determining what things to go to charity shop, what to go to the bin is almost like a rebirth. Shedding your old skin, birthing a new self. A Soul discovery

But yes. It is extremely hard. I’d say it actually requires more courage, than time and energy. So perhaps next time when we want to let go of things that no longer serve us ( think old love letters from your ex), we don’t see it as simply decluttering, but see it as writing a new chapter. By sorting out what to get rid of and what to stay, you are creating your new realities, a more aligned life, and that’s immensely courageous.

In Feng Shui, it is a big no to have dead plants or dried flowers, regardless of their beauty

When we decide to let go of something, perhaps let’s begin by writing our intention.

What new reality do I want to create at home?
By getting rid of all these things, what new sensations do I want to invite to my home?
Why do I want to do this?
Why is now a good time to do it?

And then before diving in to the items in the drawers, why don’t we celebrate our courage by having a wee ceremony? Put your intention, light a candle, ask the universe for help when you are sorting out your memories. You don’t want to do it alone. When you finish this ceremony (it only takes 1 minute!), you are ready to go!

The reason I don’t call this process decluttering is I feel that it implies a lot of our belongings are clutter. I truly believe that there were reasons that we brought those items in - it made sense at that time. But now we are just letting go of them because they have served their purposes. For example, you once bought a beautiful jewelry box to hold your valuables, but now you’ve moved the valuables into a safe or a drawer. Despite its intricacies, the color and texture do not complement any of the interior. It does not serve its original functional, and it can’t be used aesthetically, so It has served its time with you. Give it to someone who would give them a new life.

Do you feel expansive, or constricted?

Keep going through your item. I often feel that our intuition can already tell whether something should stay or go at your home. But if not, hold it close to your heart center, try to see if you feel expansive or constricted. If you feel constricted, usually it means that the item can be let go.

I agree with Marie Kondo to express gratitude to the items that you are letting go. I think that it is a very comforting act after an emotional process. Besides, it is a closure to your relationship with them. Remember the time you feel guilty throwing out a gift? By saying thank you to the item, you are not only acknowledging the item, you are also releasing yourself from the you before letting go, you are giving yourself a closure.

You might think that I’m far fetched with a simple decluttering exercise, but if you’re anything like me, a highly sensitive person and an empath who would somehow get emotionally attached to items, I’d say that to reframing letting go and making it a regular exercise makes the whole process a lot less daunting.

What are you letting go today?

The ways a well-designed home speed up my recovery from bipolar disorder

In 2011, that was my rock bottom. I was trying really hard to find out what I’ve done the next few years but I faced major obstacles. Everything was kind of blurry. What I remembered is I jumped from job to job, unable to feel settled in any of them. My life changed in 2014, when I started working for one of the most talented creatives in Hong Kong.

The minute I entered the florist studio which was nestled in a quaint street in a hip neighbourhood in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.The scent of the beautiful flowers were alluring, absorbing me, inviting me to explore more. Decorative accessories such as figurines, vintage books were carefully put among pots of plants, flowers. I knew that I wanted to work there. The more time I spent working with the creative team, surrounding myself daily with beautiful flowers, creating interior design while facing all kind of obstacles (size, budget, availability, shipping issues) the more at home I feel. And I discovered a missing puzzle of myself. My creativity bloomed. My eyes were opened.

This is such an old photo and it honestly didn’t do Ellermann Flowers credit. They make the most beautiful flowers in the world, and the whole team is super talented and creative

Photo from Ellermann Flowers, always my favourite florist. The team makes the most intriguing table styling, with carefully hand-tied bouquet

Meanwhile, I was still living at home. I longed to move out, be independent, free to do whatever I want. But as you might know, Hong Kong property price was extremely high. As someone who’s never been able to hold down a job, even renting a decent room is purely mission impossible. My parents were caring, but at times they were overprotective, and I just needed some space of my own to breathe. I did not experience that kind of freedom even in my room. Sometimes that leads to conflict, especially after my commute from work to home (crowded underground!) and I just felt the urge to burst out. To avoid conflicts or simply to feel freer, I sometimes just wandered on the street after work instead of resting in my bedroom, which was supposed to be a sanctuary.

In 2015 we decided to renovate our home. We rented somewhere else and I absolutely loved where we rented. The palette is neutral, although some might think it’s clinical. But my bed was right next to the window where I can hear the birds sing in the morning. I was able to sleep well with the blackout curtain. The open plan was spacious with a tiled floor that always cools my fiery spirits. Interestingly I ended up spending more time with my parents, and it was at the living room that I opened up more about myself.

Although I’d love to take a more active role in the overall design of my home, my job and other personal matters consumed all my energies. However, we had an interior designer in who came up with the most suited and cost effective storage solutions. I chose a few furniture in the common areas and my bedrooms, some materials, etc. I wouldn’t say i love the overall design as I haven’t used the design process and it wasn’t my creativity behind. Yes, I would have changed a lot more, but compared to before, the interiors at our home underwent a drastic transformation.

Spent a long time finding the photo of this beautiful norte monde coffee table. It’s always been a focal point

The transformation did not only happen at the physical home,
the way I
connect,
live,
and experience

transformed as well

I started to feel more engaged

The transformation did not only happen at the physical home, the way I connect, live and experience transform as well. Sitting at my vintage desk with a office chair, I was able to journal, connecting with people around the world. Sleeping on a customised wooden bed, I felt much more supported and safe. I love the norte monde coffee table I chose for the living room. The texture and subtle pattern always inspires conversation - and it’s here where we would just have tea or coffee together, slowly shedding our masks and exchanging ideas. Of course there are still heated conversations and occasional fights between my parents and I, but it no longer resulted in huge bangs at the bedroom door or my rushing out of main door.

I signed up for a retreat when I knew I needed a longer break from my day to day life, and afterwards I arrived at Museflower, which I’ll share with you soon

And slowly, I started to feel more engaged in my life. I feel more inspired to learn, to research on different lessons, and slowly embarked on a new journey. After 1 year of the renovations, I settled in my home, wrote an email to Museflower Retreat, and that’s when my recovery took on another level.

I’m not advocating you to spend resources on a internationally renowned international designer, nor interior design is the single way to cure mental illness. There are many mental illnesses, patients respond to the symptoms and treatments differently. What I want to suggest is to switch things in your home, and see if it can offer you a new perspective, to see if surrounding yourself with a soul-led environment could bring positivity and inspiration to you. It helped me a great deal, and I saw that a well-designed home filled with items that connect with people’s soul also helped people to handle the illness in a positive manner.

With the mental awareness week still going on, I’d like to invite you to learn more about mental illness, and how it can impact someone’s lives. At the same time, I’d like us to collectively pray for more kindness, support to each other during challenging times. It really does go a long way.