Is your home stressing you out without you even realizing it? Could the clutter in your kitchen, the layout of your bedroom, or the things you surround yourself with be influencing how you feel every day? In this special replay episode of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, I'm bringing back one of my top 10 most-downloaded conversations, featuring Catherine Dean, a certified Feng Shui professional who helps people create more balanced, harmonious living spaces. And there's a reason I wanted to share this conversation again! When we think about improving our health, we usually focus on nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. But how often do we stop to consider the environment we're living in? Catherine introduces us to the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui and explains how the spaces we occupy may influence our sense of calm, comfort, and overall well-being. We explore the connection between clutter and stress, why our homes can sometimes reflect what's happening in our lives, and how creating a more intentional environment may help us feel less overwhelmed. One of my favorite moments from this conversation is when Catherine says, "Clutter is the enemy of your serenity." And isn't that the truth? We also dive into why the bedroom and kitchen are two of the most important spaces to consider, especially when you're working on improving your sleep, nourishing your body, or building healthier habits. Catherine shares practical Feng Shui tips for everything from clearing kitchen countertops and organizing your bedroom to creating a dedicated space for mindful eating. We even discuss some surprising recommendations about what you keep under your bed! We also explore how the objects, artwork, and reminders we surround ourselves with may reinforce certain thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. For women navigating PCOS/PMOS, chronic stress, or simply feeling overwhelmed by everything on their plates, this conversation offers a different perspective on creating an environment that supports the life and health you're working toward. Because sometimes supporting your health isn't about adding another supplement, another workout, or another thing to your to-do list. Sometimes it's about looking around and asking: Is my environment supporting the person I'm trying to become? And the best part? You don't have to reorganize your entire house to begin. Sometimes, one small change is enough to get started.
Listening is a great place to start, but lasting change happens when you begin putting these ideas into practice.
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This week, I want you to take a look at your environment and choose ONE small space that could use a little more peace, organization, or intention.
Not your entire house.
Not every closet.
Just ONE space.
Maybe it's:
❤️ That junk drawer you've been avoiding
❤️ Your kitchen counter that's constantly covered with things
❤️ The pile of mail that's been sitting on your table
❤️ Your bedroom, where clothes or other belongings have started accumulating
❤️ Your dining table that's become a catch-all for everything except eating
❤️ Your home office or workspace that leaves you feeling scattered
❤️ An area of your home that you avoid because it makes you feel overwhelmed
Before you change anything, pause and ask yourself:
How do I feel when I walk into this space?
Then consider:
❤️ Does this space feel peaceful or overwhelming?
❤️ Is there anything here that I no longer need or enjoy?
❤️ Does this environment support what I'm trying to accomplish?
❤️ What is ONE small change I could make today?
Maybe it's clearing your nightstand, organizing one drawer, removing unnecessary items from your kitchen counter, or creating a dedicated space where you can enjoy your meals without distractions.
Once you've made that change, take another moment to notice how you feel.
Did anything shift?
Maybe you feel a little calmer, more organized, or simply relieved that you finally tackled something you've been putting off.
And remember, the goal isn't perfection.
It's creating a space that feels supportive to YOU.
Just like building healthier habits, creating a more peaceful environment doesn't have to happen overnight.
Start small. Notice how you feel. Build from there.
Catherine Dean is a certified Feng Shui professional who helps individuals create more balanced and harmonious environments through the principles of Feng Shui.
Her interest in Feng Shui grew into a passion after she began exploring how our surroundings may influence the way we experience our homes, workplaces, and everyday lives.
Catherine has training in both BTB Feng Shui and Flying Star Feng Shui, allowing her to bring different perspectives to the practice of balancing and harmonizing spaces.
Through consultations, educational resources, and her newsletter, Catherine shares practical ways to bring greater intention, organization, and harmony into the places we spend our time.
Want to learn more about Catherine's work, explore her blog, sign up for her newsletter, or inquire about a consultation?
Website:
https://catherinedeanfengshui.com/
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❤️ Share this episode with someone who feels stuck or is ready for a fresh perspective.
⭐ Leave a review to help more women discover PCOS Unfiltered.
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Remember:
Your life isn't determined by your past, your diagnosis, or your circumstances. The stories you believe shape the choices you make—and every new choice is an opportunity to create a different future.
⚠️ Podcast Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine.
(0:00) I like to say clutter is the enemy of your serenity. It just can overtake and (0:09) stress you out, or the stress that you're feeling can kind of blind you as to what (0:16) is accumulating and building up. Am I stressed because everything's so (0:20) cluttered, or is everything cluttered because I'm so stressed? Welcome back to (0:25) PCOS Unfiltered, where we help you understand what your body has been (0:29) trying to tell you all along.I'm your host, Lindsay, nurse turned health coach, (0:34) two-time author, and your body wisdom guide. Today, I'm bringing back a listener (0:39) favorite. This conversation with Catherine Dean is one of my top 10 most (0:44) downloaded episodes, so I thought it deserved another listen.(0:48) Catherine is a certified feng shui professional who helps people create (0:53) more balance and harmonious living spaces, and together we explore how our (0:58) surroundings can influence stress and overall well-being, why clutter may be (1:03) affecting us more than we realize, and how simple changes to our environment can (1:07) help us feel more at ease. And if you enjoy conversations like this, be sure to (1:12) join me in my Healthy Ever After community, where we explore body wisdom, (1:16) nutrition, and sustainable ways to support your health. The link is in the (1:20) show notes for you.As always, this podcast is for informational and (1:24) educational purposes only, and is not considered medical advice. Please be (1:28) sure to consult your healthcare professional before making any changes (1:31) to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. Now go ahead, settle in wherever you are, (1:37) get comfortable, and enjoy this replay with Catherine Dean.(1:48) Welcome! I'm super excited about this episode. I think it's gonna be a learning (1:54) curve for me. So yeah, thank you Catherine for being here with us today, and let's (2:02) just dive on in.So for those who aren't familiar, what exactly is feng shui and (2:09) how does it go beyond just home decor? Because I think that's probably what a (2:14) lot of people recognize it as. Yes, I think a lot of people feel that is what (2:19) it's all about, but feng shui, it's an ancient Chinese practice and it promotes (2:26) harmony and balance between people and the environment that they occupy. So (2:32) it could be your home, it could be your office, it could be your home office, your (2:40) gym, any space that you occupy, feng shui is there to help balance and (2:47) harmonize that space.And we focus very heavily on positive energy, always (2:53) looking for opportunities to bring the positive energy in and to break up (2:57) stagnant and negative energy and to help that leave the premises. Yeah, which is, a (3:05) lot of people need it, whether you're listening with PCOS, I feel like, (3:09) or not. I mean, yeah, it ties in, I feel like, to the stress piece of life and (3:16) yeah.It has so much to do with, well, a lot of people can actually feel the (3:24) energy that surrounds them, but they don't know that it's the energy that is (3:28) surrounding them. All you have to do is walk into a restaurant that makes you (3:32) feel uncomfortable, you're going to a party and it's like you like the people (3:36) there, but you're like, something's off, you know, or whatever. You can tell when (3:43) they're in the midst of negative energy, but they don't always know that that's (3:47) what is bothering them or what to do about it.Yeah, so how did you personally (3:53) get into feng shui and what made you passionate about, especially the healing (3:59) aspects of it? Okay, so, oh, years ago, it's got to be close to 10 years ago now, my (4:05) husband and I were at a marketing seminar and a lot of very inspirational speakers (4:11) and one of the speakers said during his talk, you know, find your passion. And my (4:19) husband was very clear about his passion, but I had spent years raising a family (4:24) and getting my education and so at this stage of my life, we came home and I (4:30) said, I'm not really sure what my passion is. And so my husband had said to me, (4:34) well, you have always had an interest in feng shui.And I said, that is true. I (4:38) have always had that interest. I wonder what it would require to (4:43) become a consultant.And I looked into it and I was intrigued. And then I decided (4:49) to dive in. I became a BTB feng shui consultant.That was my first (4:55) certification. And I absolutely loved it. And so what became an interest, when (5:04) combined with that knowledge, became my passion.And I'm very passionate about it. (5:09) Yeah, it's awesome. So, yeah, there are many misconceptions about feng shui.So (5:15) what's one thing that people often get wrong about it? Well, there's a couple of (5:22) things that people get wrong. I think one of the most common (5:27) things people misconstrue about feng shui is that you have to (5:32) paint your door red. If you talk to people who talk about feng shui, they're (5:36) like, yeah, but I don't want a red door.And that is one of those things. I (5:41) actually did a newsletter on it to explain the myths about feng shui, or at (5:47) least five of them. And I'm going to be doing another newsletter to tackle some (5:51) more.But, yeah, red is a very protective color in feng shui. And it has a lot (5:58) of symbolism and meaning. And it's kind of protective and kind of a (6:05) good luck color.And so people think, well, if I do feng shui, I have to have a red (6:10) door. And that's absolutely not true. If you want red near your door to bring (6:15) that protective energy to your door and you don't want a red door, like me, the (6:20) feng shui consultant, you can bring red through plants or, you know, maybe a (6:26) doormat or something right over the threshold.There's things you can do to (6:31) bring that red. But that is a big one. And then another one is that feng shui is (6:37) a religion.And feng shui is absolutely not a religion. There are some teachings (6:42) within feng shui that are based on the Tao and, you know, mindfulness. But it's (6:48) not a religion.The ancient Chinese masters created it as an art and science (6:54) and nothing to do with religion at all. So I like people to understand that (7:00) because I've got, I grew up in a Christian-based family, and I've got (7:05) members of my family who are practicing Catholics. And, you know, it's like they (7:12) don't go together at all.One is energy, one is faith and spirituality. So I think (7:19) those are two good ones that people should keep in mind that, no, you don't (7:23) have to paint your door red, and no, feng shui is not a religion. (7:28) Yeah, those are great.I mean, again, I'm learning stuff already. So yeah, I mean, (7:34) I think that's great to kind of right off the bat. Yeah, say those things for (7:39) sure.So that people understand more, you know, as we get into it. Yeah. So yeah, (7:43) diving deeper, how can the energy of our physical environment impact our physical (7:48) health? And I mean, this can be for women in general, or especially for women (7:53) dealing with hormone imbalances or something like PCOS.(7:56) Well, you know, it's interesting when you talk about hormone imbalance. And you (8:01) talk about feng shui, feng shui takes imbalance and balances it, because (8:06) negative energy comes about through that imbalance. You can, you can inadvertently (8:14) invite that imbalance into your space, and it can affect the energy of your (8:20) space.So if you find, you know, you can tell, like I was mentioning before, that (8:27) if you're in negative space, negative energy, I should say, you can feel it. So (8:34) your question regarding, you know, how the stress of, is it how the stress of life (8:42) can show up in your home kind of? (8:44) Yeah, just how that well, how the energy of our physical environment can impact our (8:48) physical health. (8:49) It has, it's reflective.And I would say, if you can see it in a room, you're (8:56) feeling it internally. And if you can't see what's bothering you in a room, but (9:04) you're being bothered, then that energy is surrounding you. And it takes a little (9:08) investigating as to what the problem is.So just like when you're unbalanced with (9:14) your hormones, if you're feeling uncomfortable in a space, you're unbalanced (9:19) in the energy of your space. It's very reflective. A lot of times your home (9:24) reflects your life and your life reflects your home.(9:28) Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm not even, I feel like probably more mentally for me, but I've (9:35) mentioned this before, we travel, you know, my husband and I travel and we live in a (9:39) condo. And so we've got like a spare bedroom.Well, that's where his office is. So I (9:43) even had to get, I got like a mobile desk because I just felt like I was like, you (9:48) know, all over the place and didn't actually have my, my nice little physical (9:52) environment. So, yeah, I felt like it was affecting me, maybe a little physically, (9:58) but even mentally, I feel like too, because I just, I felt so scattered and like I (10:02) couldn't organize to, to get my work done.(10:06) Well, you make a good point because even if, if you're feeling it mentally, you know (10:10) that there is a physical reaction to what's going on mentally. I think anybody (10:14) dealing with PCOS or any kind of imbalance or any kind of, you know, malady of (10:23) sorts, it's always like you're feeling that discomfort because something's out of (10:29) whack. And your home can reflect that as well, even your office.And then of course, (10:36) oh my goodness, I think one of the worst places is doctor's offices and hospitals. (10:40) I mean, trying to heal in those environments. (10:45) Oh, yeah.(10:47) It's like, I really would like to have a little chat with some of these people who (10:51) are putting together these rooms. It's like, I don't understand. I, I understand (10:57) efficiency.You got to move quickly sometimes with a patient, especially in a (11:01) hospital. But the, the ding, ding, dinging and the beep, beep, beeping and the gray (11:07) walls and people. (11:09) Oh, I remember those days.(11:11) I know. It's, it's just, wow. I can't, my hats off to anybody who is dealing with (11:19) that and enduring that.But yes, feng shui is there to help keep you balanced. When (11:25) you have your home reflecting that balance, that is a supportive energy that can help (11:31) you as well physically. (11:33) Yeah.So from your perspective, how does chronic stress show up in our living (11:39) spaces? (11:41) Probably as clutter, most likely as clutter. And clutter is such a big problem. I (11:47) don't know about other countries around the world, but certainly in America, we are (11:51) a consumer culture and we buy things that we like, but they can accumulate.We get (12:02) gifts that are meaningful, but they can accumulate. We have that pile of mail that (12:08) we still haven't gotten to, that pile of shoes that we haven't organized, those (12:13) clothes that we used to fit into, or, you know, that, that favorite jersey from (12:19) college or high school or something. You know, these things that have meaning, but (12:24) they can clutter your space.And clutter is, it's a very, I like to say clutter is (12:32) the enemy of your serenity. It just can overtake and stress you out. Or the stress (12:41) that you're feeling can kind of blind you as to what is accumulating and building (12:47) up.So it's very, it's a very interactive, you know, conundrum, you know, am I (12:54) stressed because everything's so cluttered or is everything cluttered because I'm (12:58) so stressed? That is a big one. Yeah. If you walk in, even into your own home, if (13:04) there's that one room in your home, it's like every time I walk into this room, I (13:09) get stressed or every time I get angry or I get irritated.You might not even be (13:13) angry. It just could be like annoyed, you know, that kind of thing. And yeah, stress.(13:20) Yeah. I know the first of the year I always get in like a mode of like cleaning (13:25) things out, you know, organizing some more, you know, whatever. And then of (13:31) course, like throughout the year, but I always just feel like the first of the (13:33) year, it's, you know, first of the year, you want a fresh start with everything.(13:36) And I always feel like that's when I tend to tackle a lot of that. But then yes, (13:39) throughout the year, more clutter builds up and things get unorganized and yeah. (13:45) But you bring up a good point because you said at the beginning of the year, you (13:49) want to start fresh and you can grasp that feeling of freshness.And that's (13:55) what you would like to maintain daily, weekly, your life, which if you're on a (14:02) health journey, the last thing you really want to be thinking about is, I got to do (14:08) that closet. Really? You know, when you get things organized and get things (14:13) decluttered and get things balanced, you can go about the business of healing. You (14:17) can go about the business of getting the information you need to do what you (14:21) need to do.It's a very interactive relationship between the energy of your (14:29) home and how you live your life. And the feng shui comes in to help you balance (14:33) everything in your home. Yeah.I feel like it's even even that junk drawer that, (14:37) you know, everybody has. I know. Yep.You know, because it's in a drawer and it's (14:44) closed. But, you know, that stuff is there. Or when you do go to get something (14:48) that you know is in there and you're having to like sift through, you know, all (14:53) these other things that can, yeah, it can be overwhelming and definitely affect (14:56) you.It sure can. Yeah. So, is there a connection between clutter and (15:03) inflammation energetically or emotionally? So, I know this would be (15:10) conjecture on my part.There's nothing in feng shui that I am aware of that says (15:14) anything specifically about inflammation. But there is that sense of disharmony, (15:24) irritation, certainly. But it's more on that emotional level.And so, how are you (15:30) expressing yourself emotionally? Do you have healthy emotional expression or are (15:36) you holding everything in? You know, are things just building up? (15:41) That kind of thing. And so, I would think that that could contribute. But I need to (15:50) be clear that there's nothing that I'm aware of in feng shui that definitely (15:54) correlates to inflammation itself.Gotcha. Yeah, I think that's, yeah, that's a (15:59) great point. Because, again, to me, it would just contribute to the added (16:04) stress and the, yeah, which could then, yes, contribute to inflammation.Absolutely. (16:11) Yeah, there's no question in my mind about that. Mm-hmm.Yeah. How do you see (16:16) feng shui supporting the nervous system or promoting calm in the body for better (16:20) healing? So, you know, again, balance, balance, balance. And people may not be (16:31) quite as aware of how important their bedroom is in that whole process.Because (16:36) while we balance energy in our homes, we might say, I love the way it looks at the (16:42) foyer. I love the way it looks in the family room. I love the way my kitchen (16:45) looks.And then you go to bed and then there's piles of clothes or you have a (16:48) desk in there because that's your office. And then your sleep is interrupted. I (16:54) would say that you need to focus on the feng shui of your bedroom as a very (17:03) strong priority in trying to keep everything balanced, organized, less (17:09) stress.You know, everything that I think you and your clients are working towards. Yeah. (17:16) Yeah, yeah.Which, yeah, that was gonna be kind of my next question is, what's the, (17:20) what's, what are the most supportive areas of the home to focus on first? So I (17:24) think you kind of, kind of answered that. Yes, I would say the kitchen and the (17:30) bedroom. However, what you're greeted with as soon as you walk in the door is (17:35) extremely important.You don't want to get hit first, you know, walking through and (17:40) it's like, there it is again. That pile, that irritation, that annoyance, you don't (17:47) want to be hit with that. But if that's pretty much under control and you're not (17:53) irritated when you walk in into that space and, you know, you feel kind of (17:57) welcome when you're coming into your house, then you can focus on your kitchen (18:01) and your bedroom.The kitchen, for obvious reasons, healthy food, healthy (18:09) preparation of the food, nourishment, you know, all of your nutrients, that's where (18:16) it's held, that's where it's at. And then your bedroom is about restorative sleep (18:23) and rejuvenation, healing, recovering. It's an extremely important room in the (18:32) home.Yeah, those are really great points. I mean, like, you know, I guess I don't (18:37) think about it, but it's not like I don't think about it in this way, but now (18:41) you're making me think about it in this way. Because even, we just got a new oven (18:46) and it has an air fryer.Again, we're in a condo, so we don't have, you know, a (18:50) lot of space, but we had our kitchen redone a few years back and really (18:54) optimized the space. But we still had some stuff on the counter, like an air (18:59) fryer, for example. So the oven now has an air fryer feature.So we got rid of the (19:04) air fryer. One less thing on the counter. Yes.We even got rid of the, like, toaster (19:09) oven that we had, which obviously, like, those can be rather large too, but just (19:12) because the features on this new oven. And oh my gosh, like, I love cooking in (19:18) general, but now I really feel like, oh, I have some really good space. Well, again, (19:24) fabulous point, because your counter space is important too.You can get (19:31) choky and cluttery and overwhelmed. Yes. Just on your counter space.And you got (19:40) rid of two bulky items, which I'm doing a happy dance right now about that. But (19:46) I'm gonna throw a wrench in. I don't know what your situation is, but for (19:51) everybody out there who loves that butcher block knife block that they (19:56) keep on their counter.Oh yeah, yeah. I always recommend getting the knives off (20:02) the counter. And yes, people say, wait, wait, I just did a post on this on my (20:10) Instagram account.I think it kind of shocked people. But yeah, we don't, we do (20:16) not recommend knives on the counter because knives are sharp and cutting (20:21) and stabbing. And if you are dealing with stabbing pain or, you know, that cutting (20:30) pain, there's so much symbolism between feng shui and how we live that, (20:37) and then people don't think of it.It's like, well, I want my knife right there. I (20:40) want, you know, these are the tools of my trade. This is my, this is my artist's (20:45) palette.You know, I do understand that, but you can have all of that in a nice (20:49) drawer in your kitchen. You get that off of your counter, you don't have any (20:54) reminders of that cutting, stabbing, slicing energy. And I would recommend (21:01) that for absolutely everybody, and I do.I recommend it for all my clients. Yes. And we (21:07) did it.Now, that was something I was not familiar with as a new feng shui (21:11) consultant. Yeah. And I was advised about that, and I'm like, I don't think I have (21:16) room in a drawer to put, and she had, my advisor had said, just look around, see (21:23) what you can do.And I had this big drawer that I was using for something (21:29) else, and I'm like, I think this will work. And I went on Amazon, I found this nice (21:33) divider. It's got like slots for the knives, and everything's organized.It's (21:39) beautiful, and it's in a drawer. I got it, I got it all done, and I said to my (21:44) husband, come and look, what do you think? He walked in the kitchen, he's like, I (21:47) love it. I love it.He just absolutely felt the difference in the energy (21:52) immediately. Yeah. So there may be some resistance to that, and I get it, I really (21:59) do, but you should try it because you will notice a difference.Yeah. Yeah. I'm (22:05) gonna throw a little wrench in that.Okay. No, so my, the set that we have is my (22:13) husband's dad's. So there's like some meat, it's been around for a while, it kind of (22:19) reminds him of his dad.Yeah, so. Stan. So it's, yeah, I mean that makes total (22:28) sense.Like as soon as you started saying about the knives, I'm like, oh my gosh, (22:31) yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah. But I guess in that case for us, it's, (22:37) especially for him, keeping that around.Yeah. Yeah, you don't want to create conflict, but (22:45) you want to be aware. So here's what I think, and so for people listening, here's (22:50) here's what you do.If you're in the same boat, it's, it's a gift, it's, it's, you (22:55) know, very meaningful. Connect yourself to how you feel with, in the presence of (23:01) those items. You know, if you do find that, you know, not digging what I'm feeling, (23:09) I'm not sure what it is, you know, play with it.And if it is about the knives, (23:14) you still have the knives, you know, they're not gone, they're just in a (23:19) space that can contain that energy, so you're not hit with it all the time. Yeah. (23:24) So it's being mindful, it's applying, it's applying the recommendations to your (23:30) situation, you see how it works, you see how it goes, because not every remedy is (23:36) for every person.Yeah. And with the placement matter too, because like, (23:40) they're not necessarily the center of, like we don't, like when you walk into (23:44) the kitchen, you don't see them right away either. They're off to the, in like (23:48) one of the corners, but it's not even a corner that you, that I like prepare the (23:53) food.Yeah, it really might not be problematic in your situation, but it (23:59) might be. And so now that you've got the awareness, and that's what I would say (24:03) to anybody, now that you have the awareness, check it out and see what you (24:07) think. If you like them there, if you feel you're really not being bothered by them, (24:11) if it gives you a sense of, you know, that connection with his father and all that, (24:15) I understand that, yeah, then it works.But those are, it's something you can do. (24:24) Yeah. Not you necessarily, but what anyone can do when, you know, the (24:30) stabbing pain, I keep getting that stabbing pain.It's like, what's going on (24:34) with the knives? You know, people don't make those connections, but because (24:39) so much about feng shui is very symbolic to life. Yeah, yeah, that's learning (24:47) something and such a great point. So for someone, so I'm going to backtrack, are (24:58) there any specific feng shui elements or placements that support hormone balance (25:02) or reproductive health? So we kind of talked about the, you know, the pain, (25:06) anything, you know, for women, reproductive health, that type of thing (25:09) that you would say.So the center of the home is where, you know, the abdominal (25:19) area is represented. So here's a tricky part of feng shui. We use what we call (25:26) the bagua on a floor plan and a bagua is an energetic map.But what does that mean (25:34) to people listening? If you can envision like a nine square grid and each grid (25:43) is divided up into an area of life, like the center is health, like the top left (25:50) is one area, the bottom right is another area. Each area has an area of life and (26:01) then a part of the body that it relates to. In this situation, we would focus on (26:07) the center, which is the health and well-being and the abdominal organs are (26:12) there.Specifically, I was reading about digestion, intestinal, but the (26:18) reproductive organs are there too. So you would want to focus on the center of the (26:23) home and how can you find the center? Well, the way we figure out the bagua is (26:28) we take measurements and, you know, we see how wide a home is and how deep a home (26:35) is and then we kind of draw the outline of it and then we place this nine square (26:43) grid over that space and then we apply the location, the direction in each (26:51) location and then I can see where that lies in your home. So in, okay, there's (26:59) and then here's the other tricky part.My first certification is in BTB (27:05) Feng Shui and that's a very set bagua that they use. Like in every bagua, the (27:11) center bottom is always the career and the right rear is always partnership and (27:17) the left rear is always wealth. I have since gotten certified in Flying Star (27:22) Feng Shui and that uses entirely, it's the same bagua, but it's done (27:30) differently by direction, compass direction.So where in a BTB bagua the (27:36) career would be at the front door, in a Flying Star bagua, the north would (27:43) always be the career. So it depends on the location, the different directions. So I'm (27:50) more exclusively Flying Star Feng Shui because I feel it's a little more in (27:55) depth and a little more precise.However, anybody who has worked with the BTB (28:00) consultant should rest assured all schools of Feng Shui, very effective, very (28:07) helpful, and they should feel confident with that. But I wanted to give the two (28:12) different examples because a lot of people have heard of that BTB because (28:19) it's what's used very prominently in the West here, and it's based on the Chinese (28:24) teachings, but it's been simplified for how the Western people, you know, how we (28:28) live in these modern times. The Flying Star is more from a classical (28:34) school, more of the older rules, more with direction and form and everything (28:39) else.However, in both baguas, the health area is in the center, and we pay (28:47) attention to health matters. When you're dealing with the health issue, you take (28:52) a look at the center of your home and you see what's there. And it could be very (28:57) supportive to good health, and it could be very, there could be obstacles there to (29:02) good health.Things that would be obstacles would be a staircase or (29:08) clutter or maybe something about the structure that makes it awkward or (29:18) things like that. It's something that a professional would be able to help you (29:21) with. And I don't want anyone to freak out because if they have a staircase or, (29:28) you know, clutter or whatever in the center of their home, there's remedies.(29:32) And that's what a consultant can help you do. What you can do initially, because (29:39) in Flying Star Feng Shui, there are some negative numbers in Feng Shui, and then (29:46) there's some positive numbers in Feng Shui, and each one of those squares on (29:51) the bagua is assigned a number every year. And in the health area, it's a (29:55) negative number.And so, you know, you can add metal to that space, and that's the (30:01) beauty of the Feng Shui, is that we can see where the negative energy is (30:05) tending to accumulate, but then we can advise as to how to break that up and (30:11) send it on its way and minimize any negative effects of the energy that's in (30:17) that space. Wow, very cool. Wasn't too confusing, I know.No, no, that was great. (30:25) So what are some changes that someone could make today to start shifting the (30:31) energy in their space toward a more healing and just, you know, better energy (30:34) flow? So today, I would say to them, take a look at your kitchen, take a look at (30:39) your bedroom. If one is more upsetting or disconcerting than the other, then focus (30:50) on that room.And then take into account what we've been discussing today. Remember (30:56) that your health is being reflected in your home, that your home reflects your (31:03) stress level, your sense of peace and balance. And remember, too, that you are (31:09) trying to balance everything out, and you're looking for the most supportive (31:12) energy to help you achieve that goal.So figure out which one needs your (31:19) attention first and get your game plan. You know, you most likely will have to (31:26) do some decluttering, but if you're one of those people who, you don't, I (31:31) mean, you're one of those who keeps up with it, but something's not quite right, (31:35) you might be sleeping in the wrong direction, your bed might need to be (31:40) repositioned, you might be using some storage under the bed that's not for (31:44) your optimal health. There's certain things that, let me just say, that we (31:49) always recommend not using under the bed for any storage.However, people, I (31:56) mean, their hands are tied. They have very limited storage, and we (32:01) don't fault anybody for that. I mean, everything is what it is.So if you have (32:06) to store anything under the bed, we always recommend it's soft things like (32:12) towels, sheets, sweatshirts, sweaters, maybe seasonal clothes, but nothing like (32:20) weapons, legal papers, anything pointy or sharp, anything given to you that has a (32:33) negative connotation. If it's something that you want to keep, but it kind of (32:38) bugs you to have it, but you don't want to get rid of it, well, then you're not (32:42) ready to get rid of it, but it can't, it should not be under your bed because you (32:47) want the energy to be surrounding your bed, you know, all the way underneath the (32:53) bed, you know, from head to toe and side to side. You want free-flowing energy, and (32:59) that is supportive while you're trying to repair and restore while you're (33:03) sleeping.Yeah, oh my gosh, that makes so much sense. Yeah, I mean, in those two (33:09) places, I mean, I talked to all my clients about that, you know, healing in the (33:14) kitchen and healing, you know, in the bedroom with sleep and everything. So, (33:19) those are definitely, yeah, great, but the fact that, like you said, under the bed (33:23) storage and, you know, even if you have to, what, like, that's, oh, that's very cool, (33:29) pointing it out, you know, and hearing that.So, here's one thing, too, I do want to (33:34) put out there, if someone in your group is pregnant and they have things under (33:40) their bed, we always advise people to just leave it, just leave it until the baby (33:45) comes, and then go ahead and do your thing under the bed. It's kind of symbolic of (33:53) the womb, where, and you don't want to pull things out, and you don't want to (33:57) empty it before it's time. So, if it's already there, just live with it, and if (34:06) you can't, now that you have that knowledge and you can't sleep or (34:09) whatever, maybe you can find another room to sleep in, but just leave it alone.And (34:15) the other thing I wanted to mention is, if you have an en-suite, to keep your (34:20) door to the en-suite closed, especially when you're sleeping. I'm not real, I'm (34:27) not real strict about that during the day, but at night we always close it, and (34:31) we close our closet door. Bedrooms have, or excuse me, bathrooms have drains, and (34:37) drains are draining energy, and so, yeah, you just close the door and it blocks (34:42) that from grabbing your energy out of you, and, and yeah, helps you sleep better.(34:49) Just remember to open it if you have to go to the bathroom. Yeah, I know, remember, (34:53) it's, yes, it's closed. Don't bang your feet, you know, trying to open the door.Yeah. Do you have any (35:04) suggestions for creating healing or nourishing space for mindful eating, (35:08) especially for those working to improve their relationship with food? Yeah, I (35:13) think it's really important for people to have their table cleared. Some people (35:19) use it as their desk, some people use it as the mail center, some people use it (35:24) to drop their groceries off.A dedicated space to maybe use placemats, napkins, (35:32) nice silverware, plates that you like, all of that to encourage mindful eating will (35:40) be very helpful. Yeah, yeah, love that. How important is intention when rearranging a (35:47) space? Intention is, like, so important.In the Western method of feng shui, intention is (35:55) everything. In Flying Star, the intention is always there. It's got a different, it (36:06) has a different value than in BTB, but in both methods, it's very important.Your (36:14) intention, it's like, what are you manifesting? You know, when you make (36:18) adjustments to the center of your home to be so that center is the supportive (36:24) area for your health journey and whatnot, having that mindful intention behind the (36:31) actions you take, it strengthens everything. It's very important. So this (36:37) is where also, like, mindset can play a role along with, you know, feng shui and (36:43) working together, you know, for even deeper healing, probably, right? Yes, yes.(36:48) Yeah. How can feng shui help someone feel more in control or empowered on their (36:54) healing journey? Well, I would say that would be an offshoot, kind of a, one of (37:04) the benefits that you would receive from balancing your space. When things are (37:11) balanced, that's what you achieve, you know? So it's in that way.It's not, you (37:18) know, a specific do this feng shui thing and then you get that. It's, yeah, it's (37:23) the, it's the byproduct of what you're achieving through all of it. Gotcha.Okay. (37:29) So can our space reflect or reinforce limiting beliefs, maybe, about our health? (37:37) Absolutely. Absolutely.Think about, and think about the artwork that you have in (37:42) your homes. I did a, I did a newsletter on the artwork in our homes, too. Kind of (37:48) recommend that people sign up for my newsletter.Yeah. We'll finish up with that as well, but definitely, sounds like a lot of good stuff. (37:57) Yeah, I, these are the things I write about.Okay, I got lost. Where are we going? (38:05) And can our space reflect or reinforce limiting beliefs about our health? Yes, (38:11) and it's probably through artwork, symbolism, things that we are drawn to, a (38:20) limiting belief. You know, if you have, oh, I don't know, what are the books you (38:26) read? What are the shows that you watch? How, do you, do you tackle projects with (38:35) confidence, or do you shy away thinking, oh, that's for other people, I can't do (38:41) that? We can get ourselves stuck in so many ways, and the objects that we keep (38:49) around us can really reinforce that.If you have, I don't know, maybe a favorite (38:59) menu from a health food place that you like to go to, if you have that framed and (39:04) that's in your kitchen, maybe, or if you have an area in your home that you used (39:11) for your workout space, and it's like inviting to you, and it calls your name, (39:21) then you're doing things in your home that are supporting your journey, and (39:26) those are the things you should be thinking about. And remember about the (39:29) symbolism, because the symbolism is really, it strikes people as very, aha, I (39:36) should have thought of that when you put symbolism together with the feng shui, but (39:42) the symbolism is there without our knowledge. Like, we could have, you know, a (39:49) man cave with Rocky Balboa, right, you know, and it's like, yo, Adrian, like, I won (39:55) the battle, but you don't, you don't want, you don't want, I won the battle in your (40:01) kitchen where you're trying to do healthy, or in your bedroom where you're (40:05) trying to sleep.So it's, it's about being mindful of where you put what, what you (40:12) bring into your home, the kind of symbolism that you are exhibiting (40:16) throughout your home, with that connection now, hopefully people have, (40:20) about how, how we are expressing, how we're feeling about the journey that (40:27) we're on. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's, it's a, of course, another great point, but I (40:31) feel like, because I talked to my clients even about, like, if they want to (40:36) do some simple workout stuff at home, you know, whether it's a mat or just some (40:40) light weights, or maybe they do have a treadmill, you know, in the corner, but (40:44) making that stuff just easily accessible, but still not to a point where it feels, (40:48) you know, cluttered, or not making your treadmill your new closet. Yes, that's (40:55) exactly right.Going back to the symbolism, yeah, I feel like that's, yeah. And when you (41:00) have a dedicated space, use it for its dedicated purpose. Mm-hmm.Just like you (41:05) said, you don't want the treadmill to be the coat hanger, you know. Yeah. And if (41:10) you have to have it in your room, we never recommend that, because it does (41:14) interrupt with the energy of the purpose of your room.However, we do understand (41:20) about space limitations, but I would advise anybody who wants to put their (41:25) treadmill in their room to get some sort of barrier, you know, those, like, the (41:31) screens that you can... Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's a great barrier, and that, very (41:36) symbolically, is separating that space from your sleeping space, and you can (41:42) dedicate both to their intended purpose. Yeah, and it could even just add to, kind (41:47) of, the, like, decor, and the, you know... Oh, absolutely.Yeah, the energy, you know, to (41:53) the room, so, for sure. A lot of energy, yes. Do you have any client stories where shifting (42:00) their space led to noticeable changes in their health? Well, you know, I have not (42:06) had the very focus on health, but I do have, I do have quite a few client (42:15) stories.I could share a couple. They're not health-related, though, but let (42:18) me, I would like to explain, because I would like people to understand that (42:23) feng shui is helpful in more than one area of life. Yeah.Nine different areas of (42:28) life that we can focus on. So, we, my husband and I went to a family member's (42:36) house. They invited us for dinner one night, and we were, he was asking me some (42:41) feng shui questions, and I said, well, let me see your office, and he took me to his (42:46) office, and there were a few things.It's like, his office was set up pretty well, (42:51) but I noticed, you know, maybe you should put this over here, and that over there, (42:58) and maybe you should switch your desk from there to here. I think you might (43:01) feel more comfortable here, and he was frustrated with his job, and I said, you (43:06) might find a little more satisfaction, and he did all, everything that I (43:14) recommended, and about six weeks later, they called us and said he got a new job, (43:21) they were moving, they were selling their house, yeah, the whole thing changed, (43:26) everything changed, and he's been, and he's a little older, and he could be (43:30) retiring now if he wanted to, and he doesn't want to, he's enjoying himself. (43:34) Yeah.And they love their new house. They moved from New York State to Virginia, (43:39) and they're happy. It worked out really well.Yeah. No, I mean, I think, yeah, (43:45) that's, that's super powerful. There's definitely something to be said, you know, (43:49) about the energy that's flowing in our spaces, and yeah, whether that's a new (43:54) job or, you know, with health, and yes, there's other things that would need to (43:59) go along with that.Yeah. There's definitely something powerful still, you (44:05) know, with that. Yeah.You know, and I do want to make it clear that Feng Shui (44:09) does not practice medicine, that it's not like medical advice. What we do is all (44:17) about energy, allowing positive energy in, directing negative energy out, breaking (44:26) up stagnant energy, allowing free flow energy, because all of that supports, (44:36) it's all about being supportive energy in what it is that you are mindfully doing (44:42) to improve your health, or your health, or your life, or your relationships, or (44:47) your career, or whatever, your creativity. Whatever.Yeah, whatever it is. So, people (44:54) think in terms of, oh, that can't really be all that important. I mean, everything (45:00) just is what it is, but we have a lot of control over how the energy flows in our (45:05) spaces, and we can dictate how we feel in our homes and our offices based on how (45:11) we direct that energy flow.Yeah. So, obviously, that was a great story. Has (45:17) there been one that's been, like, maybe the most surprising transformation you've (45:22) seen from someone applying Feng Shui to their home or their life? (45:28) Now, that one was pretty much up there.I did have another client who, she was (45:34) having a terrible difficulty sleeping in her room, and it was affecting her (45:40) health, because she wasn't sleeping while she was sleeping on the couch. I'm (45:42) like, well, what's going on? She said, well, why don't you come over and take a look, (45:47) and maybe you can help me figure it out. And so, I'm looking at her apartment.It's (45:52) like, oh, this room looks really nice. And I look in her bedroom, and I'm like, this (45:56) room looks really nice. All right.So, what do you got under the bed? And so, she (46:03) pulled out some stuff from under her bed. She had legal papers, divorce papers, (46:14) very upsetting, reminders of very upsetting times in her life sitting (46:20) right under her bed. And what do you know? She could not sleep in her bed.She never (46:28) made that connection, that all that negativity was permeating up and (46:34) surrounding her while she was trying to sleep, and she couldn't sleep. So, yeah, (46:38) that one was pretty profound. And when she, I said, you've got to get rid of all (46:43) of this.I know you need these papers, but you've got to keep these in a place (46:47) that's not where you're sleeping. You can put pillows and (46:53) blankets under your bed, but you can't keep these here if you want to sleep. She (46:58) did what I recommended, and she's like, I can't believe it.I can't believe it. It (47:03) was, it was, yeah, it was pretty profound. Wow.She was really happy with that, too. (47:10) Yeah, yeah, yeah. This might be an odd question.I don't know. I mean, have you (47:17) done anything with nurseries? No, but nurseries are to be considered. If you, (47:25) okay, children are very... Yeah, or children's rooms or, you know, yeah, whatever.(47:30) They're very sensitive to EMFs, so if you, you know, try to keep your children's (47:38) cribs and beds away from, you know, outlets and things like that, I wouldn't (47:43) have any electronics in the rooms. I know that people have their monitors. I (47:47) would keep that monitor way away from the baby so that there's no, like, (47:52) interfering energy while the little one's trying to sleep.If you have a (47:56) slanted ceiling in that bedroom, I would put the crib under where the ceiling is (48:03) the highest and not on the slant there. Yeah, and then for older children, but (48:11) still young children, colors are pretty important. Red and dark blue, I would go (48:19) easy on those colors for children, and bed placement is really important.There (48:27) is what we call the command position in feng shui for beds, desks, maybe for the (48:36) owner of the house and where they sit. In their family rooms, there's a command (48:41) position, and you always want to be able to see the door. You don't want to be (48:44) surprised by something coming up from behind you.Yeah. Very symbolic, but very (48:49) energetic, and so, you know, I would be mindful of how you set up a child's room (48:55) as well, and then if you find that they're having difficulty at school, the colors (48:59) of their room and the energy in their room, maybe there might be too much print. (49:04) It could be action figures that are, it's just too much stimulation for them, but (49:09) yeah, things can be addressed in children's rooms and in nurseries.Yeah, (49:15) yeah, great. I just thought that was, that just came to mind as we were talking, and (49:19) I thought, yeah, that still might be helpful for someone. Yeah.What would you (49:23) say to someone who feels overwhelmed by their space but doesn't know where to (49:26) start? You know, I love that saying of, how do you eat an elephant? And the answer (49:34) is one bite at a time. Although people on your, you know, where you're directing (49:40) their journey, they're probably not eating elephants. No.Obviously, you get my point. Go small. (49:49) Start with that junk drawer.Start with the mail. Start with maybe the boots in (49:55) the front closet, if you live in that kind of environment, or, you know, that one rack (50:02) in your closet. Start small.You will be surprised at the energy boost that you (50:09) get. It happens almost a hundred percent of the time. I would, I would venture to (50:14) say it happens every time.Unless you're an old curmudgeon and you just don't want, (50:17) you know, you just are not going to be helped by this process. You get the ball (50:23) rolling. It's very empowering.It really, really is. It's like, wow. And then you (50:30) open that drawer and you see the organization.It's like, I love what that feels like. (50:34) It feels good. Yeah.It feels really good. So you start small. It's like the train (50:39) pulling out of the depot.It's a slow go, but then it gains momentum and then you're (50:45) on a roll. Yeah. And I think that's perfect, too, because, I mean, that's what I tell (50:50) my clients.I tell listeners is pick, you know, one, like one meal even, you know. So (50:56) I feel like it aligns with that and maybe before they even need to adjust one meal (51:03) or one, you know, eating preference or whatever it is, maybe this is even, you know, (51:08) the first step is feeling like they have the right energy to be able to do that and (51:14) adjusting something in their kitchen or, you know, organizing that drawer or whatever (51:18) it might be. So I think that's really great and definitely aligns with, like I said, (51:23) with what I tell my clients as well.I love that. Yeah. Are there any simple feng shui (51:31) rituals or habits that you personally practice, you know, whatever it is to support your (51:37) well-being? I am a stickler when the mail comes in.My husband has his pile. I have (51:46) mine. I put things in drawers, you know, a file drawer if I need it.I read whatever (51:51) I need to read and throw it out or keep it, whatever. Everything's got its place. And (51:57) then my room is, it's not stark, but it is, it's very feng shui-ed out.My bed is in its (52:10) command position. We have two dressers and a chair and a dressing table and no clutter. (52:19) Our closet is not cluttered.We keep the doors closed every night to the bathroom and to the (52:25) closet. And yeah, we sleep pretty good. Yeah.Yeah. Great. So last question, where can our (52:34) listeners connect with you, learn more? I know you've mentioned your newsletter.So yeah, (52:39) how can they get on that or just, you know, connect with you in any way? Okay. So I'm on (52:44) Instagram and LinkedIn and Facebook. I do have a newsletter and you can sign up for that through (52:51) my website, which is katherinedeanfengshui.com. My website has all sorts of information.If you're (53:02) looking for a consultation, if you're looking to sign up for the newsletter, if you want to (53:06) read my blogs, if you want to get in touch with me, it's very easy to do so through the (53:12) one-stop shop there. Great. Yes.And I'll link all that in our show notes for the episode as well. (53:19) But I just wanted to make sure that everybody knows. So yeah, that's a wrap.Thank you so, (53:25) so much. Oh my gosh, this was really different. Really different.Yeah. For me, I think it'll (53:30) be different for our listeners. Hopefully, I mean, I think they probably got at least one (53:36) thing out of that.I know I got several things out of this. Well, I'm delighted. I'm happy to (53:41) hear that.And if they have any questions, how the feng shui can relate to what they're doing (53:46) to work with you, just they, my, my contact information is through, you can do that all (53:53) through my website. Awesome. Well, thanks again.You are welcome. Thanks for having me. (54:00) I hope you enjoyed revisiting this conversation with Katherine as much as I did.(54:04) It's such a great reminder that supporting our health isn't just about what we eat or how we (54:09) move. Our surroundings matter too. And one thing I especially loved was Katherine's reminder that (54:15) you don't have to overhaul your entire home to make a difference.So here's my challenge to you. (54:21) Choose one small space in your home, whether it's a junk drawer, your kitchen counter, (54:26) or your bedroom, and make one change that helps it feel more peaceful and supportive. (54:31) Because just like our health, small changes can build momentum.If you'd like more practical ways (54:37) to reconnect with your body and create sustainable habits, come join me in my healthy ever after (54:43) community. And you'll find the link in the show notes along with Catherine's information and (54:47) website. And if you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it (54:53) with someone who might need to hear it because healing doesn't come from doing more.It comes (54:57) from understanding better. I'm sending you so much love and I'll see you on the next episode of PCOS (55:03) unfiltered, nourish, heal, thrive.