My Imrama, my moving soul journey part 3 | Clearing the stagnant energy at your new home

Getting the key was not the end of my soul journey. I thought once I got the key, I just needed to get on with all the practicalities of moving. At that point, we have secured a temporary accommodation as the delayed transaction meant that the renovation schedule was affected as well. However, I could not shake the feeling of having made the wrong choice

I was deeply concerned with the energy of the property. Buying and selling a house is an energy exchange and I know that the exchange has not been the most pleasant and it would require a lot of energetic work to cleanse the residual energy left by the seller.
I thought of reaching out, to explain the reasons that we needed the transaction to take place at the agreed time. I wanted to express that it was not our intention to bring them inconvenience. 

Since finding out about the pregnancy, I’ve enlisted the help of a dog walker as I wanted to prepare my beloved dog, Hendrick, for the baby’s arrival. Shortly after the transaction, I arranged for the dog walker to pick up Hendrick at our new place and we found out that the dog he’s walking used to live here. The beautiful spaniel that’s sniffing in our garden used to live here.

When I saw my Hendrick saying hi to the beautiful spaniel in our garden, I felt a surge of emotions. It could not be a pure coincidence, could it? It meant that I had a way to reach out to the sellers.

The obstacles over the transaction were extremely stressful to me and I knew that the sellers experienced the stress and uncertainties as well, albeit in a different way. I felt that in order for me to clear some of the negative residual energies trapped in the property, I needed to reach out, as peace offering and showing gratitude.

A property holds an immense amount of energies and vibrations and would affect those living in it.

I’m always a firm believer of maintaining a friendly relationship with previous or future inhabitants of our homes as a healthy relationship between the two parties would create a positive frequency that’d stay in the property. 

my boy Hendrick - I feel like he could also feel the energy of the home and has taken a long time than I expected to feel settled!

I thought that’s my chance to clear all misunderstandings. I remembered the seller mentioning that they are fond of cooking during the viewing so I decided to get them a food voucher from a deli. I was wondering between two amount and then decided to go for the higher one. I thought that’d be a good token to show my gratitude as well as my apology - after all, they probably wanted the transaction to be delayed till their own purchase was sorted.

Although I have been very careful with our financial outgoings as both renovation and newborns are both extremely costly, I thought that by gifting the seller the voucher would help with our settling in the new home, hence it’d be worth it.

I thought it’d be worth it. 

The same night my husband discovered the seller’s Instagram account (because the seller and we both follow our dog walker!)  and I was shocked to see how much we are hated. I was right - the hostile energy is clearly present. In fact, it’s a lot more than I originally expected.

I could not believe the words I saw, in a way it confirmed my original suspicion - the post’s caption and comments mentioned that the sellers left the property in a filthy state on purpose as she believed that’s how our souls are. She wrote that she disconnected the doorbell and removed the oven shelves on purpose.

I was devastated, angry and felt majorly stupid for spending money on someone who hated me so much. I simply could not process how much I was hated and disgusted. When I was talking to a tradesman in my upcoming home, I felt utterly defeated, stupid, and hated…I wasn’t sure how I could possibly make the property a loving and nurturing home for my growing baby when the seller put so much hate into us?

I prayed for guidance. I prayed for concrete actions to clear the negative energy. I prayed for ways to turn a place with hatred to a nurturing soul space.

I was then seeing the number 100 a lot….and then I decided to burn incense for 100 days in a row.

I also dived into my own akashic records for guidance, subsequently then dived into the property’s akashic records to clear the negative energy. It was so heavy and I found out from the records that part of the heaviness was contributed by my stress and fear.

I was called to commit to spiritual practice to clear the air, energetically. 

I dived into my spiritual toolkits and looked at what could help me. I consulted oracle cards daily and committed to doing a forgiveness meditation for a week. I turned to Kuan Yin, the goddess of compassion and forgiveness for healing and guidance. I used ho’oponoopono as well as Tibetan singing bowl daily..

I found so much comfort, healing and guidance through all these spiritual practices and that’s when I realised all of these happened for a reason. It’s happening so that I could perfect my craft as a soul space creator. I’ve never ever needed so much time and effort to cleanse the space…and it’s all worth it. 

After 1-2 months of a lot of energy and spiritual works, coupled with the newly designed home as well as Feng Shui activation, I felt fully settled in my new home and I’ve felt a sense of calm that I haven’t felt for ages.

I felt inspired to launch new services that I’m so passionate about. I was able to attract financial abundance that surprised me. Most importantly, I felt I have developed and created a safe, nurturing space to support my pregnancy and my future child. I knew deeply that it wouldn’t be a forever home, but it is exactly where I need to be right now.

 This moving soul journey, with all its excitements, obstacles, stresses all happened for divine reasons…

Every single part of this journey has equipped me to be a better mother, each obstacle was a lesson for me to realign with my soul’s truest callings…and the whole experience was designed cosmically so that I can become a more all-rounded soul space creator so that I can support women on similar transformational journeys, so that I could hold space for others

It's exactly where I need to be right now...

Imrama

4 months after I moved in I’m finally able to share my journey wholeheartedly, and when I’m typing out all these 3 blogs I felt a sense of ease and release, I believed this is the final part of moving journey - to share my voice.

I can’t wait to hear all your exciting moving stories! If you need a soul companion or feel called to share, click the button below, I’d love to know everything :)

My Imrama, my moving soul journey part 2 | Obstacles are instrumental to soul growth

In my last blog, I’ve mentioned how devastated I was when I received the phone call that I would not be able to get the key to my new home in another area in Edinburgh, just the working day before the transaction was due to take place. That weekend was long, emotional, filled with doubts and question marks as I was unsure about my next steps. 

I remembered looking at my more than half-packed home, unable to make sense of what’s happened. Tradesmen were organised, moving company arranged, furniture was supposed to deliver the few days after I got the key….none of this would now take place.

I was supposed to move into my new home a few weeks before Christmas, so that I would be able to fully embrace the much-need seasonal spirits which were so needed after lockdown and the moving stress. I was supposed to move into my new aligned home and started creating the nursery of my child whom I was struggling to connect with.

I needed a home to settle so that I could have space, both physically and mentally, to experience my pregnancy wholeheartedly. I needed somewhere safe so that I could begin to figure out the kind of mother I wanted to be.

The wait was agonising and on the day I was supposed to get the key, more uncertainty arose. All I was told was that a council virtual inspection was organised at the property the seller was purchasing and it would further affect the transaction date. There wasn’t any update on when the title deeds, which seemed to be the cause of the delay, would arrive in Edinburgh.

To put it simply, there’s no certainty of the date that I could move in. All I could do was just wait.

On Monday after I talked to the solicitor, I called the tradesman and furniture companies one by one, rearranging, apologising -  each call seemed to be a vivid reminder of how little control I had, each apology seemed to intensify how uncertain everything was.

The most pressing matter was to find an alternative accommodation, and also came up with a storage solution as we could not change our moving-out date. The most challenging thing was that we didn’t know how long we needed the temporary accommodation for.

It was as if I had no choice and no anchor to my own life.

I felt like I was acting on survival mode; making decisions that seemed to bring convenience and ease for the short term. I was hollow inside on that few days.

I needed an anchor, I needed to take control of the situation.

And then it dawned on me…I could pull out from the transaction because there’s nothing that’s legally bounded that’s why I needed to spend money from my own pocket to sort all the alternative arrangements. I was not protected legally. There was not a binding contract and that’s why even the seller was not fulfilling his side of the agreement, he does not have any legal responsibilities for the damages it brought me.

I felt so vulnerable. 

I don’t think I have ever prayed so much in my life. Equally I don’t think I’ve ever questioned my faith and spirituality so much since I began my spiritual journey around 8 years ago.
I prayed for guidance and the guidance was always “healing” “fall into my arms” “trust”; 

I didn’t get it at all, I was going to be homeless soon, how could I not take actions? How could I rest when things are affecting every single cell of mine?

When you think you’ve surrendered, you surrender more

I started to wonder if I was holding on to this transaction too tight and trying to control every single aspects of the move without allowing the Universe to work its wonders. I started to wonder whether that’s a wake up call for me to loosen my grip, in my work, in my pregnancy, in my home…I always felt that I need everything to work on perfectly according to plan so that I could really shine my light as a soul space creator; I needed to show the world that I could create aligned spaces beautifully effortlessly - and this disruption of my own immediate space just did not sit well.

When you think you've surrendered, you surrender more

Gabby Bernstein

I felt like if I couldn’t even control my own home, I could not show up as a soul space creator. I could not preach what I taught.

I’ve equated my identity to someone who constantly has an aligned, beautiful, soulful home

I have subconsciously created an image of the perfect soul space creator, who created space without obstacles, who moved from home to home effortlessly.

But that’s just an unattainable image I’ve created…it’s like those models with a perfect figure showing off their latest acquisition in 5 stars hotels.

It was just an image.

But I was so much more; I’m a multifaceted soul, I encounter obstacles and rise beautifully, I am a soul that’s experiencing humanness.That’s what I thought. It is all set. I just needed to go through with it..

And this experience is a lesson from the universe. It’s for my growth - although I couldn’t fathom what the purpose was. It was meant to happen 

This realisation changed everything

I began to let go.

I began to see the obstacles happened because I need to grow, I needed to make changes to my life in preparation of motherhood as well as to better work my light as a soul space creator. 

I was talking to my dear friend Tania from museflowerretreat. She has completely shifted my perspective; instead of seeing it as an obstacle, see it as a protection. When there’s rejection, it’s usually a protection.

When you think you have surrendered, you surrender more

I was so fixated on this single property that I didn’t let wonders happen. I was so concentrated on making the move an easy one I forgot that surprises are here to teach us lessons.

I was ready to let the property go. I was ready to just stay in the temporary Airbnb during this soul journey, even I don’t know when a more permanent abode would come

I meditated a lot over that weekend and the two days; finally, a clear answer surfaced. 

Loosen your grip and trust. Trust it’s the correct property but do not be 100% fixated on it.

Love it but also let go of it.

I knew that what I needed is clarity instead of having no answer and no date. I would rather let go of the property than being held hostage in this endless chain. 

I love it but I was ready to let it go. At the same time, I trusted that Universe has my back, that the Universe would provide me exactly what I need, what my family needs

I told the solicitor that I would let this property go if the transaction cannot be done on Friday that week. I needed to free myself from the endless doubts and uncertainties

Then I decided to let it go and surrender; whatever the outcome it was.

And I began to look for properties again on right move and espc

The realisation completely shifted my frequency and I felt a lot lighter. I no longer felt like I was another victim of the property chain but I was someone who made inspired and soulful actions that might be contrary to the original plan.

I was nervous, not knowing how long our temporary living situation was going to be. But I trusted.

And then the Universe responded that the seller accepted to make the transaction on Friday. 

While I was excited and ecstatic about having clarity in my moving situation, part of me felt something was off. It was as if I could feel the seller’s overwhelming anger…

And I was right. On the day of the transaction, I walked past the property with my dog at around noon and saw the sellers loading their belongings onto the van and there seemed to be a lot more in the flat. I felt something was off; from my experience, the property would be more or less empty by noon to facilitate key drop-off and pick-up. I was panicking as I let my anxiety and fear mind overrode my trust in the universe; just a week ago I was told that the transaction needs to be delayed, and looking at the less-than-ready state of the property meant that I was nervous about the transaction would not take place.

I called my solicitor nervously and was told that I’d be able to get the key at 4:30pm. 4:30pm came and it wasn’t dropped off at the estate agent. I waited patiently and finally received a phone call at 5 and frantically drove to the estate agent. I almost could not believe that the key was finally on my hand.

I stood at the entrance of the property and already felt an unbearable heaviness.

Entering the flat, the property felt stuck, antagonistic and hostile. 

As someone who’s so sensitive to surroundings and environment, it contained a lot more hostility than I originally envisioned,

and all I wanted to do was leave.

I almost wished I could have chosen a different one. However, I remembered that Universe always only gives you what you can handle….so I understood that it’s another lesson to learn….

And that’s perfecting my skills in energetically space clearing and something that I’ve been struggling for years..

Patience. 

Celebrating Celtic Festival Beltane at your home

It’s only after I relocated to Edinburgh that I began to appreciate the Celtic wheel of the year. After some research, I find that a lot of the dates or important festivals seem to coincide with the Chinese lunar calendar. Although different rituals are adopted and practised by the two different cultures, I love how both the Chinese lunar calendar and the Celtic wheel of the year pay tribute and respect to the wonders of mother earth.

The beauty of Beltane lies in the fact that it celebrates and honours life. It is the last of the three pagan fertility festivals (after Imbolc and Ostara) and lies on May 1. It’s believed that the veil between the human world and the spirit world grows thin so it’s a wonderful time for us to connect to our spiritualities.

Beltane Fire Festival takes place in Calton Hill, Edinburgh every year. This photo is taken from Beltane Fire Society’s official facebook

My first experience of Beltane was the Beltane Fire Festival in Calton Hill, Edinburgh. While it’s become more of a cultural event, I love that it still incorporates myth and symbolism associated with Beltane, such as May Queen and Green Man. Being so close to fire makes me feel protected and also connected to the sensual spirits. Although covid means that the Beltane fire festival is not returning physically this year, there are still many ways we can celebrate this beautiful festival at home

Start a bonfire

Beltane means Bel’s fire. Fire is traditionally used on the day as a purifier and healer. Bonfires were lit using different types of wood, when the fire was blazing, its ashes, smokes and flames were believed to have protective power where people then take it back to their home to ensure fertility and harvesting throughout the summer months.

It’s a symbolic move to remove the residues of winter and cleansed the time we spent indoors in the dark months - that’s why I feel this year the fire has an additional significance. We’re all ready to enter a new normal after a few months of lockdown and spending time inside. I also see the fire as a welcoming of the sun and newness.

Fear not if you do not have a garden or a fire pit, even lighting a candle with the intention of purifying would be a good way to harness the energy of Beltane

Place flowers everywhere

I’m a big flowers lover and I’d love any excuse to buy and decorate my home with flowers. In Feng Shui, flowers always symbolise new and fresh energy so I’ve always had flowers in my living room. Beltane is about celebrating and honouring our interconnection with mother earth, so instead of just having one bouquet at home, we can put cut flowers in different rooms in our home - even just some petals on your bed to celebrate sensuality! 

Spring flowers such as cous cous, tulips, dandelions are especially connected to the spirit of Beltane as they are blossoming during the period, however, use any flowers that appeal to you. Even just flowers you pick in a park. 

If you’re feeling creative and crafty, you can always make a flower crown and wear it! 

Celebrating your love with your loved ones

Beltane celebrates the union of goddess and god so have always been a popular time for pagan weddings. Since union and connection are important themes in Beltane, why not use this time to honour your relationship with your loved one? It can be so easy to forget how blessed we are when we always have our significant others by our sides, so it’s a good opportunity to express our love to each other.

One thing you can try to do is handfasting - it’s a ritual that involves tying the hands together (ie. tying the knots) using a ribbon. This symbolises the union of the two people. It could be a lovely little ritual to do with your loved one. While you’re using the ribbons to tie the knot, you could either renew your vows or recite writings that are meaningful to the two of you.

If you are not currently in a romantic but is desiring one, you can harness the potent energy of Beltane to manifest your ideal relationship. Take some time to reflect on how you want to feel when you are in a relationship, and you can write it down in a letter as a prayer. If you are familiar with your kua number, you can also put this paper in your relationship corner to double charge your manifestation power

Handfasting ceremonies is sometimes seen as an alternative to traditional weddings - it’s all about celebrating love and union. Photo taken from Keli Tomlin Ceremonies

Do a visualisation exercise

Beltane is all about revitalisation and envisioning good fortune, union and abundance. With the fire purifying any unwanted energy, it’s a good day to visualise future and imagine the future you. If you are thinking of moving, why not use this time to visualise where you want to move to?  How you want to feel in your new home? How do you want your space to support you?

When you visualise, you materialise.

Denis Waitley

If you are feeling uninspired with your current circumstances or current home, visualise a future where you feel fulfilled, uplifted. Observe how you feel during your visualisation and see if you can cultivate the same frequency at your home - perhaps you need to do a more in-depth space clearing? Or perhaps you would like to Feng Shui your home so that your home can support all your endeavours?

It’s my passion to support women in creating soul-aligned spaces and I feel that Beltane is such an auspicious and beautiful time to manifest a truly soulful space. If you would like some support in this transformational journey, send me a message and let’s chat

My Imrama, my moving soul journey part 1 | The unexpected challenges

The word Imrama means journey of the soul and all my moving experiences have taught me that moving indeed a soul journey - when a lot of the time you don’t know the destination; when you decided to move, or when circumstances propel you to move, you aren’t sure where your future home is, you aren’t sure what new experiences are waiting for you. To me, that’s an imrama, and all soul journeys are meant to bring you back to alignment with your soul

Last time circumstances caused me to move as the landlord needed the return of the property. We were ready to purchase, I knew from my experience it’ll be a transformative journey for my family, little did I know of the depth of transformation. 

Soul journeys are meant to bring you back to alignment with your soul

With my experience in Feng Shui, space clearing as well as my regular spiritual practice, I have completed the soulful steps before property hunt and I’ve also employed variety of tools to make sure the property we selected is soul-aligned. I thought that since I’ve made sure all steps and decisions I’ve done is soul-led, that’s my spiritual tasks done.

I couldn’t be more wrong. The Universe wanted me to go through challenges. The universe wanted me to completely transform

Around 3 weeks after the offer was placed, I discovered my pregnancy.

It is a planned one but it came a lot earlier than we expected. Because of my poor health in my early 20s, I was always under the impression that it’d be extremely hard for me to conceive. The Universe pleasantly surprised me but equally, I was unprepared, physically and mentally. I was shocked, scared, confused. 

The first trimester meant I’m confronted with a new set of physical discomforts from new medications, nicotine withdrawal, the usual hormonal changes that came with pregnancy. However, all these physical symptoms are nothing compared to the chatters in my mind - I felt my world was turned upside down, I felt I was thrown into a giant rabbit hole, exploring a Newfoundland on my own. I was lost. 

I didn’t understand why both pregnancy, and moving, two big transformations come at the same time. With my history of bipolar disorder, to say I was worried about my mental state was an understatement. 

I started to doubt if the selected property is the correct one, knowing that the neighbourhood might not be optimal for young families. I was also concerned the property might not have enough space for a baby - the second bedroom was meant for a multi-functional guest room/office when I first made the offer. I looked at my initial layout plan and moodboard and found a lot of decisions need to be changed…to cater for the child inside me. 

The things that appealed to me about the property suddenly become questionable; I loved the big windows when I was viewing, but suddenly I was worried about privacy. I loved the G/F main door flat with a small garden at first, and then I found out it crippled me with worries about my family’s safety.

I doubted the decision tremendously. I doubted the vivid guidance I received. I was questioning whether I let my emotions cloud my judgment..

I was worried that if I selected the wrong property, I would not be a good mother.

It’s simply because I knew how important space is for someone’s growth, and that’s precisely the reason I was crippled with anxieties of making the wrong decision.

What kept me going was my realism - the offer was made, we needed to move out of our property. Really nothing could be done. 

That’s what I thought. It is all set. I just needed to go through with it..

And then this deep knowingness allowed me to take a step back and trust the universe; and learnt to manage my anxieties and stress.

When I experienced the lawsuit for my business’ name, I kept pulling the card Imrama from Rebecca Campbell’s deck and that’s when I decided on Imrama Space as a new trading name. This card hasn’t shown itself to me for awhile, until I found out about the pregnancy in the middle of my moving journey.

The card Imrama only confirmed to me that moving is a soul journey - a journey where you don’t even know what you experience, where you’ll go. Or  in my case, when I started my moving journey, I only thought it’d start a new chapter in the way I approached my business, who would have thought it’d be the beginning of motherhood? 

When we sowed the seed of moving, we are sending a signal to the universe that we are saying good bye to a chapter in our lives. Our body and mind are vibrating at a frequency where new happenings will reciprocate, whether you expect it or not. 

Oh, but in my case, the first trimester wasn’t the only challenge..Compared to what I was told over the telephone on November 13, 2020 (Oh I know it’s a black friday!) the nauseas, mood swings were nothing! 

I thought I wasn’t ready for more challenges and obstacles, but the Universe decided to test me. The last working day before the transaction was due to take place, I received this phone call from my solicitor at 4:30

“I am really sorry, but a title deeds of upper chain is trapped at Israel and I’m afraid you are not getting the key on coming Monday”

“So when will I be able to get the key? We’ve given the notice to our landlord?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have any more information right now. Im so sorry”

Are you fucking kidding me?

Just one day ago before this phone call I was pulling teeth at HSBC as they refused to transfer the money from my account to the solicitor’s account as I didn’t have a ID with my married name. Even though I have brought with me my wedding certificate, my ID and I explained that I was told by my immigration solicitor to not change the surname on my ID until I received my visa, the staff simply would not help.

I was on the phone with bureaucratic bank for the whole day while struggling with nauseas. I was so certain that was the final straw and everything would be fine afterwards.

Oh, but no, there’s this - you are not getting the key and I don’t know when you can get the key.

This sentence was repeating in my mind like a negative mantra trying to hypnotise me to the darkest place in my heart and forced me to swim in sea of tears. 

What do you want now? How many more things do you want me to go through?

I remembered I was screaming at my half packed home - where am I going to stay now? What should I do?

I was craving for a cigarette to calm my nerves but I couldn’t - I now have another human being to take care of.

I questioned my guidance and my faith. I questioned my spirituality.

I’ve followed it so obediently the whole time ; I persisted even though there’s a building warrant issue with the selected property, I decided to move forward with the purchase even though my child might need more space. I tried my best to convince my husband even he wasn’t as certain as me about the offer

And now you’re telling me my persistence was worth nothing? And that I needed to go through more?

I was more than furious. I was lost. I was devastated. 

That morning I pulled the card called Crumbling -  my intuition was telling me something’s off that Friday, something might happen, but I didn’t know it’s this - I didn’t know it’d be a complete disruption of my renovations plan and the possibility of becoming homeless. 

But It’s a soul journey isn’t it?…and my soul knows better. I’ll share part 2 of my soul journey next time 

Moving is a soul journey.

a journey where you don't even know what you experience, where you'll go, but know that it takes you to an alignment with your soul

4 soulful things to do before you move into your new home

A property chain is extremely common in Edinburgh, Scotland or other places within the UK. The longer the chain is, the longer it takes for the solicitors to do the paperwork, and hence the transaction date could be months away from the day your offer is accepted. The period waiting for the transaction can be very unnerving as nothing is certain until missives are concluded, which usually is only done shortly before the agreed transaction date.

The waiting time between the transaction date and the date my offer was accepted was around 2 whole months; during that time, I found out about my pregnancy (which has changed a lot of things and affected a lot of decisions) which made the uncertainty more nerve-wracking. 

Flowers is one thing I turn to when I’m restless - appreciating how unique each bulb is, makes me feel grounded

I knew that with my daughter coming, I needed to be more prepared with the new home. I needed to have an inspiring and nurturing space so that I can have a safe, fulfilling pregnancy. And that’s when I sought for guidance through my spiritual practice as well as applying what I’ve learnt as a soul space creator to prepare for the moving in -  I hope these few steps help and support you in this transition period. 

---

Letting go of items that no longer serve you

Moving is the best time to declutter your life life. You can decide what you want to bring into the new chapter in your life, and what to leave behind. While I have the professional experience of decluttering spaces, I find it a lot harder when it comes to my own home.

Spend sometimes for self-care while letting go of your belongings..

It’s usually the emotional attachment that’s harder to let go…

Do you keep old birthday/ Christmas cards?
Do you keep old photos?
Do you keep clothes that no longer fit?

There’s no straightforward answer. The easiest way to identify what belongings to let go of is to invite your soul space guide to be with you during the decluttering process, and to listen to the whispers of your soul. You can also touch the particular object and see whether your body expands or constricts. When there’s a constriction, it’s a clear sign that you no longer need the item and can let go of it. 

Take your time and be gentle to yourself. When we’re letting go of things that no longer serve us, we could feel tired and drained. Spend some time for self-care while letting go of your belongings. 

---

You don’t need to decide exactly where every single piece will go, but having a rough layout will help the renovation process - and usually makes builders’ job easier!

Preliminarily plan the layout of the rooms

Although you won’t be able to execute your interior design plan fully before you get the key, it is helpful to already plan the rough layout of the rooms. If the seller is opened to it, you can ask to enter the property for measurements which allows you to plan more accurately. 

Planning the layout of your rooms allow you to examine what furniture pieces you are keeping. A console might fit perfectly in your current hallway but struggle to have its own position in the new property, and then you can determine whether to sell or give the console away. Once you move to the new property, you would need to make a lot of swift decisions. Making the decision to give away or keeping furniture beforehand would lessen your stress once you get the key.

Quality furniture is known to have a long lead time; if you plan the layout prior to your moving, you can already collect material sample and order the furniture before your move, so you don’t need live without the said furniture for months! It’s especially relevant if the furniture is a bed or a sofa! 

If you are planning to do an overhaul of the rooms, knowing the layout is key so you can plan the position of sockets, radiator, etc - It’s always best to conduct these activities when the property is vacant to minimise disruption to your daily lives. 

---

The importance of space clearing and welcoming rituals 

When you meet a person for the first time, you’d introduce yourself briefly. It is the same when you take over the occupancy of a property - you’d like the property to know who you are and how you want to live. The welcoming ritual is the best way to do it; Through this simple ritual, you connect with the property energetically and it’ll make the subsequent Feng Shui application a lot easier. 

My moving package includes using astrology tools to select an auspicious date for welcoming rituals and space clearing. I find aligning our intention for a prosperous home with the lunar calendar an effortless way to help us settle in the new home

Incense plays a huge role in my space clearing exercise and certain numbers of incense is used during the welcoming ritual

In my experience, no Feng Shui activation can be successful without space clearing. Feng Shui activations rely a lot of intentions and the placements of objects. If the space is stuck and stagnant, any activations would not be as effective. Hence, prior to moving in, it’s super crucial for you to remove any lingering energy of the seller, especially if you intuitively know that the energy is on the negative side. 

---

Set Intentions for your new home

There’s a reason why there’s an entire greeting card section devoted to new homes. New home signifies new beginnings and the shedding of old skin. Our friends and families congratulate us on welcoming freshness. However, what matters most is how we want to be in our new home.

How do you want to live, experience, grow in this place?
How do you want your home to support you?

Before we move in to a new home, it is important to set our intentions so we can have a compass to make decisions upon; If your intention is to be calm, relaxed, you’d probably avoid a very vibrant wall colour. If your intention is to establish a successful work from home business, you’d ensure there’s enough space for a desk and also taken work into consideration when applying Feng Shui. 

Let your home support you in your manifestation

Imrama

This is a building from Hong Kong, where I grow up..and I find moving in a busy city even more challenging!

Moving is a soul journey where we experience obstacles, dilemmas, joy, transformation. The time between giving an offer and actually getting the key can be very unsettling - there’d be moments of uncertainty, worries, concern and also a sense of hopefulness and excitement. It’s my mission to support you in this transition period and to make it as joyfully transformative as possible - I truly believe it’s a period of rapid spiritual growth and as a soul space creator, I’m here to support you that. Find out more on here or click the button below and let’s chat

3 things I learnt from moving home during the covid pandemic

Imrama is a celtic word that roughly translates to the journey of the soul, even sometimes we don’t know the destination. When the card kept appearing on my spiritual practice last July when I was facing a potential lawsuit, I thought it only meant that my soul space creation business, working primarily locally at Edinburgh at that time, needed to evolve or that I needed to journey to different parts of my soul to fully grow as a human being. 

Little did I know it also predicted the upheavals, the epic joy, the profound changes I experienced during the transition of my physical home. Moving is indeed a soul journey - when you decided to move, or when circumstances propel you to move, you aren’t sure where your future home is, you aren’t sure what new experiences are waiting for you. To me, that’s an imrama, and all soul journeys are meant to bring you back to alignment with your soul 

As with all soul journey, there were parts that are extremely ecstatic, there were also parts that brought you to confront your fears, your darkness, your anxieties. Owing to the lingering energy of the seller (It was a super difficult sales at the end), it’s taken me a long time to feel settled, comfortable and safe enough to share all that I’ve learnt during moving

---

There’s no perfect Feng Shui

Even if you are planning to build your own home, there’s no everlasting perfect Feng Shui. While there are some fundamental rules in Feng Shui, the flying stars changes all the time affecting the energy flow inside a property. Although we each have our own kua number and favourable directions, the frequent changes in flying stars mean that sometimes our space is not optimal even though you might have applied Feng Shui cures before. 

My experiences in property selection and moving means that I know that no single property can benefit from an everlast, all-rounded good Feng Shui. In my personal opinion, I find it a risky and timely pursuit to find the most perfect Feng Shui home because the searching process can be incredibly draining. It’s often when we live there and interact with the spaces for a period of time that we start to understand the flow of the space, and can apply cures to create the most aligned home.

---

Our intuition is our closest ally

Scottish property market is extremely fast and a lot of the time we’ll find that we’re bidding a property against other buyers. 

How do you know what’s the correct bidding amount? 
How do you know whether placing an offer immediately is a good idea or not?
How do you know if the property you viewed is the right one?

Even after you successfully bidded a property, there are still countless decisions to make. 

How do you know which tradesman to hire when there are so many out there?
How do you know which paint colour to go for?

what if..you regret it?

The truth is you can spend hours researching or talking to your family and friends, but at the end of the day, there’s no way you can know the answers with 100% certainty. 

I remember the brutal lesson of hiring the wrong builder. He had great reviews and had done a decent job for my friend. The quotation was reasonably priced. I didn’t listen to my intuition and I went with his quotation despite my intuition told me something’s not quite right - I trusted my reason instead of following my nagging feeling. When he started to disappear without answering the calls, I knew that I should have followed my make-no-sense intuition. 

Our intuitions will never betray us. It’s always a compass to bring us back to alignment with our soul. Your intuition might not necessarily give you the exact answer, but trusting the nudges, the niggling will always help us to make more soul-aligned decisions. 

---

Be open to surprises that Universe gives you

Anyone who’s moved would know that not all things go according to plan. The more detailed your plan is, the higher chance of disruption. Although sometimes I struggle to get organised because of my ADHD, I have an overwhelming need to plan important events.

Planning makes me feel in control, and therefore, safe and secure.
And I’ve never been challenged so much in such a short period of time.

The beginning of the moving process was quite smooth and we somewhat painlessly identified the correct property and have our offer accepted relatively quickly. I then proceeded to plan the interior design and Feng Shui activations; I arranged builders, furniture deliveries as soon as the transaction date was agreed, and at the same time we gave our landlord notice. 

My plan was to finish all the renovation work within a few weeks of the transaction, and then we could move from our original home to the property. I thought everything would work according to my plan (which already buffered in a few days) so we can move into the new property as soon as the work is done.

We had a deadline to work towards as we needed to leave our flat by the date. I thought everything would work according to my plan….

At 4pm on the last working day prior to the transaction, I was told that the transaction needs to be delayed owing to uncertainty in one of the upper chains. The solicitors had no idea when the transaction could be complete. It could be days, weeks, or months. 

Moving is a soul journey.

that calls for us to surrender to all the beautiful surprises

I was devastated. The uncertainty meant rearrangement of deliveries, delay in renovation and ultimately the search of a temporary accommodation. It’s the same time when we found out about my pregnancy. The pregnancy came unexpectedly early and like all pregnant women, I was confronted with nausea, morning sickness, mood swings and major fatigue.

I buffered in the extra budget; I buffered in extra time. But I didn’t plan the uncertainty, the news of my pregnancy as well as the possibility of temporary homelessness. The transaction became so difficult that I was questioning whether it was the right abode for us. 

It was definitely a soul journey that called for deep faith and surrendering. Out of all the lessons I learnt during moving, knowing the Universe would throw unexpected surprise to you is the most valuable one. Looking back, I realised everything is a blessing in disguise because it equipped me to be a more reliable, more experienced soul space creator. It allowed me to birth the moving programme that has planted its seeds many moons ago.

Had I not decided to surrender and opened my heart to all these surprises, I would not be able to share my journey and birthed a programme that could help women to create their soul home. 

I am extremely grateful for all the hurdles and obstacles that I needed to jump through in the last few months - It is through the process of journeying back to my heart that I polished my skills in space clearing and Feng Shui, so that I’m now a more experienced, compassionate soul space creator.

When Universe says no, it can be a form of protection

Imrama

There are always different lessons to be learnt during the transformational moving period. We often find ourselves confronted with our deepest fears and anxieties during moving, and often it’s also a time where spiritual growth happens rapidly. I can’t wait to share more of my journey. At the meantime, I’d love for you to check out chapter 1 and 2 of my journey. 

If you’re looking to move soon, click here to check out the newly launched moving package to see if you feel aligned, or click the button below and see how I can support you to make it a rewarding journey!

My Imrama, my Soul Journey | 4 ways to make a soul-led decision when choosing a property

I’ve recently shared part 1 of my soul journey where I completed some rituals and some soul-searching exercise before starting property hunting in Edinburgh. Before spending a huge amount of time on helpful sites such as rightmove or espc, completing the exercises that I outlined before enabled me to ride through the journey of property hunting in a calm and soulful way. In a fast property market like Edinburgh, or many other cities in the world, it can be extremely unnerving when it comes to making the decision to place the offer. How do you know whether the property you’ve viewed is the right one? Is it the interior design, the feng shui or other things? How do you know it’s an aligned, soul-led decision? This Part 2 in the Moving soul journey seeks to explore a few ways that you can identify if the property is a soul-aligned one or not.

Edinburgh property market is known to be very fast - and that’s why a soul-aligned decision is more important than ever because we don’t want to make a decision simply because of outside factors.

When I was choosing my first-ever property in Edinburgh in 2018, I’ve only lived in the city for 3.5 months. I had a strong understanding that this will be the place where I grow my roots. I looked at my budget and identified my needs and began to concentrate on a few areas. When I stepped into the home that I ultimately purchased, I felt a strong radiating light filling me. I fell in love with the layout as well as the warm welcome of the sellers - I love the art they hung, and particularly the sage green colour they chose to dominate the living room. I love all the creativity displayed everywhere.

It was a wee bit outside of the budget (considering you always need to bid higher than home report in Edinburgh) so I asked for a sign that I should go ahead with placing an offer when I was walking down the tenement stairs. I walked down the street, passed by a bending cresent, welcoming me is a lovely plant and gift store named Dahlia. I didn’t know such store existed back then! Dahlia has been my soul flower since the beginning of my spiritual journey, and what’s the odds that a store with the name of my soul flower just appeared in front of me, when I’m making one of the most important decisions in my entire life?

I took this photo in Marchmont, Edinburgh on the day after I viewed the flat in 2018 because I simply cannot believe the coincidence

The beautiful plant and lifestyle store Dahlia is now moved to Stockbridge but the interior design and energy of the shop are always so pleasing!

I simply could not ignore the sign back in 2018 and since I moved to that property, I attracted my soul mate who’s now my husband, I also manifested the finance needed to start my own business full time. In reflection, I always saw that property the start of a new, exciting chapter and it was.

My purchasing journey in 2020 was a lot more complicated compared to 2018 - Our budget is smaller this time and we had a timeline where we needed to move as we were asked to move out of our rental property. And since I started as a soul space creator, I became more and more sensitive to the spaces and more in-tune in what I need. - hence a more clearly-defined set of requirements.

Having lived in a north-facing flat with limited daylight during the first lockdown, I was adamant to find somewhere that has more light and ideally a tenement G/F just to get my dog Hendrick in and out easier. I’ve always loved tenement - I love the stories, histories that are engrained into the materials, the inviting high ceiling that allows the imagination to stretch. Having these criteria in mind we began our search. We found the property a few weeks into our search and it’s one of the only 3 properties we’ve viewed.

We visited on an early evening in late summer, I was welcomed by sunflowers waving their bodies in the wind’s company. The seller did a great job in using candles to create an enticing atmosphere; It Is not a big flat but I love how I immediately felt expansive in the space. I felt the cells in my body vibrating and I was secretly excited to explore all hidden corners in the flat. I was filled with this mysterious exhilaration to the point that I don’t think the not favourable feng shui L-shaped layout of the flat mattered (I have since found cure for it)

Candles are always a great way to create atmoshpere and it’s proven that it’ll help to create a better impression in buyers’ mind

I placed a low offer even though I intuitively knew it would not get accepted, it was as if I am expecting a miracle.

But Universe doesn’t work this way. Universe works when we are vibrating at the same level, when we initiate interaction, when we do the work

That’s when I knew I needed to ask for clear guidance and go back to trusting my soul.

Feng Shui

While I’m a firm believer of the non-existence of a perfect feng shui home, I’ve figured out a few non-negotaible feng shui aspects that a property needs to stick to for myself. To me, it’s not at a cul de sec, not nearing hospital, not facing a crossroad, the position of the main door and the residual energy of the seller. It’s also important to me that the rooms allow furniture to have the commanding position. The way I look for property is to search for a well-balanced property which has energetic space to grow

---

Oracle Card

The starseed deck from Rebecca campbell is one of my favourite deck and has definitely supported me the entire moving journey

I have come across Oracle cards when I was teenager but haven’t incorporated it into my daily spiritual practice until mid-20s. I used to doubt my interpretation and wholly relied on the booklet for explanation. The more I work with oracle cards, the more I trust my own interpretation and followed the guidance from the reading. If you have a regular oracle card reading and trust that you can read objectively, I’d highly recommend it as a tool to get some wisdom. Otherwise you can ask a practitioners to do a reading for you. I offered oracle card reading as part of feng shui programmes to gain clarity.

Before I conducted the card reading for myself, I made sure I’m grounded by having my favourite drink (It was coffee at that time since I wasn’t pregnant yet!), cleansed the space with incense. I was shocked by the clear guidance on the oracle card; what it said about my indecision and fear, what it wants me to do, It’s a gentle encouragement for me to take the leap of faith.

---

Akashic Records

Akashic record is essentially a library of information about every soul that’s ever existed. You, me or even property has its own akashic records. When we access it, we can gain a lot of wisdom and guidance in making soul aligned decisions. You can access yours once you are taught the way to do it, you can also access someone’s else provided you are given the permission. I didn’t find it appropriate to access the akashic records of the property at that time but I’ve spent some time in accessing mine and knew with absolute clarity that the property I viewed would be my home, not forever home, but home for the time being.

When we access the akashic records.

we can gain a lot of wisdom and guidance in making soul aligned decisons

---

Ask for a sign

Everyone’s capable of having a dialogue with the Universe and everyone can live a soul-aligned life as long as we take actions. Asking for a direct sign is a great way to gain some affirmation on whether to proceed with something or not. Again I asked the Universe to show me the sign of my soul flower if I should go ahead with placing the offer. I was strolling in the property’s neighbourhood to get a sense of how I feel at different times of the day, and I then walked into Edinburgh Honey Shop which is just a minute away from the property. I’ve always known they sell great nutritious honey but didn’t know they also sometimes sell flowers! And when I was visiting that day, there were some beautiful, glorious dahlias by the door. My sidekick Hendrick went to sniff at it, and then I knew 100% that the property is a soul-aligned choice and it’s where I should spend the next few years.

The dahlia that I spotted in Edinburgh Honey Shop

What’s your soul flower?

We faced a lot of obstacles during the transaction and during the course of the lengthy negotiations, we also discovered that I’m pregnant. When there were countless changes and hurdles to jump through, I could not help but questioned whether it was the right choice. However, it turned out it’s a test of faith and to trust my intuition, as well as a necessary lesson for me to go through. I’ll share the detail in the next blog.

Now 2 months into moving in our new home, I feel energised, hopeful and I am so excited for the birth of the baby inside my womb, and I’m also looking forward to launching the new feng shui services as well as the moving programme. If you’d like to be notified when the 1:1 moving programme launched, please click here. If you’re in the middle of moving and in need of some support and guidance, click the button below and let’s chat on how to best walk this soul journey!

Moving home is a soul journey which encourages our growth

Imrama

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

---

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.

---

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.

---

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!

---

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.

---

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

---

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?

Cure cosmic homesickness for Mintakan in your home

With all the retrogrades going on, I feel inclined to turn inwards. Together with the sun in nurturing motherly Cancer, I come to reflect on the importance of home. Not only the physical house but also the idea of home - Where we belong, where we originate, where our soul comes from.

While I was shuffling the work your light card by Rebecca Campbell, the card Mintakan jumps out. Mintaka is one of the brightest stars in the constellation Orion (some 1200 lightyears away from the earth, and it’s easily visible to the naked eye. Although the concept of incarnation from another planet might be intimidating to some, I think it’s a universal human need to have a sense of belonging and so often empaths need a truly safe home to recharge. With this card appears, I feel it’s an invitation for us to look into the cosmic homesickness, to reflect the origins of our soul, and to cure and accept the homesickness, right at our home, our safe soul space

The Mintakan card that I pulled from Rebecca Campbell’s Work your Light Deck

The way to cure this cosmic homesickness for Mintakan is not to create a dreamy space by going overboard with spirituality-inspired decors, instead, it is to create a nurturing and safe space that allows you to explore your deepest soul.

It is to accept that we are here right now, to be present with all the insecurities, uncertainties, weirdness, awkwardness, Follow below steps see if you feel more a sense of home

Journal what a sense of belonging looks like

If you feel you don’t belong, why? List out all the experiences, encounters that make you feel like an outsider. Back at boarding school I channel my anger, discomfort to my writings, and put my longings and desires to writing. I think already I have sowed the seeds of how I wanted my future home to look like back when I was struggling to fit in

Gather support at your home using decor items

I’m a major sucker for throws. Even today, the hottest day of the year, I cover myself with throws as I feel held and supported. As if it is the magic carpet from Aladdin that helps me transport elsewhere. There is also a little jellyfish paperweight that provokes sense of wonder every time I look at it, almost like a crystal ball that can hypnotise me to another realm.

It sounds very woo woo, but never underestimate the power of your senses. When you truly tune into it, it can bring you joy, safety, wonder and sense of belonging

A Meditation corner can be as simply as a few floor cushions, with your favourite plant.

accept that we are here right now, to be present with all the insecurities, uncertainties, weirdness, awkwardness

Sketch your ideal home

When I start an interior design project, I ask my clients questions on what their dream home look, colour, furniture, energy flow. Although it might not be possible for you to completely renovate your home at the moment, by sketching it out or visualising your ideal home, you are one step closer to bring yourself truly home. Alternatively, do a vibration board and starting from there, you will begin to paint a picture of a safe, nourishing home

Connect with your spirit guides at your sacred corner at home

We are all humans and there is just so much we can do. Since I find spirituality, the knowledge that I am not alone and I have the support of spiritual guides, divine, God (however word you feel suitable to call the power that is bigger than us ) is the most comforting at all. When I am feeling disconnected with the environment, with the news around me, I go to my sacred corner and connect with them, pray, meditate.

It is a universal human needs to feel a sense of belonging

Where do you belong?

I created this sacred corner during Summer Solstice. And today, when I am feeling the yearning of belonging, I pray here

My sacred corner is not like a fortune teller’s tent, indeed it is extremely ordinary. A rug from cult furniture, several cushions, my comfy throw. Sometimes I’ll light an incense, or candle, and then I’ll just lie down on the floor, say my prayer and feel the sweet nourishments from the divine and let my whole heavy self be held by my guides

If you identify as a Mintakan like me, I hope the above suggestions would bring you closer to home. I pray that you know that you are not alone, sisters or brothers. We might be in different part of the world, but we probably originate at the same source. Know that you are not alone, if you want a chat, I’m here

My home teaches my something surprising: Acceptance

As an interior stylist, you’d think that my home would be perfect; the right colour, the right combination of textures, the impeccable flow of energy. Sometimes when I scroll aimlessly on instagram, I’m amazed at how perfect other interior designers’ homes are. Whether they are in Edinburgh, in Dublin, in the state, these interior designers seem to have the perfect home. Everything is just spot on. The correct wallpaper, the carefully curated storage solutions, put it simply, it’s just together.

My dear interior designer fellow told me “Comparison is the thief of Joy” It can’t be more right. The whole time since I decided to work solo as an interior designer, I’ve tortured myself on an endless journey of comparison, and ultimately suffocating myself with a massive heaviness of inferiority.

Part of the reasons is I just couldn’t seem to take a good picture of my home to post on social media. I would not dare to use the hashtag #myperfecthome when I put the pictures on. Firstly, I rent so there’s a lot of limitation I need to work around with when I designed my home. Secondly, I moved into my husband’s bachelor pad after we got married, and in a crazily short timeframe. So I wouldn’t say it’s a well thought through interiors.

Does it mean that I’m not a good soul space creator? No. It simply means that I didn’t execute this project in the same manner I usually would. When I worked on my client’s project, I tended to put way more effort, from mood board curation, to floor plan planning, etc.

Yeah…so I have not been putting up pictures of my home. One huge thing that bothers me is the wood chip wallpaper.

I mean, wood chip wallpaper. Yup. No single interior designer would live in a flat with wood chip wallpaper.

But, do I love my home? Oh yes, wholeheartedly. And I know that staying here is the best for my family right now.

And today while I was chatting with a reader of my blog, I came to realise that our home can teach us a big soul lesson: Acceptance.

Finally, today, after moving in for more than half a year, I’ve accepted the wood chip wallpaper that has bothered me. And indeed I’m so grateful for it; because it has taught me a valuable lesson both as a soul led entrepreneur but also an interior designer. Sometimes, we just need to accept. Without acceptance, we could not live a soulful life, we will always struggle to feel safe, balanced, peaceful.

Comparison is the thief of Joy

I’ve spent some time today reflecting on this wood chip wallpaper; its awkward texture, its sneaky look that is just on your face all the time. I wondered why on earth it would be popular in the 1980s. I can’t see how it can be beautiful, I just can’t. But instead of constantly telling myself that my home is not instagrammable because of the wood chip wallpaper, I should just accept that this wood chip wallpaper is a component of my home, but it does not define my whole home, my aesthetic sense, my value and identity as a soul space creator.

So here it is, my bedroom with wood chip wallpaper. Colour painted in French Gray from Farrow & Ball. Bed from John Lewis.

Actually, when I tell this wood chip wallpaper, “hey you, I know you’re here to stay. I know I won’t be able to change it. I accept you” I feel an immense sense of relief. As if I’ve begun a new relationship with my home, and with myself. I felt that I’m way more connected, and I suddenly find that my vases and books with the wood chip wallpaper at the back can actually be quite interesting.

More importantly, I feel much more at peace with my home. I’m just not bothered with it. I love my home. There’s no more holding back.

And yes, once I decide to accept it, I’m posting the picture here, and my Instagram. Acceptance gets you to the next step in your life at your home. Trust me, when you accept the imperfection at your home, the energy instantly shifts, and your home would become a stronger shelter for you.

So, please completely remove the idea that there’s a perfect home, perfect interiors or perfect feng shui. PERFECTION JUST DOES NOT EXIST. Accept what you can’t change, and you’ll find the inner peace that we so need, and I would love to see you have a healthy, beautiful relationship with your surroundings.

What makes me

First (Proper) Blog since I relaunched this website in January, 2019.

Finally. After spending a long time thinking what to write.

Then a dear friend of mine that I should write about how my background and my experience affect my interior design style. It’s my one year anniversary in Edinburgh on Saturday.. It was my yearning for space and my passion for creating personalised interiors that brought me to the Scottish Capital.

I was sitting quietly, reflecting on my growth and changes and I come to realise how much my childhood, my heritage affect my interiors style

Victorian Harbour in Hong Kong, where I lived before relocating to the Scottish capital. The busyness, the streets, the human connection have always inspired me,

Smart use of space

HK is one of the most expensive and packed city in the world. The average home size in Hong Kong is 484 square feet (45 square meters) so since childhood I’m taught to be clever with the use of space. I don’t recall having a home with dedicated study/ storage space. Utilising every space possible has been crucial to a comfortable living. As much as I dreaded it, I had no choice but to place boxes of letters, photos underneath my bed that I customised. Extra blankets, beddings are always stored at the top drawer, fully using all the height.

Although I’m now in a city where space is less scarce, this is still a very useful skill. I’m almost trained to organise things in a certain ways to maximise the sense of space. No one wants to go home to see things lying around. Just adding a drawer or a small box in the cupboard (and a bit of self discipline!!) could create a peaceful space without clutter

A set of storage boxes are useful to place things that are rarely taken out. Also, this set from Beautify is also very pretty to look at :) Making you more inclined to sort out your things !

When I was living with my parents we built a bar tables. To increase storage space we make cupboards next to it where we can also use the counterop for displaying bottles

The need for Sanctuary

As one of the economic centres in the world, Hong Kong is truly a city that never stops. Shops open till 9, if not 10pm everyday. Stress is basically something that everyone deals with on a daily basis. Everyday when I was on my commute, trapped in the MTR with my body right next to someone’s shoulder, I longed for the moment in my bedroom where I could recharge. It’s the busyness, the distractions that makes it even more important to have that moment, that space where you can feel truly connected, inspired. Because of my busy working life back home, I understand fully the importance of creating a comforting, calming, inspiring space and that’s what I wish to help my clients create the sanctuary

Image by Unsplash

People at heart

I’m fortunate enough to work with interesting people globally. Going to rural village in Thailand opened up my eyes - they have a different attitude to art, life. They brought their beliefs into crafting some of the most beautiful ceramic vases I’ve seen. The different shapes and colours are almost a symbolism of humanity. In the design industry, it’s key to form a harmonious relationship with people, and space. To me, design is really about people;, how to inspire, energise them? How to make them happier when they are upset? I guess it’s also my background in an international busy city like Hong Kong that makes me put people in front of everything else. An interiors will only be a good one if it is actively interacting with the people within. As cliche as it sounds, does it spark joy?

Ilse Crawford is my all time favourite designer. She designed the Cathay Pacific first-class lounge in Hong Kong. She carefully considers the needs of airport passenger and create a place for them to relax and recharge

Fusion of different styles

Hong Kong is a mixture of old & new, eastern & western. We have old Chinese styles temples dated hundred years ago, and every year there’s seem to be a new tall skyscraper entering the already-busy Victorian skyline. I grow up watching both local and western movies and I’m intrigued by both Eastern and Western culture. I like how both cultures interpret nature in a very different way. This uniqueness affect my style - I really like to mix different features from both culture. For example, I like to put a traditional Chinese urn next to some western handcrafted ceramic vase with victorian pattern. As long as you give some careful thoughts while curating the collection, the result is often a very pleasing one (of course, you can hire an interior stylist! contact me if there’s anything I can help!)

Photo credit: One King’s Lane