Keep It Simple: How to Use the Basics of Feng Shui to Create Personal Harmony Amidst Chaos
In March 2020, I was packing my belongings to move to Los Angeles to launch my fashion business Chez Cirque Fashions. But COVID-19 quickly changed my priorities from moving to a new place, to “safety first” and getting to a safe place. After sixty-six days of living in lock-down, I moved out into the world in the midst of a pandemic.
I found myself in a dilemma. I was displaced, ungrounded, and shaken to my core. The place I called home, and the work-life I imagined had broken down. Stripped bare of almost everything familiar, it seemed that I had lost everything. I froze in place.
The only thing I truly had was my connection to myself- with a deep knowing for what I know to be true. After twenty five years of experience working with a mastery in feng shui design in thousands of homes across the country, I know that having a basic foundation was key to well-being. From my studies with feng shui expert Katherine Metz, my position as a founding member of the Feng Shui Guild in Boulder, Colorado, and decades of study with first- hand experience in people’s homes and businesses, I know the Four Pillars work.
In the feng shui world these foundational areas are referred to as the Four Pillars. In traditional feng shui, the four pillars are related to astrology and date of birth. In contemporary feng shui, the four pillars are related to land, buildings and placement of furniture, plus a dose of intuition. My style of feng shui is based on my own blend of simple, practical systems for every area of life.
As the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, my foundation became a guest room in a friend’s home- for which I am profoundly grateful. It was essential for me to arrange my temporary refuge to support myself with four basic principles. My own version of the Four Pillar foundation looked like this:
- A bed space: a place to sleep and rest, arranged with bed covers and soft pillows for comfort.
- A table space: a place for nourishing my body. For this situation, it consisted of a small red tablecloth to unfold on the floor, and three red tote bags filled with basic foods and kitchen tools.
- A desk space: a place to work and organize. This was made from an ironing board that worked as a computer table (and sometimes ironing surface) with containers holding important papers of my daily life stacked close by.
- A comfort space: a place to recharge my spirit. In this guest room, there was a tiny table barely big enough to hold my sewing machine, within view of my alter space of sacred objects.
With the support of a foundation, I found comfort and courage to carry on. Having this place readily available provided me with space to be with myself- to go inside to collaborate with my inner world so I can better navigate my outer world. Knowing that I can rely on the Four Pillars to work for me- is a truth that’s carried me through challenging times throughout my life.
However, in these unprecedented times, it is essential to find comfort and a place for peace by setting up your own version of the Four Pillars. Follow your intuition to create four dedicated spaces; a bed as a place to rest, a table to nourish yourself, a desk to organize your business of life, and a comfort space made just for you.
Now- in these extraordinary times- creating a basic foundation makes room for peace by setting the stage for new beginnings. Break-downs lead to breakthroughs when you tend to the four pillars as a foundation for your life.
If you have questions as to how to simplify your life to support your foundation, feel free contact me by email: Jeanniebloomfield1@gmail.com
To learn more about feng shui, I recommend these books that can be found on Amazon:
- Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, Karen Kingston
- Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home, Denise Linn
Resource for organizing tips:
