4 quick ways to shift the stagnant energy

Now that we are one week in semi lockdown, the anxieties that bothered a lot of us in March seem to make another return. To make matters a little more intense, Mercury is going into retrograde tomorrow, disrupting communication, travel plans, and affecting our internal communications. As an interior designer and feng shui consultant, I’m always asked by people if there are some quick fixes we can do at home to shift the energy. Sometimes the energy just seems stagnant at home, maybe its the result of a period of heightened nervousness, or the lack of movement during the winter months, whatever the reason, you can easily make a change to the flow of life.

Opening window

I know what you’re thinking; it’s cold outside and it’s raining, opening the window might be the last thing you want to do. Believe me though, opening your window for a few minutes of the day can help with the energy flow at home. Even when it’s cold outside, the air coming in is a lot fresher than the one that’s been trapped in the room. The act of opening the curtain, and opening the window is also a symbol of your active welcoming of new energy.

Burn an incense

Scent has always played a major part in religions as well as corporates. It is used in ceremonies at the place of worships and specific scent is also used by businesses as part of their brands. While modern developments has made us less sensitive to scents compared to our ancestors, the vibrations caused by the scent can still be felt by people in the room. After an intense conversation where we pour our heart out, I love to burn an incense partly to “clear the air”, partly to introduce a shift in energy.

Play some music

Music is sound waves, it’s vibration. It’s a quick way to introduce new flow into your home. When the energy feels stuck, I like to listen to some upbeat music to bring in some excitement in the home. Of course, depending on your mood and what you would like to welcome, you could choose from different music genres. One thing I’d like particular is to use music composed with alpha or theta waves as they also affect your subconscious

Physical movement

One of my favourite way to change my energy is to take a walk. The rise in covid numbers in Scotland, especially in Edinburgh means I’m a lot more cautious when I take my daily walk. I would try to combine several things into one single time to minimise the exposure to this virus. But movements can still be done at home - when you are moving your arms, legs, you are actually vibrating on both physical and psychological level. I’m a terrible dancer - but I feel that when I actually dance randomly in my living room, I feel a lot more energised and I can actually feel the change in the air. Dance intuitively following your favourite tune is a great way to connect with your inner self, and also raising your own vibrations.

"It is so important to pay attention to our energy level, especially if you are an empath ."

This might not be a typical interior design or feng shui post, but I feel that it is so important for us to pay attention on our energy level, especially if you are an empath who constantly suck in the energy of others. Usually during meditation I come to realise where in my body I feel stuck and I’ll make conscious efforts to make a change. After all, when we are vibrating at a higher frequency, we are more in tune with our authentic self.

If you have felt stuck in a prolonged period, perhaps you might like to engage some more vigorous tools. I’d love to provide you with some recommendations! Click the button to book a complimentary soul space session!

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.

Mirror, Mirror, Who am I? Exploring mirror in feng shui design

A lot of people have a love-hate relationship with mirror. We need it to make sure our appearance is presentable before we go out of our house, so it’s a necessity. Equally, the mirror displays our imperfection, reflecting what we dislike about ourselves. I’m always a little scared of mirrors, I always feel it’s a confrontation and I am not comfortable with the messages she’s telling me. I know that I’m not alone in this and mirror really does have an erring quality into it, and that’s why it’s such an important object when it comes to interior design and Feng Shui.

Mirror enlarges a space

With its reflective nature, a mirror can enlarge a small space. That’s why you can often see the use of mirror in a hallway or in a small apartment. Immediately space feels a lot more expansive and an enlarged space usually create extra comfort.

A mirror has reflective surface, doubling whatever it displays, what are your mirrors doubling? Harmony, or argument? Definitely questions we need to think about

One of the positions a mirror is recommended by Feng shui is placing it in the dining room. Dining room is where people gather, where happiness is enhanced. It is also where food is shared. By having a mirror there, it’s reflecting the food that you have on your table, meaning you are doubling your abundance. That being said, since mirror is essentially doubling whatever you have, be careful with the guests you invite to your home. It’ll be great if you share a similar vibe and have a happy occasion, the mirror would be doubling the happiness! Equally, if they are bringing in negative energy (chi), the negativity will double and linger in the space.

Mirror in bedroom

We need to be extremely careful about where to place the mirror in the bedroom. Since it’s doubling whatever is reflecting, you wouldn’t want it to face the bed as it is inviting other people to be present in the bedroom. No one would want it as bedroom is an intimate place between you and your partner. Besides, a lot of us will feel quite startled to look at our own reflection when we suddenly wake up in the middle of the night.

Very often there’s a need to place a mirror in the bedroom as our clothes are also stored there. I’d always recommend a mirror that’s not too overwhelming, perhaps something with a rattan frame as it projects peacefulness and bring in an earthy energy. I’d also recommend you to place it in a more discreet position where it does not face your bed directly. If there’s no other place for the mirrors to be placed but facing the bed, make sure you cover it with a cloth at night so that your sleep would not be disturbed.

This is not what a soul space should be although the overall atmosphere is nice! Don’t have your mirror facing your bed.

Mirror on top of fireplace

Fireplace is often the focal point of a home. Traditionally it’s where people gather and conversation is exchanged. The general rule of thumb is to avoid placing a mirror on top of the fire place. Mirror is a water energy, and fireplace is fire energy. The two might clash creating conflicts. In my previous home in Edinburgh, I have placed a mirror on top of the fireplace as I was still not pursuing Feng shui back then, and I’ve never wanted to spend my time in the living room…now I know why!

That said, a mirror on top of a fireplace might be beneficial if your fireplace is in a certain direction, based on your individual kua number.

Mirror on top of fireplace is generally regarded as a clash of energy in feng shui. However, it can still work if your fireplace is in a direction that’s good with your kua

I like this mirror in oak wood from John Lewis. It’s very versatile and I always love bringing a bit of nature into home

Mirror is scary, but at the same time I find it very fascinating. It’s the reflective aspect that’s fascinating. What do you see in the mirror? Do you see a beautiful you? Do you see someone with flaws? When I looked at the mirror this morning, I see someone with flaws, but I love her wholeheartedly. Perhaps take sometimes in front of the mirror, see what she tells you. Send me a message, or book a discovery call. Would love to know what your mirror tells you.