It has long been my belief that we, as humans, are born with a clean, pure slate. As we grow, we adapt. We’re like sponges and soak up what we’re exposed to. We take on beliefs and behaviors of our parents, family, extended family, community, school, and spiritual community, etc. As we grow, we slowly lose contact with that pure inner being, our essence. However, our inner being never abandons us. Like a faithful friend, our true essence waits for us to recognize and embrace it.
Have you ever had a strong feeling that you just “know” something is “good” or “bad?” Have you ever made plans for something that you’ve thought you wanted and then, when faced with taking immediate action, you’re unable to follow-through? Have you ever met someone and instantly felt positive vibrations or negative vibrations?  That “knowing” and intense feeling is your inner being showing you your path. It’s your true essence making itself felt and known.  This inner compass is always there, guiding us to follow a path that is in our best interest. Sometimes it makes itself known with just a strong, steady sense of “knowing.” Sometime, it’s a gnawing feeling that we should or shouldn’t do something we’ve planned.
Perhaps you’ve heard people say, “follow your gut” or “listen to the little voice inside?” I believe those are ways some people refer to the inner being and true essence in each of us. Many times, our outer world, and often our very own mind, attempts to lead us down a path that’s not in our best interest. This happens frequently when we get caught up in the expectations of the world and of others. Those times when we focus more on what others think and want, rather than taking time for quiet re-charging and focusing on what it is that feeds our soul. That’s when we are likely to forget about our inner being for awhile and push full-steam ahead, until the “little voice inside” makes itself heard through persistent whisper and “knowing” or an intense “gnawing” feeling that won’t let you ignore it.
How do we get in touch and stay in touch with this essence? How do we keep our hectic world responsibilities from making so much “noise” that we don’t hear our own inner being when it speaks up?  Meditation has long been a prime connection for me.  Feng Shui has also helped me maintain my connection and communication with my inner being.  Feng Shui is a tool that allows me to ‘see’ and ‘connect’ with what the Universe/my inner being is attempting to guide me towards. I believe that the inner being in each of us is a direct connection to the Universe. 
This inner being, our true essence, is a real force. But it’s up against a strong outer force. The outer force, the outer world we all must function in and be a part of, often overwhelms us with noise of expectations and “shoulds.” We live on “the fast track.” We go and go and go because we “have to.” At least that’s what we think is true. But, how many times have you recently talked with friends and heard at least a couple of people say, “I wish I had time for....” or “It feels like time is flying. I wish I could slow things down.” or “I just don’t have time for myself”?  Those all too frequent statements shine the light on the state of our world. The outer world mantra seems to be “Keep Moving!” “Don’t Slow Down!” “You’ll Never Get Ahead If You Rest!”  We have to make the decision to listen to our bodies and our inner voices.
When we feel like things are going too fast, we’re the only ones who can slow things down for us and for our families. We have to say this is “enough.” We have to make the time for ourselves, and model this behavior for our children. If we don’t teach them to make self-care a priority, who will? As humans, we have an opportunity to develop and be in touch with the inner being and true essence in each of us.
Tune in to the little voice, the gnawing feeling in your chest or stomach. Pay attention to what your body and heart are saying to you. Pay attention to unusual sensations. The forms of “communication” by the inner being can vary greatly from person to person. Have you ever walked into a place new to you (a friend’s home, a restaurant, a workplace, etc.) and immediately felt tingly or as some say ‘hairs on my neck and arms stood up’....that’s another example of the inner being trying to communicate. My communication usually manifests as tightness or a knot in my stomach. That feeling tells me I need to be paying close attention and stop before moving forward or taking action. Sometimes I get a feeling of intense knowing. I’ve learned to pay attention to all of those feelings, no matter what someone else might say or think of me. 
It’s easy to say “pay attention” but not so easy to do when we’ve been marching to the beat of the outer world’s drum for a long time. How do we tune in to the beat of our own drum? One way is to explore and look for tools to help you slow down, rest, and focus. As I mentioned, meditation has been very important to developing my connection with my true essence. If you want to try meditation, set up a location within your home for a quiet retreat. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just a quiet, comfortable space that is peaceful, calm, and conducive to meditation. Use an app like Insight Timer that helps you keep track of time, and offers guided meditations; if that’s something you want or need.  Some people find that a walking meditation is easier and more beneficial. You can walk in your yard or at the park....wherever you feel calm and comfortable. Other tools that help us slow down and focus are yoga, tai chi, and astrology.
At age 39, when life as I knew it changed drastically, I was introduced to the astrological concept of the planet Uranus being in opposition to where it was located at my birth. As thankful as I am at finding yoga and meditation when I was 19, I am eternally grateful to Amy Volkers, a south Florida astrologer, for guiding me to understanding this ‘mid-life’ crisis point. My interpretation of the Uranus opposition is that, if we are not living in accordance with our inner being’s wishes for us, then during the late 30’s/early 40’s, life as we know it will crumble. I was a living example of this, having been a VP for a major bank with great responsibilities, a marriage, and all the ‘finer’ things in life. But, I walked away from it all. You see, I had an inner longing.
On the outside, it looked like I had ‘made it,’ but inside there was a vast void. Some of the happiest times of my life have been when I have released possessions, lived minimally, studied and practiced yoga and meditation, and ultimately discovered Feng Shui. My inner being had led me to real estate early on and throughout my career – from sales, to appraising, to buying and selling, land development, building, design and renovating. I believe that was all preparation so that I could understand the art of placement – Feng Shui –from all perspectives. By understanding the physical, the next dimension was the spiritual or esoteric side of buildings.
I’ve also studied dowsing, a technique used to get in touch with the earth’s energies. Many ancient buildings were built with consideration for the earth energies running underneath the properties. That means that the buildings were created in ways that allowed and fostered connection with the earth’s inner being or true essence. In addition, I’ve studied Building Biology and it’s helped me understand how the materials we use in building a structure or creating our space can affect our emotional, mental, and physical health.  My study of Feng Shui, Dowsing, and Building Biology allow me to get in touch with the earth’s inner being, as well as helping my clients get in touch with their inner being or true essence. Bringing this knowledge and these tools together allows us to create buildings and spaces with natural materials, with respect for the earth’s energies, and the life flow, or Chi, of the space. All this is helpful so that we can connect with our true essence and nurture it as we live and work in that space. Using the tools like meditation, yoga, tai chi, and astrology helps us to slow down and focus on the little voice inside....the inner being, our true essence and what it’s trying to tell us.  Using Feng Shui, Building Biology, and Dowsing helps us create a physical space that supports our inner beings.
And then, it all comes together in unity and wholeness.
As I mentioned in the closing weeks of September and in last week’s blog, October is a month of transition from the Yang/hot active summer to the Yin/introspective connecting time of winter. As we begin our nesting and preparation for the winter, I suggest that you take a moment to pause, focus, and consider what your inner being is saying to you.
Does your outer life reflect what your true essence really wants? If it doesn’t, how will you make the changes you want/need to honor your inner being? How will you nourish your true self? With peace, calm, focus, and mindfulness? With books, and music, and like-minded friends who are supportive and also yearning to listen to and heed the call of their inner beings? The chill of fall and the cold of winter are natural times of darkness and stillness for a reason. Let’s put the wonderful and beautiful forces of nature to good use.

Namaste,
Carol

For twenty-three years, I’ve used Feng Shui as a certified consultant to enhance the flow of Chi and create harmony in the external environments of homes and offices. That harmony and flow of life energy offers healing and support to the inhabitants of those spaces (my clients and myself).

That healing and support helps us to be who we really are internally and/or who we wish to be on the inside.  Typically without even realizing it, we are attracted to spaces that reflect our current inner state of being. When I see a client’s space, it’s as if I’ve been given a window to look deep inside, beyond the mask worn for the external world.
Often when I meet with clients, perhaps it’s a couple or business partners, they’ll smile and tell me “everything is wonderful...there are no problems in our lives.” But, when I look at their space or at the floor plans for their space, I can see that’s not the case. Occasionally, the layout of the space will show me signs of relationship issues. If that happens, I’ll smile in response to the couple and advise that we discuss making changes to ensure the relationship stays intact.  Not everyone is prepared to handle my response. I’ve literally had instances where one of the partners leaves in the middle of our appointment only for me to learn from the remaining partner that the relationship is in shreds!
Sometimes, it's not easy to be honest about who we really are. We live in a world filled with expectations and we get caught up in perpetuating those identities. They begin in childhood: “be a good girl”; and expand while we’re in elementary and high school: “make the honor roll” “be the star football player” “you must be first chair in band”. They continue throughout college and career: “finish in the top ten percent” “get promoted” “get that raise”; Expectations even find their way into our communities and families: “keep your lawn perfect”  “drive a new car” “be the strict parent” “be the cool parent.” The list goes on and on. We’re expected to wear many hats and be different people all at the same time. How can we be true to our inner being when we’re trying to live up to so many expectations? Who doesn't long to remove 'the mask' and be authentic? 
Of course, we all have responsibilities. Where would our society be if we didn’t each follow the rules and laws to keep some order? I’m not suggesting we throw all caution to the wind and ignore our responsibilities. I believe we can be a parent, a daughter/son, an employee, a homeowner, a spouse, etc. and meet our “external” responsibilities while still being true to ourselves and meeting our “internal” responsibilities.
George I. Gurdjieff, an Eastern mystic, noted that many of us lead our lives as if we were in jail! We get so caught up in doing the “right thing”, putting on the “right” face, and living up to others' expectations, that many of us may come to a point where we know we’re uncomfortable, unsettled, and unsatisfied, but truly don't know who we are or how to fix things! I was introduced to this concept 25 years ago, when I first hired a life coach. The coach had me draw a small circle inside a big circle, labeling the center "ME". I then was instructed to write roles I played in life, inside the circle, and even outside. Some examples included that I was: a child, a spouse, an employee, a yoga practitioner, a President of a non-profit business organization, a volunteer, a synagogue member,  an exercise enthusiast, a sibling, etc. I then drew circles around each, to see which 'took over' being just me. A light-bulb went off when I realized that "I" was very small, almost non-existent, outside of these self imposed personalities that "I" had become!
So, it was 25 years ago that I began to learn how to remove the masks of expectation...the masks that had become so ingrained, so a part of my every day life, that they had taken over my authentic self.  During a visit to another country, I met a mystic who said, upon meeting me, "You are not the one you think you are." I pondered that statement for a very long time, as truly, I wondered: Who am I really? It's not an easy road to take to peel away the layers of expectation. In fact, in many ways it's much easier to keep all the masks on, continue to meet expectations and play roles without giving any thought to how all of that busy-ness feeds our soul and allows our true essence to shine. We can ignore our authentic selves; ignore the  desire of our essence to be expressed; ignore our true being...but, when we do that we frequently become ill in the “jail” we’ve created for ourselves
Synchronicity played out in my life when I discovered yoga and meditation, and later, Feng Shui, (Bau) Building Biology, and the Himalayan Singing Bowls. Soon after I graduated high school, I discovered yoga and meditation. As I advanced in my career, the practice of yoga and mediation helped me survive the years as a VP at a major NYC bank when I frequently suffered from severe headaches and migraines. When I left the bank, I “fell” into my yoga and meditation practice! It was a saving grace of respite and a reminder that life is more than the fast pace that I’d been immersed in. Not long after I left the bank, I discovered Feng Shui and Building Biology and I learned how the built environment can negatively affect human health, especially if we’re not using healthy, organic materials. I learned that it was possible to “heal” my surroundings, which led to my own improved health. Later in life, I discovered the Himalayan Singing Bowls and learned that they, too, are a tool that enables me to go deeper in meditations and helps me and others feel a deeper sense of calm. That deep resonating calm is when I learn more about myself and nurture my true inner being. Each of these tools have helped me remove the masks, peel away the layers of expectation, and allow the true light of my being to be expressed.
As a Feng Shui Consultant, I have found that the Universe often speaks to me about me through my clients' surroundings! When there’s something that I need to take a look at in my own life, I might find that two or three clients in a row will have the same Feng Shui anomalies. For instance, I’ve experienced visiting two homes for Feng Shui consultations and finding a bathroom in the center of the home, which is the health area of the bagua. Then, I’ve gone on to my next consultation and found, once again, that there’s a bathroom in the center of the home. A bathroom in this area of the bagua indicates a drain on health because of the toilet in the room.  When I see a bathroom in this location, I advise adding cures to the area to support the health of the occupants. When I see specific issues in a repetitive pattern like this, I definitely go home and take a look at the health area of my own home. I also spend time considering where there might be an imbalance in my life. I’m human...sometimes the Universe has to provide insights several times for me to “get it” and this is something that my fellow Feng Shui consultants have also experienced. As I believe that we are all part of the greater One, it is not a surprise that I receive this type of feedback. It may be something to begin looking at in your own life. What are the repetitive patterns or synchronicities  that show up in numerous places? 
Take a moment to consider what masks you wear.  Are you really who you think you are? Are you allowing your true essence to be expressed? Just as I often advise people to remove the physical clutter from their lives, I am suggesting that we each have a plethora of “cluttering” personalities that we present to the world and there’s a good chance that at least some of those personalities don’t represent the true you. This month (the month that ends with Halloween and costume celebrations)  I'll share some ideas about removing the masks and allowing our true inner beings to shine.  Not everyone is attracted to this journey, but it can be quite liberating.  Removing some of those masks will lighten up your life! Our homes are perfect metaphors for us to find clues to changes lying in wait for us to put into action. Fasten your seatbelt - this month we'll be diving into some new territories!

Namaste,
Carol