As I look back on my life, I realize that I have always been on a journey towards Feng Shui. This path began in my earliest years when my family relocated to many new communities in several states. From the age of four, I can vividly recall the unique floor plans of each home we lived in, as well as how those houses made me feel. I sensed environmental energy even then! My interest in environments and interior spaces has continued throughout my life with a deepening fascination in the rich and varied ways we create homes for ourselves, how those places impact our lives on a very practical level, and even how they reflect our understanding of the universe.

I first heard the term "Feng Shui" ten years ago in an East Asian Religions class at Hamline University. I learned that Feng Shui is Chinese for Wind and Water, and it is concerned with the beneficial flow of life-giving energy (ch'i) through our environment. Sometimes referred to as the "art of placement," Feng Shui is simply an understanding of how energy moves through the universe and how we can align ourselves to it for a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

A few years later I was able to explore Feng Shui further. I began with a class on clutter clearing, taught by Feng Shui consultant, Darcy McDowell. After clearing the clutter from my home, I was absolutely amazed at how my house began to feel, and how my life began to change as a result. I realized quickly that Feng Shui offers practical, logical advice on how to create environments that encourage us. I went on to study for two years with Carole Hyder, founder and teacher of the Wind and Water School of Feng Shui (www.carolehyder.com). It was during this time that all the pieces came together for me: my love of home spaces, my enjoyment of shape and color, my interest in symbol and metaphor, my appreciation of different philosophies and world views, my desire to create peaceful places that bring balance and foster well-being, and my concern for the environment. It isn't an exaggeration to say that through Feng Shui, I learned to see the world with new eyes!

I am now a Certified Feng Shui Practitioner in the Black Sect Tradition, as well as a member of the Feng Shui Institute of the Midwest (www.fsim.org). Through Elemental Feng Shui, I have the privilege of sharing with you the rich tradition of Feng Shui. This ancient Chinese wisdom offers a way to initiate change and move in the direction of your goals and dreams. As a result, you will be able to connect with your environment in a new and meaningful way, to live with deeper intention and clarity, to address an issue from a different perspective, to create a supportive, balanced, peaceful home environment, and to bring focused energy to your office. It is my sincere hope that Feng Shui will ultimately enable you to discover a harmonious environment that supports your life.