Home and Living uses some of the Feng Shui principles in designing meaningful living spaces and is happy to present Tisha Morris, author of 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home (Good Things to Know)

Q.: Tisha, thanks for being here. Please tell Home and Living Readers a little about your background?

T.: I started out as an attorney, but quickly knew that that was not my “end” destination, but just the beginning. Law just didn’t give me the creative edge I was craving, so I followed my passion and love for the home by obtaining a Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. 

Soon after that, I began teaching yoga and became interested in the healing arts.  While it would seem that interior design would be the logical prelude to Feng Shui, it was actually through my experience as an energy healer.  I wanted to heal spaces the same way we heal the mind and body.  After all, it is all part of the same energy soup.  And so my love affair with Feng Shui began.  Over the last three years, I have witnessed some amazing transformations in people once the energy in their home is balanced through Feng Shui.

Q.: A Chinese Proverb opens your book, would you share it? And why the number “27”?

T.: There is a Chinese proverb that says, “If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home.”  This proverb speaks to the power of just how interrelated our energy is with the energy of our home. As you make changes in your home, you are making changes within yourself. 

The number “27” also has several auspicious meanings in Numerology, which I discuss in the beginning of the book. I ended up selecting the 27 Things that I have seen make the most impact on either me or my clients, ranging from aspects of decluttering to traditional feng shui techniques. 

Q.: How is your book different from the others in the Feng Shui genre?

T.: I hear over and over from clients that they picked up a Feng Shui book, tried to read it, and gave up because it was too confusing. In fact, I’ve gotten a lot of clients as a result. And while that is great job security for me, I wanted to write a Feng Shui book that anyone could understand and instantly apply to their home. And from the feedback I’m getting, it does just that.

Feng Shui books can be difficult to understand and for good reason – Feng Shui is a science and an art. But at the end of the day, Feng Shui is about loving your home, which in turn means loving yourself.

Q.: Talk to us about your impetus for writing this book? What problem are you hoping to address?

T.: For my very first Feng Shui workshop, I provided my participants with tons of great information and inspiration. At the very end, one woman raised her hand and said, “What should we do first?”  I thought that was such a great question and it became the cornerstone of my future workshops and then the inspiration for this book. So many of us are overwhelmed with where to begin with our home. So I wanted this book to be an easy, logical, and organized way to understand such a right-brain concept. As with everything I do, I am inspired to help people make desired changes, especially without being overwhelmed.

 Q.: What happens when people live in a cluttered home environment?

 T.: A cluttered home leads to a cluttered mind. This concept has become as commonly understood as stress causing a bellyache. In the same way our mind affects our body, so is the case with our home. The state of our home is a reflection of ourself. We all have a different standard to what we consider a cluttered home. So it is up to each of us to determine at what point we have to much clutter. Clutter in our home is simply stagnant energy. And therefore the more clutter you have, the more stagnation you will have in your life. So for folks who feel “stuck” in some area of their life, clearing clutter is a great place to start in order to get things moving.

Q.: You suggest that Readers tear out pages from your book, that’s a novel idea; can to explain?

T.: In the very back of the book is a Checklist of all 27 Things. I encourage readers to tear it out, stick it on the fridge, or anything else that you would normally do with a checklist. Again, this is just another way to not only take a practical approach, but also to inspire readers to take action in their home.
 
Q.: Do you apply Feng Shui to your own home?

T.: Yes, definitely!  I do healing work out of home and it is no wonder why so many people comment on how relaxed and at peace they feel when they walk into my home. The two – healing and Feng Shui – go hand in hand. I periodically space clear my home as well as experiment with different Feng Shui remedies. I encourage everyone to Feng Shui their own home, but it can be beneficial to have an objective pair of eyes as well. I sometimes catch myself underutilizing Feng Shui in certain areas of my home.

Q.: What is next on the horizon for you?

T.: I love working one-on-one with people as well as with groups. I spend a lot of time educating people on the importance of Feng Shui as well as teaching people how to apply it in their homes through speaking engagements and workshops. I am also working on my next book, which will probably be in a workbook format. Again, although I work with energy, I have a very practical side as well. 

Q.: Is there anything else you would like to tell Home and Living Readers???

T.: I would just encourage readers to have fun with it.  Whether you do one thing or 27 things, have fun as this is part of the energy that you are putting into your home.  People often conjure up drudgery when they hear clearing clutter, but it can be fun.  Take a day off work, turn up the stereo, and perhaps even grab a friend.  You will be amazed at how good you will feel not only afterwards, but even while clearing clutter.  ??I would also like to mention my iPhone app that is available in the App Store, called Feng Shui Bagua Map. Two of the 27 Things in my book relate to the Bagua Map that is commonly used in Feng Shui. My app goes into more detail on the Bagua Map. You can see where all nine section of the Bagua Map fall in your home. You can just search “Tisha” in the App store.