Ellington

Laurel Isbister is a name known to Jacksonians, but most know her only as a folk singer. But Laurel has also been a practicioner of a Chinese art known as "feng shui" since 1999, when she would make the three-hour drive from her Los Angeles home to attend a feng shui workshop in San Diego.

At her Belhaven studio, Isbister gave me a crash course in the art form. The words feng shui literally mean "wind water" in Chinese. It is an ancient art of placement, connecting the material world with the spirit that infuses it, which is over a thousand years old.

Basically, feng shui teaches you how to enhance your environment in order to enhance your life. By placing furniture, art and color in certain configurations, you boost your enthusiasm and energy.

But is feng shui hard to do yourself? Isbister doesn't think so at all (and not just because she's been doing it for more than five years now).

"First, I would suggest they invest in a good guide book—something they can turn to for reference when they need help," Isbister says. She calls "The Western Guide to Feng Shui" by Terah Kathryn Collins and "Feng Shui Made Easy" by William Spear both "reliable, accessible and affordable."

After that, you can start off with two simple steps that Isbister recommends and some general principles of the school of Western Essential Feng Shui pioneered by Terah Kathryn Collins:

1. Get rid of the things you don't want.
2. Bring in things you do want.

And from the school of Western Essential Feng Shui (with Isbister providing the reasoning behind the principles):

1. Safety and comfort first!
"Two issues here," Isbister says. "First, never put style over comfort. Your furniture ought to be comfortable and beautiful, free of sharp corners and metal legs you could stub your toe on. Second, choose the 'power position' for beds, couches and desk chairs. This means choose a seat with your back to a wall and with a view of all the entrances to a room. Putting your mind at ease creates comfortable ch'i."

2. Express yourself and celebrate yourself!
"No one likes a generic environment, and your space should sing with your unique style and personality," Isbister explains. "If you are a sailor, hang photos of yourself on the water. If you love modern art, create a color and furniture scheme that shows it—include a coffee table book of your favorite artist. Liking yourself and your space helps others do the same."

3. Live with what you love and love what you live with.
"Each possession you own has a history," Isbister says. "Take some time and review these individual histories. Are they supportive of who you are now, and who you want to be? An example: there was a desk in my client's apartment that she used when writing her dissertation for her Ph.D. That time in her life was very stressful. Also, it was not well suited for her current career as a consultant. When she donated the desk to a local thrift store and got a new desk, her attention and focus turned to the future."

If you want to get more in-depth with Isbister about feng shui, you can contact her at [e-mail missing] You can also check out the Western School of Feng Shui Web site at http://www.wsfs.com Isbister will perform her lovely folk songs at the JFP/Crossroads after-party Thursday at 9 p.m. in the Hal & Mal's brewpub.

Previous Comments

ID

64557

Comment

Laurel's great! Love her music, and she's awesome with the feng shui, too.

Author

kate

Date

2005-03-31T06:29:35-06:00