Feng shui teaches that our external environments are a reflection of what is inside our minds; a cluttered environment is an indication of a "cluttered" mind.  By bringing our surrounding spaces into balance and harmony, we begin to clear the clutter and chatter inside. When we begin to make changes in our world it's either because we are changing, or we are hoping to create a desired change

Probably the most important aspect of feng shui (and living optimally in general, for that matter) is intention.  The more we use intention and focus to create something, the greater the opportunity for success.  The phrase "half a mind" says a lot about the lack of intention, and ceremony and ritual are examples of highly focused intention.

Any successful endeavor in our lives began with a strong desire for something.  It was then created through intention; the greater the intention we brought to creating that desire, the faster and easier it happened.

We are creators as well as creations.  It is our birthright to create, and we do it every single minute of every day we're here.  Most times we're not even aware we're doing it, but every step we take began in our imagination first....I wonder what to have for dinner.....what do  I want to wear to work today......I'm going to make that phone call now.  When you see the word "elephant" what happens in your head?

We create on such a subtle, and most times unconscious, level that we've forgotten how powerful we really are.  The biggest shift in my own life came about when I realized that I am the only one who can change how I live my life, and when I began to step into this power, wonderful things began to happen. 

We all like to blame our circumstances or other people for our less-than perfect lives, but we created them as well.  Once we take responsibility for our own lives, we then have the power to change them.  And when we realize this, we can then use intention to move toward creating peace and sanctuary in our world.