Planning Out Your Space
Now that you have determined that a space is going to work for you, the next step is to take a closer look at how to work in harmony with the energies within it. In this chapter, you will learn how to determine the function of a space in relation to the overall feeling that you want to create. I will also teach you how to locate the Heart of your home or work space and how the Arrows of the Medicine Wheel interact with what you are planning. By learning how to overlay the Medicine Wheel on a floor plan, you will see exactly which of the Seven Arrows or Walking Winds watches over a particular room. I will also touch on how to assess if a room needs tweaking if it feels discordant.
Step One:
Determine Function and Overall Feel
Setting parameters will act as guidelines as you design a place in alignment with the Heart of the Earth method. You need to determine the purpose and feel of what you wish to create. Also keep in mind the needs of other people and animal companions, if you have them, living with you. How much space do you have to work with? How much space do you need to accommodate everyone? Are you looking at one room or are there several? Is this a private dwelling, rental property, or office location?
Clarifying the overall purpose of the place you are designing is of key importance, for this will determine what you place in the Heart of it. What do I mean by overall purpose? The purpose of a location is defined by considering its functionality. A place for relaxing and recovering from a long day will have a much different feel and look than one made for focusing on work and finishing projects. A place that is crafted for one person will have a unique energy that reflects that individual compared to one that is meant as a gathering place for family, a group of friends, or coworkers. Make sure to distinguish the overall purpose and feel of a space because that will influence how the rooms within it will be designed.
Step Two:
Locating the Heart of Your Space
Locating the Heart of a space can be done one of two ways. The first way is simply finding the exact center of a space. If the space you’re evaluating is a single room, get the dimensions of it and draw it to scale on a piece of paper. Grid paper, although very handy, is not necessary. Draw a straight line from one corner diagonally to the one across from it. Repeat with the remaining two corners. It should form an X. The center of the X will show you the physical location of the Heart.
If your place is in an office or home with more than one room, then the process is similar. The difference is that you would measure the overall space that includes all the rooms. Once again, draw diagonally from one corner to the other corner to see where the midpoint is. If your place has an irregular shape, like an L, T, or U shape, break it down into rectangular segments and repeat the process. You would have two Xs for potential Heart spaces in the L or T shape. Although the U shape would have at least three Xs (depending on how many segments the U is made up of), the Heart would be dead center at the bottom of the curve. Therefore, when it comes to this shape, only measure the bottom segment that is at the base of the curve. Using this method the X may or may not match up the energetic Heart of a place.
The second method of finding the Heart of a space is observing which room or segment of a space holds the strongest energy. The room or segment with the strongest energy will hold the Heart. How do you determine that? It is not as hard as you think. If a space has a natural energetic Heart, people will unconsciously and continuously gravitate to that spot. You may also find that there is a spot within your space where you feel the most comfortable. You will feel secure, alive, and be able to recharge yourself there.
If you are still uncertain, walk around the space. When you feel yourself attracted to a spot, stop. If you choose to use your pendulum, ask it to point and lead you to where the Heart of your place is. It will pick up intensity in its movements the closer it gets to the Heart. The pendulum will quickly start spinning in a clockwise circle once it is over the exact spot. Make sure that there is nothing around you for about two steps in every direction, then close your eyes. Take a step or two away from that specific spot. Stop. See how that feels and then compare that feeling with the spot where you felt the strongest and warmest energy. If you’re using a pendulum, you should notice that when you step away from the Heart, the pendulum will not swing as animatedly as it does when it is exactly over the Heart.
What happens if the location of the natural Heart is not practical? Can the Heart be established in a different place? Yes, it can. I used to live in a place where the energetic Heart happened to be in a very short corridor that connected the kitchen to the family room. You had to go through the family room to reach the bathroom, which was the only bathroom on the lower floor. People used to gather in this tiny corridor all the time and hang out around the peninsula that was there. It was a quite a nuisance because this blocked the entranceway to both rooms and the bathroom. I decided that I needed to set the Heart in a different space instead. I had to channel the energy from the natural Heart to the center of the family room where I wanted family, friends, and guests to spend time together. In chapter Seven, I will teach you how to redirect the energy of the natural Heart to establish a new Heart in a different room of your choice. I would like to emphasize that it is always preferable to use the natural Heart of a building instead of creating a different one.
Step Three:
Overlaying the Medicine Wheel
Get your drawings of the floor plan of your room, house, or commercial building. Find the exact center of your room or building. You might have already done this step when trying to establish where the Heart of your place will be. Put the center of the Medicine Wheel over the center point of the space. The Medicine Wheel should be drawn big enough so that its circumference will encompass the space that is being evaluated. If you’re using the natural Heart spot, observe which direction it lies in. That will be the dominant Arrow that watches over your space. The Arrow’s properties and energies will have a strong influence throughout the entire location.
Let us say that after having walked through a house, you sensed that the natural Heart lies in the eastern sector. This means that of the Seven Arrows, it is the spirit of the east that presides over this location and gives it its basic personality. The undertone of this house will be one that welcomes new things and attracts new beginnings. This Arrow likes to create new order and structures that can protect and nurture what is newly born there, whether it be a literal infant or a brand new business. The energy of this sacred Arrow is expansive and likes to bring life and strong energy to whatever it touches. Its personality is kind, just, diplomatic, and demands personal accountability. This Arrow takes into account both the short- and long-term goals before deciding on a course of action. This is a space with an essence of very dynamic but organized energy that will always propel you into the future.
If the Heart of your place coincides with the exact center of your place, then of the Seven Arrows, this is the direction of the Great Spirit. This means that the Power here is universal and open to all expressions. This is the energy and direction of the Creator, meaning all things are possible. Therefore, you could carefully select the essence of the direction you wish to plant in the space and solicit the help of the Arrow that aligns most closely with your intentions to be the dominant energy there.
Although it might be tempting to default to making the Heart the exact center of every place, I strongly caution you against it. Why? To force an unnecessary change of Heart violates the spiritual concept of working in harmony whenever possible. It would be like someone trying to force you to change your personality or behave like someone you are not. Even if you were to entertain this for a short while, ultimately, it would not end well. A location where the Heart was unnecessarily changed requires constant, tremendous maintenance, and if not kept up, will attract sickness and misfortune because the Heart itself will be sick. For you see, the land will continuously fight you to revert back to its natural state.
Observe which compass points are dominant in each room if you are evaluating a space with multiple rooms. It is possible for a room to have more than one energy running through it. Knowing the compass points will graphically show you the types of energy and elements that are most natural in any given place. This is vital information to know when coupling a room with a particular purpose or person in mind. Here you will get an idea of where there already is a natural harmony or potential for discord that needs to be addressed.
Getting the Orientation of All Rooms
in Relation to the Medicine Wheel
If at all possible, get a floor plan of your space. If that is not an option, you can always get grid paper, roughly measure the rooms, and then create a floor plan approximately to scale. If you have more than one floor that you would like to assess, then follow the same procedure for each floor. The reason for this is that you will overlay the Medicine Wheel at the exact middle of the floor plan to get an idea of which Arrow influences an area. Remember to orient the Medicine Wheel in relation to the compass points of the front and rear entrances!
Take extra heed as to where the precise center of your space is, as it could potentially be its Heart. If you can find out exactly when the building was built, this is useful information. The season in which a building is built is another element of its energetic makeup. The season in which something was constructed determines the natural energetic rhythm of a building. At your convenience, use appendix A in the back of the book for a reference list with this information. For now, here is a brief summary of the seasons and their personalities.
• Spring: optimistic, provides energy to nurture life, vibrant but gentle and steady.
• Summer: enthusiastic, progressive, bold, enhances and accelerates what it touches.
• Autumn: pessimistic, quiet yet persevering energy, harvest of efforts.
• Winter: conservative, tranquil energy, spiritual and reflective.
Overlay the Medicine Wheel at the exact center of the floor plan and carefully note which rooms fall in which directions. Confirm what compass point the Heart is in if it is not in the dead center of your place, and the direction of the flow of Power, which you assessed by recording the compass points of the front and back entrances of the space. An example of using the Medicine Wheel over a floor plan is pictured in Figure 6 on page 128.
This apartment was built in the spring of 1970, which means its natural personality will be optimistic and vibrant but gentle, and have a steady Power that nurtures life. As you can see, the natural Heart of this apartment (located in bedroom A, which is area 5), as indicated by the red heart, is not in a convenient location. The proposed new Heart will be in the living room (this is area 1). The energy of the new Heart will lie in the east. This means that the Arrow of the east will be the sacred spirit watching over this dwelling. The Power of this new Heart comes from and will have the characteristics of the direction of east.
Figure 6: Medicine Wheel over Floor Plan
Remember that the center of your Medicine Wheel must be placed over the natural Heart of your space! This will guarantee that the compass points are accurately overlaid on your floor plan. Once again, double check to make sure that you have oriented the Medicine Wheel properly in relation to the compass points of the front and rear entrances.
In this example, the front entrance points north. Although this place does not have a back door, the terrace behaves like one and faces south. The Sacred Hoop of this apartment is from north to south and back again. This means that this place attracts the ability for things be completed and then released to open the way to new experiences (north) resulting in expanding new possibilities and going in new directions (south).
I personally like to number the rooms. I like to choose the room closest to the front entrance as area number one and go in a clockwise manner numbering each room in turn until I come back to the front door. Please note that I do not assign a number to the corridors. As you recall, they act as channels for Power to flow throughout a place. If a room is encompassed by more than one direction, then it will default to the most predominant one, as I will explain below. This will show you what type of energy naturally occurs in each room. In the instance of the example in Figure 6, this is how I would number and assign the directions of the space:
1. Living room: east. Technically, the living room is encompassed by the directions of east, southeast, and northeast, making the eastern direction predominant.
2. Kitchen: northeast.
3. Dining room: east.
4. Terrace: south. Technically, the terrace is encompassed by the southeast and the south. However, the sliding door, which acts as the rear entrance, opens directly to the south.
5. Bedroom A: southwest.
6. Bedroom B: west.
7. Bedroom C: west.
8. Bathroom A: northwest.
9. Bathroom B: north.
The Compass Point by Degrees
This degree of accuracy is optional, but I am putting this in for those of you who like to get technical. Below is the range that each of the Arrows and Walking Winds of the Medicine Wheel has Power over in relation to the compass points.
• North (0°): from 337.5° to 22.5°.
• Northeast (45°): from 22.5° to 67.5°.
• East (90°): from 67.5° to 112.5°.
• Southeast (135°): from 112.5° to 157.5°.
• South (180°): from 157.5° to 202.5°.
• Southwest (225°): from 202.5° to 247.5°.
• West (270°): from 247.5° to 292.5°.
• Northwest (315°): from 292.5° to 337.5°.
Interpreting the Points
of the Compass, the Seven Arrows,
and Medicine Wheel Colors
As is true with most cultures, knowing your compass points is important, especially in Native American traditions. These points not only guide you across physical land, they also guide you spiritually and morally. Each of the directions holds a particular energy, represents a stage of life, and has its own color. The associations of the colors I am using are based upon the Anishinaabe Medicine Wheel.
Figure 7: Compass, Seven Arrows, Medicine Wheel Colors
The energy and color correlated with each of the compass points can be introduced into a room as needed. Spirit Keepers watch over the specific compass point that they are affiliated with. They work in harmony with each other and watch over the Medicine Wheel and all that is within it. If an energy goes out of balance and starts creating discord or harm, the Seven Arrows restore everything back into harmony. If you wish for their blessing to exist in a room that is not in their own direction, you need to ask respectively for that Spirit Keeper to be there. Here is a summary of the colors according to the directions:
• East: red.
• South: yellow.
• West: deepest blue to black.
• North: white.
• Earth Mother (below): green.
• Sky Father (above): sky blue.
• Great Spirit (center): no specific color.
• Northeast: pink.
• Southeast: orange, such as an autumn leaf.
• Southwest: combination of yellow to black, such as a stormy day.
• Northwest: silver gray, such as the moon or a wolf’s fur.
East: Dawning of a New Day
The spirit of the east is represented by the color red. Its energy feels like the dawning of a new day. Imagine the sun rising and bringing the fire of life to all of us. This Arrow heralds new beginnings. It represents birth and early childhood. The arrival of a new infant, first day at a new job, or finally taking your first steps into a new venture are a few examples of activities that embody the essence of this compass point. This is the energy that you wish to introduce to the area that might be sluggish. When the energy of the east is out of balance, you will find a person or situation becoming too rigid and feeling as if their standards are the ones the whole world should run by. Another indicator of eastern energy being out of balance is when a person or situation gets stuck in the first steps of a project or problem. Not being able to go beyond the initial stages is very much like a baby who is stuck in a breeched birth position.
The animal that symbolizes this Arrow is the Eagle. The spirit of the east likes to create structures that support the spirit that it houses, very much like your body houses the soul within it or how a business houses the spirit of the dream that it embodies. This divine being assists you in seeing both short-term and long-term impacts of your actions and how they affect everyone and everything in your life.
This Arrow brings new life, revitalizes, introduces new stages of life, and guides you on how to properly navigate these new stages so that they mature into the next stage. This sacred spirit watches over and teaches about divine law, how karma works, and fair laws that we institute in our societies in addition to reinforcing justice. This Arrow’s personality can seem stern at first but it is exceedingly fair. Once you get to know east, it brings great inspiration and lifts your dreams, sights, and spirits where they have never been before. If you are willing to discipline yourself to living your purpose authentically, this Arrow can bring in elation like you have never experienced. The Arrow of the east requires that you take the high road and keep in perspective how your actions impact the greater picture of your life and of the world.
South: Spirit of Innocence and Youth
The spirit of the south represents youth and young adulthood. The feeling of the south is similar to when the sun is high and strong in the sky in the summertime. The color of this Arrow is yellow. The south brings growth and assists living beings and projects to develop beyond their initial stages and find their way on the path of life. This is the direction that helps you discover who you are. It is the energy from this compass point that you want to infuse into any situation that needs a new burst of inspiration or high energy. When southern energy is out of balance, it can manifest as self-centeredness, petulant childish behavior, and impulsive foolish actions without thought of the impacts and consequences on themselves and others.
The animal that represents this Arrow is the coyote. This divine spirit brings enthusiastic optimism to any situation and is very daring, sometimes in a foolhardy way. The spirit of the south brings the gifts of innovation, laughter, and a sense of wonder while encouraging you to explore your surroundings and self-expression. The south watches over the follies of youth and the awkward stages of a relationship or project where we are still learning our place within it and how to interact with others. The spirit of this direction teaches us to learn from our mistakes when we fall, to dust ourselves off with good humor, and see how we can approach things in a new way.
The personality of the spirit of the south is the most laid-back of all the directions. The south loves exploration and expanding horizons. It knows when it is time to bend or break the rules. This Arrow loves to laugh at life, to teach you to laugh at yourself and to embrace your inner child. The spirit of the south does have a twisted sense of humor and has no problem throwing you out of your comfort zone or acting in a contrary way to make you go back on your path, if you have gotten lost or confused.
West: Setting Sun and Listening to the Voice Within
The west is the place where the sun goes down. The color that represents this Arrow is the deepest dark blue to black. The west is meant to be a place of rest and reflection, which can sometimes feel scary because you are left to feel as if you are all alone. The stage of life that the west represents is middle age, the point in your life when you have a direction and know how to live your purpose in life. It is the direction of reflecting what has gone on before, learning from it, and thinking into the future for yourself and your loved ones. When in balance, the energy and colors of the west bring rest and allow for deep thought and meditation and healing of the Heart. The energy of this direction also assists with succeeding in your career and building a good reputation in the world.
When out of balance, the colors and directions of the west can bring depression, confusion to your Heart, discord in your relationships, and a conflict between your Heart and mind. Further, when western energy is out of balance, it can manifest as becoming overly withdrawn and completely consumed by fears and worries. Emotions can run into extremes between overwhelming to completely apathetic.
Another way that this energy shows itself when it is out of balance is by being extremely sensitive, to the point where everything is personal. The line between you and everyone or everything else becomes blurred beyond recognition. Internal unrest churns to the point where connecting with the outer world seems impossible, pointless, or hopeless.
The animal that represents the spirit of the west is the Great Bear. This animal is extremely powerful and will watch over you just as a mother bear would watch over her cubs. The spirit of the west helps you to heal and recover from deep wounds and trauma so that you can become a whole person again. This Arrow uses a hands-on approach when it comes to teaching.
This Arrow always sends someone to demonstrate and act as a mentor exactly when you need it most and then insists that you put into practice what you have been taught. This sacred Arrow helps you move beyond stagnation and beyond fear, even fear of death itself, to a place of profound inner peace, inner knowing, and deep dreaming to manifest the Heart of the next stage of your life.
North: Path of the Elder and of the Sacred Ancestors
The north is where the sun is at its weakest point of the year. This is when the sun looks like a white disk in the sky. This is the direction that represents elders, moving forward into our golden years, and ultimately our walk back to the Great Spirit when we die. The north represents our time when we are closest to going back to the Great Spirit and when we live so long that our minds go into our “second childhood.” It is the Arrow that represents being able to connect with those who have crossed over, including animal companions. This is the direction that represents completion and hard-fought wisdom from living through one’s years.
The color of the north, white, helps enhance places devoted to spiritual and meditative practice, the gathering of generations, and places for study, such as libraries, sanctuary rooms, dens, and offices. When the energies of north are in balance, you can see how your wisdom, or information, can be applied in a practical way to create solid foundations of long-term prosperity and stability. When out of balance, north can be a direction that feels life-draining and can cloud the identity of self. Instead of being able to let go and share what you have learned, north, when out of balance, can become a place of stagnation. It can feel like being trapped in a room that has no windows or doors.
The animal that represents this Arrow is the white buffalo. Its personality is like that of a very wise and loving grandmother. The white buffalo is the one who teaches us that life must be both practical and spiritual and because of this we should keep things simple. The spirit of the north is very compassionate, but will not coddle you. Much like a buffalo cow will nudge her calf to get on its feet and get moving, so too will this divine spirit help you get back on your feet when you are lost in the past so that you can move into the next phase of your life or next incarnation. This Arrow watches the sacred path that connects this world and that of the spirit realms of the divine.
Earth Mother: Female Face of the Great Spirit
Earth Mother represents the divine female face of the Great Spirit, and the color of this direction is green. The direction is the ground beneath our feet and represents our internal thoughts and feelings that shape how we perceive the world and how we interact with it, whether we are conscious of it or not. This is a direction that represents the ability to grow many things because it is the direction of fertility, whether it be a desire to grow family, a business, or meaningful relationships.
When the energy of this direction is in balance, it can help with rejuvenation and recovery. Spaces with the energy serve as private places where you can safely reflect, play and experiment, and then assess what resources are needed in order to manifest your plans.
When this energy is out of balance, it becomes all-consuming. It can create energy that leads to unreasonable demands of sacrifice for another purpose or cause, to the point of toxicity and self-destruction. Relationships and situations degenerate into a never-ending pit of commanding all of your time, money, and energy, to the extreme point of losing yourself completely. When this energy is out of balance, your world becomes an unwelcoming place where you feel that you are being judged or that you cannot be your true self.
This aspect of the Great Spirit is found in all who are female or embrace a feminine side. The Earth Mother’s personality is one of the perfect mother who provides all that is needed for the spirit, body, and mind of her children. She teaches us how to walk gently and respectfully with the natural world and all whom we interact with. This divine spirit shows us how to appropriately manifest what we need and how to responsibly maintain it. She gives us a safe space to become our authentic selves and helps us learn how to express ourselves properly in the outside world. This Arrow shows us how to be compassionate and mindful with all living beings as we walk through life, including ourselves. Earth Mother teaches us how to walk in harmony with the cycles and changes that happen throughout the years.
Sky Father: Male Face of the Great Spirit
Sky Father represents the male face of the Great Spirit and his color is sky blue. His direction is all that is above us. The energy of this direction includes all the dynamic forces and outward expressions of ourselves that we show to the world. When in balance, this energy allows us to feel protected yet aware of changing circumstances around us and know how to respond appropriately to them.
When this direction is in balance there is an easy give-and-take between yourself and others. Communication is clear and manifestations fall into place and are easy to maintain. When the energy of this direction is out of balance, life becomes scattered, chaotic, and consistently erratic. You will find that money slips quickly through your fingers as unexpected expenses hit you, incessant arguments happen through miscommunication, and you have the nagging feeling of not belonging.
This aspect of the Great Spirit is found in all who are male and those embracing their masculine side. His personality is one of the perfect father who gives us the gifts of oversight, insight, and protection. In Native American teachings, it is said that he teaches us when to listen, when to speak, when to act, and when to be still. Sky Father shows us how to be attentive to the world around us and how to interact with it.
This sacred Arrow guides you to find the balance between your needs and the needs of others. He shows you how to walk courageously in the world as your authentic self without fear and without the need to judge others. Sky Father makes you harness your gifts and engage the energy within you and around you in real time.
Great Spirit: The Creator
This is the direction in the center of the Medicine Wheel. It is also found within your Heart and the Heart of your space. Since the Creator is in all things and beyond all things, there is no specific color that represents the Great Spirit. Therefore, the dominant color or theme is what is whatever is placed in the Heart.
Since the direction of the Great Spirit is the essence of the space you are creating, consider it to be like the physical heart in your body that pumps the blood through to other parts of your body. Whatever you place within the Heart becomes the soul of your place and that energy circulates throughout the rest of your dwelling or work space. This sacred direction sets the mood, energy level, and feeling of a location. Have fun with this direction, for this is where you can express the true essence of what you are trying to create. The energy generated from this direction attracts what you need and repels what you wish to keep away.
This sacred Arrow will guide you unerringly. It is by connecting with the Great Spirit that you can re-center yourself, reconnect the essence of your place, and feel what is needed to restore harmony. Whenever you want to introduce something new that you are unsure of or have a big decision that will have a major impact on all whom you live or work with, connect and meditate with the Heart of your home or work place since this is the place where the Great Spirit resides. You will immediately get an intuitive feedback as to whether your idea is a good one or bad one in the greater scheme of things.
The Walking Winds:
The Points Between
The Seven Arrows are points of stability and create a firm sphere of energy. But since this is a world of duality, there also needs to be points of movement. The points between are those points of dynamic, shifting energy. It is simple to remember the colors of the points in between because they are made up of the two colors that are to either side of it. The points between also share the characteristics of the two directions that flank them. Because these are the compass points of perpetual motion, it is necessary to couple them with an Arrow. The Arrow channels the Power of the Walking Winds and gives a stable direction for the energy’s movement and an ultimate endpoint.
The Northeast: The Direction of Becoming
Let us start with the northeast. It lies between the white color of the north and the red color of the east. Its color is pink like the blush of dawn just as the sun rises. It represents the stage in life when we are in between lives, such as a baby floating in the womb. This is a direction of infinite potential and of a hopeful future. The energy of the northeast helps to bring warmth and open creativity. When in balance, northeast energy helps promote positive growth and being free of past limitations. The energy of northeast is similar to the initial feeling of disorientation when you take on a new job or a new relationship. You recognize that there is potential, but do not know quite yet what your place is or how to behave. The colors and energy of this compass point help you break free of old limitations and thought patterns.
When out of balance, the energy of this direction is like being stuck in limbo, not knowing which direction is the correct one to walk toward or what to do next. This is why the Power of the northeast is best coupled with an energy that will lead it into a specific direction and goal. This direction assists you to bring in and tap into the energy of infinite possibilities when preparing to enter into a new stage of a project, relationship, or your life at large.
The Southeast: The Direction of Self-Identity
The color that symbolizes the southeast is orange, like an autumn leaf. This direction represents the stage of life when we are between being a small young child and a teenager. The southeast is the direction of self-identity.
When in balance, the energies that are engaged with this direction attract to you people, ideas, and resources that help you to determine who you are and how to proceed in life. When out of balance, southeast energy expresses itself as arrogance, entitlement, and selfishness. An example of this energy is people who act childish and force attention to themselves, which drains time and energy from all who surround them.
The colors and energy of this compass point bring high energy that can be very intense and enthusiastic. Southeast energy can help other energy that is stagnant to flow again and ferrets out old ideas and habits that no longer serve. The Southeast promotes contagious optimism, fun exercise, and enjoyable team building. The energy and colors of this direction are lighthearted and bold.
The Southwest: The Direction of Self-Empowerment
It is hard to describe the colors of this compass point, for they are combination of yellow and black. The colors of this direction are similar to the colors you would see when you look up in the sky and it is becoming stormy. Southwest represents the stage in life that ranges from adulthood to midlife. This is the direction of tremendous Power and the responsibilities that come from wielding it. Whereas the colors and energy of the southeast are bright and lighthearted, the energy and colors of the southwest are more sedate and serious.
The colors of this direction are excellent for business meeting rooms where training takes place or agreements are reached. In a private setting, the energy and colors are perfect for rooms that are used to build deep bonds of family, friendship, and other relationships. These colors promote more mature responses of dedication, commitment, and devotion. The southwest will point out what is relevant to manifest your desires and bring to you what you need to make your mark on the world.
When out of balance, the energy of southwest becomes oppressive or tyrannical. No matter what you do, it will never seem to be enough. Unbalanced southwest energy makes it feel like things never seem to settle down, bringing a feeling that your life has gotten out of control or is no longer your own. It is best to couple this energy with something that brings you joy and support when you need help.
The Northwest: The Direction of Surrender
Northwest is the color of silver gray, like that of the shining moon. The colors of this direction also extend to include metallic colors and pearlescent hues. Northwest represents the stage of life when you are past midlife and heading into becoming an elder. It is that period of time where your children are grown-up and have left home and you wish to streamline your life by removing clutter and old habits, and retiring from jobs or projects you have been involved with. This is the direction of surrendering to the process of change and following through with the transitions that you are calling into your life. This is a place of focus, determination, and actively interacting with the process of transition so that you can bring it to its best possible conclusion.
When the energy of this direction is out of balance, it will manifest as feeling stuck in ruts or as if life is “passing you by” as you lose your sense of purpose and direction. Both are caused by clinging to the past instead of accepting and participating with the changing times. Harnessing the energy of the northwest brings the Power to remove energetic blockages, break through stagnant or stuck situations, and overcome obstacles that can impede life from naturally progressing forward in a healthy way.
Decide Which Rooms Need Tweaking
As mentioned previously, the natural energetic layout of your property will have areas that are not in perfect alignment with what you are designing a room to become. This is to be expected and is perfectly normal. Analyze which rooms are naturally conducive to what will take place within them or if they need tweaking.
One way of determining this is seeing the natural energy that is in the room in relation to the person or type of activity that the room is supposed to facilitate. This is very important because if an energy is converse to the personality of the person who is going to be in a space, there will always be a sense of underlying tension or of something being off. In time, it will have detrimental effects on that person’s overall health and well-being.
I will demonstrate two examples. One will require tweaking and the other one will not. Let us say that there is somebody whose personality is one that prefers a very quiet and peaceful environment for their bedroom. The bedroom is located to the south, a place of high energy, which as you could imagine, would not be ideal for this person at all! This would definitely be a room that requires adjustments to be made in relation to the naturally occurring energy so that the person can feel at ease in that bedroom instead of at odds.
For the second case, imagine designing a work place and you are trying to decide which room would be a good choice for a team to routinely come together to strategize for the successful conclusion of projects. There is a room facing the southwest, which would naturally have energy and Power conducive for these types of endeavors. This pairing of the proper compass point that the room resides in plus what it will be used for is a powerful and harmonious coupling that creates tremendous potential for financial increase and long-term stability. All that would be needed here would be harnessing the energy so that it would enhance any work done within it.
Does Any Area Need Gridding?
If there is need for ongoing steadying and evening out of the rate of Power streaming onto a property, a building, or a room, it is good to determine grid points. Grid points are places (typically the corners) within a property, building, or room where the element of earth is employed to create a predictable and consistent energy field. Gridding is a form of tweaking the energy of a place so that it becomes more harmonious with what you are designing. I will be talking about how to create a grid in the next chapter. This is an optional step but, I feel, a very valuable one. This is especially good if your place or your entire property is in the proximity of, or is, the place where there tends to be hectic activity, or where there is the release of negative or toxic emotions and energy.
Gridding is also used to assist in having two or more energies that are “out of key” with each other to operate more smoothly with each other. Grid points establish points of stability and a field of constant energy that radiates your intention. Grids would be like the stabilizers used on large ships to keep them from rocking as strongly while sailing on an angry sea. I will teach you the simplest form of gridding in the following section on crafting your place.