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Hawaii Realty Brokers and Associates employees Dawn Deehan, left, and Lorna Valeros work at Deehan's desk adorned with a Feng Shui promoting amethyst crystal. - Michael Darden | West Hawaii Today
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Feng Shui
Making a positive impact on any room
Nature's transition from winter to spring often triggers an innate desire for many to begin "spring cleaning" -- clearing the old to make way for the new.Somewhere in relation to the complexity of nature's patterns and people's -patterns falls the millennia-old discipline of Feng Shui, or space alignment.
No one really knows why cluttered spaces can feel overwhelming or why -clutter-free spaces can feel welcoming. Are the effects psychological, energetic, both or neither?
Those who practice Feng Shui believe the shift to be energetic, that changing the physical environment leads to life-changing experiences.
"Your space is a metaphor for your life," said Master Feng Shui practitioner Marta Barreras, speaking at a free Tuesday workshop at Tutu's House in Waimea.
Feng Shui is the practice of harmonizing and optimizing the flow of chi, or energy, in a way that supports wellness, health and the aspiration or goals of the occupants of a space, said Barreras. From a scientific standpoint, she said the practice shares a belief supported by Albert Einstein's E=mc^2 equation, which in its simplest form states that energy and mass are different forms of the same thing.
"Information is constantly flowing through space. Unfortunately, we can't see it," said Barreras.
When people feel harmonious they are usually more productive, creative and successful, she said.
The dozen participants who attended Barreras' New Year's Feng Shui Tips workshop expressed a desire to start off the year right by setting the intention to cultivate positive spaces. Some talked about the need to renovate and reconstruct homes damaged by the Oct. 15 earthquakes.
Feng Shui at its basic level often involves moving furniture and adding plants, fountains and other natural elements according to the Bagua, a map of the natural patterns of energy flow within a defined space. In essence, Feng Shui practitioners are attempting to recreate or enhance nature's balance and serenity within man-made spaces.
Barreras said Feng Shui beginners can glean useful information from almost any Feng Shui book, although some of the information can be confusing or hard to grasp.
She suggested the following simple tips for beginners:
1. Place a wind chime at the front doorstep to call in positive opportunities.
2. Place a water fountain in the far left corner from the front door of a building or home. This corner is known as the wealth corner.
3. Throw a pair of pink or red pillows on the bed to increase passion in life.
"Feng Shui works by clearing out patterns in your life, and on the other level by moving space to affirm how you want to move forward in your life," said Barreras.
In response to whether the alleged effects of Feng Shui are simply a placebo -- in other words, clients see results because they expect to -- Barreras said many of her clients record changes in those living in Feng Shui-ed houses without knowing it.
Linda M. Kelly, owner and principal broker of Hawaii Realty Brokers and Associates, has practiced Feng Shui for nearly eight years. After finding success in her personal life through the practice, Kelly introduced Feng Shui principles to her business and discovered more success.
"My staff has benefited. We feel more efficient and able to provide services to our clients," Kelly said. "We attract different types of clients, and when they come to the office, they don't want to leave. It's really weird."
Kelly's office waiting room is painted in a warm shade of yellow. The couches are placed in a circle and a small coffee table entices visitors to stop, sit and relax before heading into the back of the office. Other rooms at the office are colored in pastels and decorated with plants and crystals.
Kelly said Feng Shui is a lifestyle that, if used with the right intentions, can be very beneficial.
"You don't need money to do Feng Shui," Kelly said. "The point is to set your intention for your life ... you can start with a room. Changing a room can change the energy of a home."
Several years ago, Barreras began working with natural crystals, in conjunction with the traditional Black Hat Feng Shui. She has since used natural crystals to optimize energy quality and filter negative energy. As a result, Barreras developed her own method called Crystal Clear Feng Shui.
"I was very successful in using traditional Feng Shui, using items from nature to enhance spaces," she recalled. "Because crystals are so beautiful and corresponded to the elements on the Bagua, I intuitively started using them from a design standpoint. The benefits that my clients started to reap began happening faster, and they were multifaceted."
For more information about Feng Shui, call Barreras at (808) 328-1221 or visit crystalclearfengshui.com.
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