A baby room or nursery is one of those images that any “applicant” mum dreams of early on. How many of us grew up fantasizing about this moment? Of being a mother and having a beautiful, healthy baby… many of us imagine ourselves pushing the stroller through a garden on a Spring morning.
When the moment does in fact arrive, we all want a prince or princess’s room for our baby and for the room to offer him or her the best well-being, harmony and development possible. That dream is easy to achieve. All it takes is for your baby’s room to be in accordance with Feng Shui and it will bring harmony, well-being, health, protection, good development and peaceful nights. Although you’ll achieve the best results with specific suggestions for your baby, there are many aspects we can put into practice that already yield great results.
Suggestions:
To make it easier, we’ll give you 10 suggestions below:
I’ve been giving monthly workshops at the Centro Pré e Pós Parto ante and post-natal clinic in Lisbon since 2010 and a lot of the mums have implemented these suggestions, as well as others, having achieved good results.
If you’re still expecting, you can implement these measures from the start, but if your baby is already here, give them a go and witness the results!
I wish you good energy and peaceful nights.
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art “that helps us achieve harmony in our lives through healthy environments”. Feng Shui “studies the way in which (electromagnetic) energy flows in a given space and the way in which it affects us and interacts with us”. It allows us to “harmonize, balance and foster the energies in homes and spaces, helping inhabitants achieve certain goals, such as improvement in health, relationships, prosperity, wealth, studies, professional life and social status, among many others, seeing that a home is a reflection of those who live in it”, explains Sofia Lobo Cera, professional Feng Shui consultant, in her book “Change your Home Enrich your Life”. We spoke to Sofia about how we can apply Feng Shui in our home.
How and when did Feng Shui show up in your life?
Feng Shui showed up in my life around 1997/1998, when my mother bought a Feng Shui encyclopedia and brought it home. I started to read it and identified with this art right off the bat. Everything I read made complete sense and it was almost innate. At the time I was starting a Chemical Engineering – Environment and Quality degree at university and Feng Shui made even more sense, as I felt that everything was interconnected. Over the years, I read up more on the subject and the more I read, the more I was fascinated.
Later, when I was already working in the field of engineering, which in truth didn’t fulfil me and wasn’t what I’d imagined, I decided to take a professional Feng Shui course.
Why is it important to implement this ancient art?
Feng Shui allows us to harmonize, balance and foster the energies in our homes and spaces, helping inhabitants/occupants achieve certain goals, such as health, relationships, prosperity, wealth, studies, professional life, social status, among many others, seeing that a home is a reflection of those who live in it.
Feng Shui techniques allow us to finetune this energy, using it in our favour, strengthening the more positive periods and supporting us through the hard times. When spaces support their inhabitants energy wise, life flows more harmoniously and people become happier, wholesome, healthy and financially stable. Since we have this technique available, why not make the most of it and lead the happy, joyful life we want?
Can the way in which we lay out our objects and decorate our homes influence our well-being, health and happiness?
Absolutely. This is because according to the Feng Shui approach, there are five elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal) that relate with one another in either a constructive or destructive way. When the constructive or creative cycle is present in the spaces we use, through the items we place in them, as well as furniture and decoration, then energy flows and everything is in harmony. When the destructive cycle, however, is present in those spaces, there are blockages and problems start arising. Another fundamental aspect is the layout of these items and the furniture in our home, the most relevant of which are desks, beds and sofas.
Could you give us a few practical examples of a wrong layout that we could have in our homes and which is hurting us?
There are many examples, but the most common are when people want to have an active social life and/or opportunities in life and their sofa is positioned with its back towards the door. Another example is mirrors in front of the bed. In addition to accelerating energy, mirrors can cause sleep disorders, as well as doubling the number of people in bed, which in a couple can bring situations of infidelity. These are just a few examples that are easy to fix, yet which can have significant consequences in our life, and clearly show the risks that a house that is not in harmony can bring.
What is the best way to have a house in harmony?
The best way is to ensure that the house’s energy flows properly and for this, interventions need to be made that can include tidying up or organizing the house, laying furniture out differently, decorating, the way in which we experience the space.
To start harmonizing a home according to the general principles of Feng Shui, simply buy a good book on the subject and apply what is in there. This is the best way to start achieving good results quickly. However, if you want to take it a step further and harmonize the house/company in a tailor-made way, according to the specific goals of the inhabitants/space occupants and thereby make the most of this art, then I advise you to book a professional Feng Shui consultation.
When it comes to colours, what are the most appropriate ones for each room in the house?
That depends a lot on the energy charts for each space. I know it’s frequent for us to read that for example the Fire element should be in the south area, Water in the north and so on. But, that’s not the whole story. What that means is that south is governed by the Fire element, but that is not to say that this is the element to use there. Only when we do the calculations of the space taking into account inside and outside can we find out which elements, and thereby which colours, should be placed in each cardinal sector, that is, in each room. However, there are colours that should be avoided in certain locations, for instance, peach in couples’ bedrooms, as they bring divorce; red walls in hallways, that generally bring throat conditions or related conditions, or having very dark north sectors, which could bring problems with conceiving or situations of fear and deep anxiety.
How can we let energy flow naturally, in a positive way and without blockages in our spaces?
There are various key points for this. The first one is to air our home every day and let the sunshine in so energy can be renewed. Next, our home should always be neat and tidy so that everything is in its rightful spot and balanced. Lastly, another key aspect is to not hoard or store clutter, as this creates stagnation in people’s lives, that is, we should apply the principle of “out with the old and in with the new”. These three principles are fundamental for our home’s energy to flow better. If you want to learn more, on my website you’ll find a free pdf with the “8 steps to get rid of stagnation!” where you will find more tips on how to unblock spaces and get everything flowing. Having said that, a personalized analysis is always more effective.
What are the ideal features when house hunting and what should we avoid?
There are several features we should take into account when picking a home and I go quite deep into them in my book “Change your Home Enrich your Life”. However, we should always pick houses with a good view, unimpeded. The floor plan should be as balanced as possible, that is, rectangular or square shaped. Avoid any alleys as they can lead us to situation we can’t turn around.
Feng Shui has as its basis the five elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal). For harmony, should those five elements be represented in all the rooms in a house?
Not necessarily. As I said before, depending on the calculations for the space taking into account inside and outside the space, and the goals that a person has during the consultation, each room should have one or more elements, but not necessarily all of them. Here the key point is to have the constructive or creative cycle of the five elements, in harmony, working in a constructive way and not activating the destructive (or control) cycle.
If the various elements are in conflict, does there tend to be conflict in people’s lives?
Yes. When our objects and furniture (decoration) which represent the elements are not in the right place, problems tend to show up In people’s lives and can show themselves on several levels, such as health, finances, family and marital relations, and others. In these cases, what we need to do is insert the necessary element to harmonize the cycle or drain the negative element (energy). For instance, if we have a situation where Water puts out Fire, considering that this Fire is a positive energy (the Fire element is controlled), then it becomes necessary to introduce Wood in order to have the constructive cycle where Water feeds Wood and Wood fuels Fire. Yet, if we have situation where the Metal element is negative, then we need to use Water to drain it.
What decorative items should we avoid having in our home? And what should we invest in?
Once more, this depends on the home, but we must certainly avoid objects we’re not fond of or which were given to us by someone we don’t like, or which bring bad memories. In our home, we should only keep what makes us feel good. Even so, in general, anything related with death of our loved ones are to be avoided. Symbols that represent unity, such as the Mystic Knot, are generally good investments.
What is a Feng Shui consultation?
A Feng Shui consultation may vary a lot depending on the consultant, as well as the Feng Shui method used. I follow Classical Feng Shui in general, which starts with a diagnosis, i.e. visiting the site, where I speak to the customer in order to identify his or her goals for the Feng Shui consultation, as well as observe the space and take the required measurements using the Lo Pan (Chinese compass) for further analysis. After this, I draft the Classical Feng Shui project, which I then send to the customer. This project includes the analysis of the space. It’s a full, detailed and comprehensive analysis and goes right to the core of the issues the customer wants to correct. The project looks at the whole analysis and the suggestions to mitigate any negative points and encourage the positive ones, meeting the customer’s goal, as well as harmonizing the space.
There is also follow up of the implementation of the recommendations, namely the results achieved.
How can someone book a Feng Shui consultation with you?
It’s so simple! Any person or company can book a consultation with me. All they need to do is get it touch with me via my website www.sofialobocera.com or my Facebook page www.facebook.com/SofiaLoboCera.FengShui or via my email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
How do you feel helping people live a better life?
I feel grateful and great joy. It is in fact a blessing to be able to help people live a better life. It is fascinating when my customers give me feedback and tell me how happy they are that their life has improved. Basically, I love Feng Shui and above all, I love what I do.
In June of this year you released the book “Change your Home Enrich your Life”, with publishing house Verso de Kapa. Why did you feel the need to write this book?
It was something I’d been planning for a long time now, in truth it’s a project with 8 years of research and at the end of last year, I felt it was now time to share it. The need came up with wanting to make it easier for people to be in touch with and access this ancient subject, to answer the frequent questions I get asked, such as “Sofia, my living room is so-and-so, what can I do so we may have moments of leisure? And can I place a mirror in the hallway? And the kitchen, what can I do to have the family sitting together at the table? And in the bedroom? Is my bed well positioned? And how can I organize the baby’s room and the study?” These questions, and so many others, were asked frequently and you’ll find the answers in my book. All of them, divided into the different rooms and always with a lot of pictures, which are sometimes worth more than a thousand words.
Is this practice still largely unknown in Portugal?
Feng Shui started making an appearance in Europe 30 years ago and in Portugal at the end of the 1990’s. When I started reading up on it 20 years ago, it was practically unknown, but nowadays, as it is so much more disclosed, there is increasingly more knowledge, more interest, even if we do have a long road ahead.
What does this book mean to you?
This book is very special to me. It’s a dream come true and being able to help people live a better life, the life they want to live.
What do you wish to tell readers with this book?
In addition to demystifying Feng Shui and making it simpler, I intend to transmit to my readers its logic and basic principles and the requisites they can apply by themselves so that the energy in their homes flows and they can have a happy, balanced life, in harmony.
Every day, I get beautiful messages telling me they’re read the book and loved it. Many have started putting it into practice and feeling the results. There are some who tell me this is a book everyone should have, and I agree, as even after reading the book, you can refer back to it at any time.
Did you know that your home could be an excellent indicator of how your life is now and what lies in store for the near future?
That’s right… although houses aren’t exactly living beings, they give out signs that we can interpret depending on the type of manifestation and the area in which they happen. Under the type of manifestation, that is, the corresponding element (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal) there are still various sorts.
Is there a part of your home with mould? Or infiltrations? And what about floods, have you ever been “flooded” in any way? And what about the health of your plants? Has a plant suddenly just died? And short-circuits? Have you ever turned on a lamp that seems to explode when you flip the light switch? And in your home, is there an area that seems to catch a lot more dust than the others? Or tends to get rusty?
These types of manifestations can indicate situations that are happening or about to happen.
Mould, depending on the area of the house, indicates that something inside us is blocking a given situation, for instance, having the feeling that the people around us don’t help us enough.
Infiltrations are internal issues that are hard to solve. It’s something that could be under pressure, like depression.
Floods may indicate that sudden changes will take place in our family life.
If a plant dies suddenly, we need to be aware of our health or family matters or even situations from our past.
When we turn on a light and it short-circuits, we should analyse whether we or someone close to us is too agitated, edgy or stressed out. If that is the case, we need to calm down, as these situations can lead to serious arguments or even nervous system or heart conditions.
The lint that tends to build up in certain areas of our house, to the point where we need to remove it every day, is an excellent indicator that the energy is stagnant and blocked and something isn’t flowing the way it should. Removing the lint is not enough. We need to analyse what the blockage is about and fix it. Lastly, Metal manifestations like simple rust indicate jealousy, falsity or even lack of objectives.
Our home is an extension of our body and as such, it manifests itself. Knowing how to recognize the signs and interpreting them can be of added value in your daily life, helping you solve existing problems and preventing situations that are about to happen!
We wish you good energy,
Have you ever entered a house, an office and felt in harmony? And has it ever happened that you felt bad without knowing why, as though there was some sort of bad energy in the air?
The people from the Far East have been studying the flow of energy in spaces through the vibration of light, sound or electromagnetic energy for a long time now. The way in which spaces are laid out and decorated increases, or decreases, the balance of energy. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art that helps achieve harmony through healthy environments.
We spoke to Sofia Lobo Cera, a Professional Classical Feng Shui consultant and Chemical, Environmental and Quality engineer, who has been offering suggestions in accordance with the Feng Shui philosophy, pro bono, on how to make changes in the AAAIO nursing home, whose directors were familiar with her work.
After graduating in 2002 in Chemical Engineering – Environment and Quality – from the Lisbon School of Engineering (ISEL) and having worked in several areas, such as construction, factories, urban sold waste management and treatment, and in Lean auditing and certification, it was Feng Shui that brought her fulfilment in life. In 2008, she began her studies at the National School of Feng Shui in Portugal, which she completed three years later. This year she was accredited by the Feng Shui Society, which includes the best Feng Shui consultants in the world.
Sofia has just released her book “Change your Home Enrich your Life) (https://www.sofialobocera.com/publicacoes/mude-a-sua--casa-enriqueca-a-sua-vida.html).
But… what is Feng Shui all about, really? This Chinese philosophy allows us to harmonize, balance and foster the energy in spaces. Accordingly, when the energy flows positively, there is harmony and people become happier, wholesome, healthy and financially stable. Let’s not forget that a home is the reflection of the people who live in it.
To lay out the space following this Chinese philosophy, you’ll preferably use the Luo-Pan, a Chinese compass (in olden days, the point of reference was the sun). Energy charts are drawn up using the measurements taken, taking into account the space’s orientation and outside shapes.
How does a Chemical Engineer, who specialized in Environment and Quality become a Feng Shui consultant?
When I started working in Engineering, I realized “it” wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I imagined I’d be working in research or on something green or even in organizations where processes flowed for a greater good. Yet, when I came across the reality where “machines” did everything, and where every day was the same as the day before, or I found myself working in a landfill, my health frequently taking the grunt, I realized this was far from being my dream. Meanwhile, I continued on my quest, in the hope that I’d find something in my field of work that would make me happy. Despite enjoying certification and quality, I was flabbergasted with the incredibly complicated management systems that companies couldn’t implement in their day to day life, only to run around like headless chickens to get everything in order just before an audit. That was not the order I identified with. I wanted to work on something that gave me pleasure, where I could contribute to society, to the common good. For a while I studied and analysed myself, to find myself, with the help of a coach. After a lot of hard work, I did manage to find myself. Feng Shui was already present in my life since the first year of university and it was something that came naturally to me. One day, after work and after mediating and thinking about why I’d taken the degree I had, I hit my Eureka moment! The thought came to me: “I know exactly why I took a degree in chemical, environmental and quality engineering! Of course! It’s all related! Well: Chemistry => energy; Environment => the environment around us, that is, our home; Quality => The quality of the environments we live in! That’s it! I’m going to take a professional Feng Shui course. That’s what I want to do. Helping others have a better life, the life they want to have!”
When did you feel you had to change the direction of your professional compass?
In the first years on the job, where I realized that what I was doing wasn’t fuelling me. The lack of humanity in companies appalled me, as did those incredibly “yang” environments where people were/are numbers. I didn’t want to be a number, I wanted to continue being a person.
How can Feng Shui improve our life?
We’ve all gone into places where we felt better than in others. That feeling derives from the way in which energy flows in a given space, whether through the vibration of light, sound or electromagnetic energy. Feng Shui techniques can help people synch their energy and even use it to their benefit, strengthening the most positive periods and helping them through difficult times. When the spaces support their occupants energy-wise, life flows in greater harmony and people become happier, wholesome, healthy and financially stable.
Feng Shui allows us to harmonize, balance and foster the energy of homes and spaces, helping their occupants reach certain goals, such as health, relationships, prosperity, wealth, studies, professional life, social status, and many others, as a home/space is a reflection of those who live in or occupy them.
The testimonials I’ve had over these almost ten years of professional Feng Shui consulting are incredible. It’s amazing to see the before and after and feel people’s happiness and the way in which their lives changed for the better.
Is the book you’ve recently launched “Change your Home Enrich your Life” about wanting to help the average person improve their life?
Absolutely! There are many things we can all put into practice in a simple, uncomplicated way and which allows us to get our home’s energy flowing and reaching great results and goals. These are the suggestions I offer in my book in an incredibly simple, organized way that is easy to put into practice. It is a book that, in addition to being for reading, is also one you can refer back to at any time and which we should all have at home, as we will certainly need it in the future.
It’s interesting that I get messages from my readers almost every day, telling me they read the book in less than two days, have started implementing the suggestions and experiencing the results.
Cycle of the Five Elements – an explanation of how Feng Shui works by Mariana Crawford Dourado
How did the contact with AAAIO and the Nova Casa nursing home come about?
I often say that nothing happens by chance. One of my professional goals for this year was engaging in a social welfare act with an institution. It was something I was planning on doing more towards the end of the year, as 2016 has been a year filled with achievements. It started with me obtaining my accreditation by the International Feng Shui Society, which includes the best consultants in the world, refreshing my entire website and organizing my content, my course for Master, and writing and releasing my book. But, in a conversation with Joaquina Cadete Phillimore, where she laid out a few situations the home was facing and which she’d like to improve, I told her about my project and we thought “why not?” And everything was brought forward!
What did you feel when you visited the home for the first time?
When I entered this space, I felt there is concern with the patients’ well-being and care taken with the facilities, which is fundamental for this type of institution. Even though management was careful, I noticed there were still some things that needed doing. And especially because in this type of space we have a lot of stagnant energy, where human beings may be in a stage of decline (energy speaking), and where there is disease and death, this is something felt when you walk into this type of place. We felt this in this home, especially in one of the rooms. However, this can be worked on and improved, bringing healthier, more joyful energy that is beneficial to all who live, work and visit the place. In fact, many of my suggestions are already being put into practice.
What amendments did you suggest to the management of AAAIO to improve the well-being of the patients at the home, by implementing Feng Shui theories?
I made several suggestions, especially in the common areas. Some of the rooms were changed around, as was their organization and layout and some decoration, with things as simple as moving objects around and placing them somewhere more suitable.
The technical areas and offices were also analysed and I suggested some changes organization wise, how the workers were laid out and changes to the decorative items in the offices.
Seeing that this was your first social responsibility project, how do you view this pro bono collaboration with similar entities?
I’ve been doing pro bono work for a while now, but it’s more in terms of lectures at companies and institutions. The first, and the oldest I have to this day is with Centro Pré e Pós Parto ante and post-natal care clinic in Lisbon, where I give monthly workshops to mums-to-be so they can organize their baby’s nursery according to Feng Shui, so the baby is healthy, happy and develops properly.
I’ve also been giving lectures and workshops at companies/organizations for a while now, where the workers learn how to organize their workstations so they feel better, achieve better work/life balance and with this are happier and more productive, which means that progressively the company will grow more and have financial gains. There are also other types of social projects under development, but this type of project was something that came up this year and which I intend to carry over to other institutions.
Sofia is a Professional Classical Feng Shui consultant, teaches at the National School of Feng Shui, where she is also completing her advanced studies. She also gives workshops and writes for our magazine. She has recently written a book, “Change your Home, Enrich your Life”, a book where she places the ancient art of Feng Shui at your service and enables the energy of our homes to flow in a positive way, making it cosier and better protected.
After reading her first book on Feng Shui, her passion grew and has remained so until this day.
What made you become interested in Feng Shui?
I recall when I read the first book on the subject. It was fascinating. It seemed as though everything made sense, something innate. I started to implement some of the measures and it was almost like a miracle – it worked! From then on, this passion grew and has been doing so until today.
It’s charming to compare people’s lives before and after making changes in their homes.
Feng Shui allows me to do what I most enjoy – helping others have a better life, the life they want to have.
You wrote the book Change your Home Enrich your Life. Tell us about this book …
It was actually a goal I’d had for quite a while. I wanted to create something that would reach more people and that they could, on their own, implement a few small suggestions and feel the results happen in their lives. At the end of 2015, when I was setting my goals for 2016, I felt: “this is it, this is the moment!” And perhaps that’s why everything came together and here it is now.
It’s a very practical book, filled with tips so we can make major changes and get major results. Can you offer us a few tips on the practical use of feng shui?
There are endless options, some more general and others that are specific to each case. But overall, we can all pay more attention to our homes, care for them as though we were caring for ourselves, which in truth is exactly what happens. The initial and fundamental points for the energy to start flowing in people’s lives include airing it every day, letting the sunshine in, applying the principle of “out with the old and in with the new”. This last one is fundamental for everything else to start and the first results show up. Then, I recommend you apply the various suggestions I make in my book, appropriate to each room. You will be taking a big step with all these small ones!
Feng Shui seeks balance and harmony in our lives. How can this major ally bring us the support for our life to go better?
It’s as simple as placing energy flowing correctly, namely by placing objects in the right place given their energy characteristics. In reality, much like other philosophies, the basis for Feng Shui is in applying the Cycle of the Five Elements correctly, that is the relationship between them (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal).
New Year, New Life. To make the most of the energies of the changing year, we need to end the year in the best way possible. How can we start the next year with a bang?
The first thing to do is analyse the year coming to an end and define the goals for the following year. This is something that needs to be done in time and calmly. Next, it’s fundamental that we start the year with our accounts organised, so this is another point that should be “closed” at year end. Lastly, check that you’ve gotten rid of any clutter so that you start the new year lighter.
How can we get our home winter-ready?
Winter is a time that invites us to be cosy and we need to keep up with the energy of each season. For this reason, in winter you should make your home cosier, warmer when it comes to colours and textures. It’s fundamental that you keep the house with some activity going on, so it doesn’t go into hibernation mode. Having friends over is healthy.
Whenever we bring new objects into our home, they will interact with the existing energy. What should Christmas decorations be like, according to Feng Shui?
The decoration should be balanced and we should never fill up the house to the point where it’s difficult to move. Then there are details that can be used to stimulate good energy. For instance, this year it’s lucky to place the Christmas tree in the south part of the living room to bring joy to your career. In the northern section you can place some snowmen to help reduce possible financial loss. In the southwest section of your living room you can place a nice Christmassy basket with pinecones to bring harmony with people and improve your finances.
What should we make sure we look out for when house hunting?
Make sure you’re not stuck in an alley. Having unimpeded views is also essential for a life with well-defined goals and objectives. The number of people who can’t define what they’d like to do on a professional level nowadays is huge.
Can a home influence the inhabitants’ state of mind and health?
Absolutely! Not just the inside, i.e. how we decorate and organize it, but also what’s on the outside.
Are colours important to balance the energy in our home?
Yes. Each colour is associated with a given element (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal), which should then be placed in the most suitable room given the analysis done of the inside and outside of the home. However, Feng Shui is so much more than using the proper colours.
What is your favourite place in your home and what does it have in terms of Feng Shui?
All of them!! I apply Feng Shui everywhere in my home or, as a friend of mine says, it’s “bullet proof”! Everything was or is thought out and analysed to the smallest detail and according to Feng Shui and that’s why I, my family and my friends feel so comfortable there.
Would you care to share a story about applying Feng Shui in your life? What worked, what didn’t work?
Yes, I can share the most important one. A few years back, when I was still an engineer and taking my first tentative steps in Feng Shui, in actual fact I had two jobs going on at the same time. No matter how much I enjoyed what I was doing, the days were draining, as I worked from 9 am to 6 pm in a company and then I entered my “consultant” mode until almost two or three in the morning. The weekends were filled with classes and workshops I taught (and still do), consultations and I still found some time for family and friends. Yet, my health couldn’t take this pace and so I was “forced” to make a decision. Either I continued as an engineer and gave up on Feng Shui consultancy, or else I would chase after my dream. I thought about it. I meditated. And I made up my mind. I chased my dream! I applied a series of specific “cures” for the situation at hand and here I am now.
Would you like to leave a message for those who are interested in Feng Shui?
Yes. Just like the title of my book says: Change your Home Enrich your Life!
One of the questions I get asked often is “how do I organize my home according to Feng Shui ?” or, when I go over to a friend’s house, I’m immediately asked “Sofia, is my home laid out according to Feng Sui?” or else, if I go out for dinner with friends, they ask me “Sofia, what’s the restaurant with the best Feng Shui for us to go to?” But, what does it mean to have good Feng Shui?
It’s as simple as a space giving us a good feeling, good vibes, having the pleasure of being there and wanting to return. And this feeling applies to a restaurant, a friend’s house or even our own home. The feeling of walking into your home and enjoying being there. Of giving you a good life. But how is this achieved?
Feng Shui studies the way in which energy flows in a given space and there are numerous requisites to ensure, some specific to each space, others of a more global nature. Feng Shui is an entire world in itself! Yet there are simple and general concepts that you can implement in your home, workplace or even a restaurant!
The entrance hall should, ideally, be well lit, airy and spacious. One should be able to circulate here and only place objects your like in this space. Avoid having shoes, photographs and unpaid bills.
Your living room should be more inviting if you wish to have friends over and see new opportunities making their way into your life. By inviting we mean having the sofa near the door to the living room and “facing” it.
If your living room has more than one environment, they should be well divided, i.e. sitting room, dining room and work area if this exists.
In your bedroom, i.e. the master bedroom where the couple sleeps, if you wish to have a balanced, harmonious and happy relationship, choose a bed with a good headrest, against a wall, and two matching and symmetrical bedside tables. Never have only one. Having pictures of the couple in wooden frames on both of the bedside tables is also lucky. Mirrors in front of the bed are the perfect cocktail to hamper community and intimacy, so definitely avoid these.
Don’t store anything under the bed. If you have a bed base with storage, keep your bed linen in there and nothing else.
The bathroom must be clean, neat and tidy. Prefer to keep everything in its rightful place, ideally inside the cabinet as opposed to on shelves or on the counter or the bathtub. Overall, the toilet lid should be down and the bathroom doors closed, but there are exceptions where these are to remain open.
In the kids’ bedroom, avoid placing beds and study areas in between doors and windows, where energy moves quicker. These are better as a play area. The beds, much like the master bedroom, should be well protected with a headrest and against a wall. The room should be tidy when the children go to sleep or are studying.
As for the kitchen, a very relevant space in a Feng Shui analysis: keep the stove clean and in a good state of repair at all times, as it is directly linked to a family’s health and prosperity. It is essential to have a well-positioned stove, but only a Feng Shui professional, with advanced technical knowledge will be able to analyse this point in detail. Preferably, the stove should not be next to the sink, but if that’s your case, place a plant between them to harmonize the Water and Fire elements.
Pick a chair with a high back to protect your own back. Likewise, you should work with your back towards a wall, rather than a window or a passage area. Those situations bring discomfort and heavily increase lack of productivity and concentration.
The view in front of the desks should be wide and impaired in order to improve productivity and creativity. If possible, organize and position your desk according to Feng Shui, specifically for you, to stimulate and improve your performance.
Moments of relaxation among co-workers are fundamental for them to be creative, productive and more focused on their goals and job. Avoid very heavy, tense and highly controlling environments. It’s fundamental for a worker to feel well in his or her workplace. This is one of the essential requisites for your activity’s dynamism and your business to grow.
Change your Home (or your space) and Enrich your Life!
We wish you a good energy,
“What direction should I sleep in, after all?” This is one of the questions I get asked the most. When you start reading up on Feng Shui, this subject is generally addressed, as sleeping is one of our vital needs and we spend a large portion of our life sleeping.
When we start getting involved in the subject “Feng Shui”, the first contact is through our date our birth, where our element is calculated. This is called Lo Shu and is directly related to our personal trigram. And in this way, we can obtain Water 1, Wood 3 or 4, Fire 9, Earth 2,5 or 8 and Metal 6 or 7. Through our element, male or female, we can determine the four directions that are lucky for us to sleep in, work or carry out important tasks and the four that are unlucky. Lo Shu is very much used in the San He School and also the 9 star Ki astrology, where the 8 trigrams are used. In this School, Earth 5 is not considered. Men 5 become Lo Shu 2 and therefore, their directions are the same as someone Earth 2; and women 5 as Lo Shu 8.
In a professional Feng Shui course, depending on the School followed, the term used is Mig Gua (for the San Yuan School) instead of Lo Shu (for the San He School), where, also through date of birth, each individual has an associated transformation. Yet unlike the San He School, here we have all the transformations: Water 1, Wood 3 or 4, Fire 9, Earth 2,5 or 8 and Metal 6 or 7.
At the same time, we often hear phrases such as “all children should sleep facing East” or “everyone should sleep facing North.” I’ve been confronted by architects of customers of line who were really worried because they didn’t want to put the bedrooms for every single house they designed facing North!
Only when we go deeper into the studies do we realize that there are also the directions of the energy charts for the space in question (house, workplace, etc.) and that these are highly relevant. Truth be told, they’re more important than each individual’s personal directions. So, we have 8 directions: North, South, East, West, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest and Southeast and whether they are good or not to an individual depends above all on the space’s energy chart. However, there is still a third layer of information: the annual energies are also relevant. That is, we need to take into account the good directions of the space, the good annual directions and this is even better if we can reconcile this with the personal directions of each one.
Diving even deeper into the knowledge, of the 8 existing directions we can now have 64! It’s what we call a Hexagram. That is, within each cardinal sector, or macro direction, if you will, there are 8 directions (hexagrams). Well, 8 directions times 8 hexagrams will give us 64 directions. But for the more curious among you, inside each hexagram there are still 6 “affinities”, and we can determine which is more suited for each individual and even each situation!
Therefore, it’s fundamental that we sleep and work facing directions that are beneficial to us and bring us health, success and well-being. It doesn’t make sense to sleep or work facing our personal direction, when it’s not the same for the space and time we’re in. Yet, of course, if it’s possible to combine them and select a good hexagram and affinity, even if these two are already very detailed, then the results will be even better. Please note that when we are talking about personal directions, we are working at a 45º detail. When we are talking about the directions of charts and annual directions, we are working at a 45º to 15º level of detail. When we are talking about hexagrams, we work at a detail of 5.5º. And, lastly, when we talk of affinities, we are talking about exact degrees.
Every day, we spend around 8 hours sleeping and 8 hours working, so choosing a good direction is fundamental. But why is it often said that everyone should sleep facing North?
Because, according to the Feng Shui approach, Water transformation in its positive side is associated with clam and serenity. However, even if this is the case, this does not mean that North is suited for everyone, in every space, every year! And now you ask, how can we determine the directions for each person? That is not the aim of this article, seeing that determining the directions of charts, annual directions, hexagrams and affinities takes years of studies. However, we can show you the Lo Shu for each individual depending on their year of birth and thereby determine the personal lucky or unlucky directions. Notwithstanding, it is worth noting that the Chinese solar year begins around 4 February, so anyone born before that day belongs to the previous numerical year.
We now present a summary table of the favorable and unfavorable directions for each Lo Shu (male and female). Note that in this approach (in Lo Shu), men 5 assume Lo Shu 2, and women 5 assume Lo Shu 8.
| Lo Shu | Lucky Personal Direction (from luckiest to least lucky) | Unlucky Personal Direction (from least lucky to unluckiest) |
| 1 | SE, E, S, N | W, NE, NW, SW |
| 2 | NE, W, NW, SW | E, SE, S, N |
| 3 | S, N, SE, E | SW, NW, NE, W |
| 4 | N, S, E, SE | NW, SW, W, NE |
| 6 | W, NE, SW, NW | SE, E, N, S |
| 7 | NW, SW, NE, W | N, S, SE, E |
| 8 | SW, NW, W, NE | S, N, E, SE |
| 9 | E, SE, N, S | NE, W, SW, NW |
Key:
| N - North | NE - North East | E - East | NW - North West |
| S - Soulth | SE - South East | W - West | SW - South West |
Healthily in Love
By Sónia Gonçalves
Passionate Inspirations
# Feng Shui – Out with the Old and In with the New 27 September, 2017 Sónia Gonçalves
Does Feng Shui mean anything to you? It means a lot to me 🙂
When we moved into our current home, we decided to explore Feng Shui and had the pleasure of meeting Sofia Lobo Cera. Sofia is a Feng Shui consultant and she designed the project for our house 🙂She studied the energy in our house and our energy too, we talked her through our difficulties and our goals and through the house’s blueprint and layout, and she gave us a super complete project. In this project, she indicated, among many other things, how we should place our furniture, how to decorate our home according to the 5 elements (water, wood, fire, earth and metal ...) and the colours to use. All of this is designed with the aim of balancing the energy of both the home and its inhabitants (us 🙂)
Believe it or not, this works 🙂 We noticed loads of differences in our life ... everything became more balanced, especially in areas that were really imbalanced! I believe that everything is energy, even our home, and obviously the people who live there too!! As such, it makes complete sense for me (and also for Diogo) for our home to be as balanced as possible energy wise, and Feng Shui is a major ally 🙂
I spoke to Sofia to tell you about Feng Shui🙂 Read until the end, as Sofia will leave us some tips on how to get our homes ready for Autumn 🙂
“Hello, Sofia. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional path?”
“Hello, Sónia, first of all, thank you for inviting me to be here, it’s a pleasure to contribute to this healthy project. Now, talking about me… I’m someone who loves life, who loves joy, who loves a good mood, positive vibes, who loves helping others have a passionate life that can grant them everything they wish to achieve. My path along this field started quite early. When I was 18/19 years old, I went to university and started reading up on the subject, which fascinated me off the bat. Later on, when I joined the labour market, although I was an engineer, the corporate world wasn’t quite what I’d envisaged or even dreamed about. Instead, I found a dog eat dog world, where people would do what they could to achieve their goals. I tried to bypass this, although I suffered from such situations at times. Time moved on and I felt more and more that I didn’t belong there. I felt as though I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong people. However, that very place, that very time, those very people, were the drivers that led me to study Feng Shui professionally and for that, I am incredibly grateful. And as the universe is wise, it turns out that place, that time and those people were the right ones. I was quickly asked to write articles, teach classes and I started taking my first steps with consultations. My friends were the guinea pigs at the time (laughter).
The project grew to the point where I had to make a decision to drop everything else and pursue it or drop it and continue in engineering. The decision wasn’t easy, nor was this stage in my life, but I was lucky that I could make the right decision and from then on, I’ve been focusing full time on Feng Shui consulting and help others live a better life.
“There’s a lot of talk nowadays about Feng Shui. Can you explain what this ancient art is about?”
“Feng Shui studies the way in which energy flows in a space. And I’m not talking about esoteric concepts here, rather the scientific concept of energy as we all know it. Unlike what many may believe, Feng Shui is not about decorating, closing toilet lids, or working and sleeping facing a certain direction. All the flow that circulates inside and outside a house influences and determines the type of life of its inhabitants. When that energy doesn’t flow well, problems of various types come up in people’s lives or in companies. When the energy flows well and properly, people and companies thrive on all levels and are able to achieve what they want and everyone feels good.
“How can Feng Shui help people in their day-to-day and in their lives as a whole?”
“For Feng Shui to be able to help people, they need to become aware of how much their homes and workplaces influence them. Once people become aware of this and apply Feng Shui, which can be placing furniture correctly, having a suitable decor, experiencing the space so that it offers great potential, and also having a more positive energy flow in the spaces, this will automatically have repercussions in our lives, as homes are, simply put, an extension of our bodies. To gain this awareness, you can simply pay attention to small changes made in your home, for instance moving some things around and feeling the results of this; or simply observe other places where you feel good and notice what it is they have, which makes everything around them be in harmony.”
“How can a home’s energy influence one’s life?”
“Here, to be a bit clearer, we can draw a parallel with the air we breathe. If we breathe fresh air, we’ll be healthier than if we breathe in highly polluted air. Well, this air, which is made up of particles, is energy. Everything in the universe contains energy, from a rock, to plants, the materials and objects that make up a house and the buildings, all the way up to the planets. And, according to the laws of physics, energy moves, and the particles interact with one another and as a result, influence one another. If what we have in our home contains energy and if we are made up of energy also, it’s natural that our home will influence us, as well as we influence the home and everything around us. For this reason, not only is it necessary for homes to have good energy, it’s also fundamental that people have it too, or else they will “pollute” the home they live in and this in turn will foster less positive energy.”
“Change your Home Enrich your Life” is the title of your book. What can we find when we read it?”
“Using the words of many readers who reached out to me, this book changed their lives. They state they read it in one day, that they applied the suggestions and experienced good results at once. In addition to an explanation of what Feng Shui is and how everything relates, in this book you’ll find practical tips on how to organize your home room by room, starting at the front door and ending in the garden, for those who have one. There’s also another part, divided into seasons of the year with tips on how to organize and tidy the home depending on the season, so you can be in tune with the energy in force at the time. After, there are some practical cases for anyone who wants to dig a bit deeper, and it ends with a part dedicated to anyone house hunting, that is, with very precise and clear indications on what to look out for when picking a new home.”
“Can you explain how someone can use your services and what you can offer?”
“To use my services, all you need to do is send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go into the contacts tab on my website www.sofialobocera.com. There are various types of services available, from professional Feng Shui consultations, to the various modes available, Date Selections, Property consultations applicable when buying or selling a property, Direction consultations, applied to any travel done, whether for business or pleasure, I Ching consultations and also workshops. You can find a description of all these services on my website. You can also follow my Facebook page where I post some tips and what’s new: www.facebook.com/SofiaLoboCera.FengShui.”
“Lastly, I’d like you to offer us some tips on what to do in the changing seasons. And since we’re at the start of Autumn, how should we prepare our homes for the new season?”
We’re now starting Autumn, a time when the Metal energy in prominent, bringing with it the need to withdraw, organize our affairs and start planning and setting goals. The days become shorter and the light in our homes is also less bright. This time of year, it’s important to keep our homes energized, letting the sunlight find its way in. At the same time, as it’s the time to withdraw, we should now make our home cosier and this can be done easily by making the living room area closer, using warmer colours, and using softer lighting, such as candles.
At this time we are also more eager to organize our home and our life, and for this, it’s fundamental that we start to “eliminate” what we don’t need so that new things can come in. Although this concept of out with the old and in with the new is stronger in the Spring time, it can also be applied this time of year, in the objects we have at home, clothing, food that has gone off or that is not good for us, as well as thoughts, attitudes and ways of being we may have. Together with this (re)organizing, we feel the need to define or plan out what we want for our life, which can entail being more positive, changing our diet and lifestyle, or finding a relationship or going up the career ladder. And since gratitude belongs in any time of the year, I’ll take the opportunity to thank you, Sónia, once again for sharing my knowledge and my book “Change your Home Enrich your Life”, as well as wish you great success in this new project.
We hope you enjoyed this 🙂
As Sofia usually says, “we wish you good energy”!! Be inspired and fall in love for yourselves, with your life and your home" 🙂
Saudavelmente
Sónia Gonçalves
In http://saudavelmenteapaixonada.com/2017/09/27/feng-shui-deitar-velho-entrar-novo/ published on September 2017
Sofia Lobo Cera has been a classic Feng Shui consultant for over 12 years now. She has been studying the subject for more than 20 years and has been teaching this centuries-old art for more than 10 years. Sofia has a degree in Chemical Engineering – Quality and Environment, and makes it a point of noting Feng Shui is not esoteric and draws our attention to the improvements that can be seen at a personal and professional level when using these techniques.
What is the importance of Feng Shui for workplaces and their resilience?
I would begin by asking our readers the following: how do you feel when you enter your workplace? When you feel good, what differences can you tell in your productivity? The truth is that most people don’t feel good in their workplaces, although they can’t really pinpoint why. It’s a feeling. This can be explained by the energy flowing through spaces, whether the company or (now) our home not being great. And that’s where Feng Shui can help. Feng Shui fosters a feeling of well-being, obtained through the space’s energy, whereby this energy is the same one we refer to in science, that is, the particles, atoms, and molecules that make up a space. Feng Shui includes both what is physical matter and decoration, in the sense of how objects are laid out, their shape, texture, and colour... The materials that furniture is made of can give out a certain sensation, the places where the workers are in the company, the reception and how it’s laid out are also important in terms of Feng Shui... In fact, everything matters, from the outside area around the building, which influences the energy inside in about 60 to 70%, even the parking area and the way the director and customers circulate inside the company, everything contributes to the people’s well-being and the organization’s results. For this reason, the ideal scenario would be to incorporate Feng Shui when building the premises, seeing that this centuries-old art works on everything, from the building’s floorplan to the amount of concrete used for the walls, where the front door is located, the offices, the reception area... Even so, it is fundamental for companies that have already occupied their premises to consider applying Feng Shui. It’s never too late. It helps with financial revenue and makes people happier, thereby more resilient.
In this case, should architects and project designers work together with a Feng Shui expert to design a space according to the techniques of this art?
Yes, of course. Oftentimes, architects and project designers don’t know that they are including their energy when they draw a space’s floorplan. Plus, there are some who believe a Feng Shui consultant will block his or her creativity, as we will make demands as to where certain architectural elements should be positioned. That is not true. We offer the guidelines, in the sense of indicating the best place in which to place the doors, the main one and the ones inside, to access the living room, the bedroom and others, in that future space. But it’s up to the architect to set up the puzzle of possibilities, deciding where he or she will design the space, letting their creativity take flight. In Portugal, the dwellings from the 1990’s onwards almost all follow the same inner layout, which isn’t according to Feng Shui and the fact is that the population has been experiencing self-esteem issues and greater trouble with the problems that arise. It is fundamental for there to be synergies between these two occupations, but each one should fulfil their duty alone, as this means the architect will complete a good architectural project and a Feng Shui consultant will complete a good Feng Shui project. It’s important for there to be flexibility and adaptability on both parts so they can work together. The goal is to build a beautiful space that fosters health, good relationships, namely at family level, wealth, and personal power. Feng Shui is about balance.
Is it easy to find houses in Portugal with good Feng Shui?
Not really. As I explained, we need a better connection between Feng Shui consultants and architects and project designers, for instance. However, there is some interest by a few architects, which is great, but it’s simply not enough. When I was house hunting about 10 years ago, I saw loads of houses until I found one that met the requirements. It is important to note that life is too important for us to be miserable at home or our workplace. That is why when we invest in a property, or lease it, ideally, we should be accompanied by a Feng Shui consultant so they can conduct a study of the space.
Is it still necessary to inform the population that Feng Shui is not esoterism?
Yes, no doubt. Sometimes, people tell me they don’t “believe this” and I reply that it’s not about believing. Classic Feng Shui is based on mathematical calculations using a compass, which measures the Earth’s magnetic field. Nothing more, nothing less than energy. As such, Feng Shui is in fact something we can’t see, but we can all feel it, as it’s related to how energy flows. This has nothing to do with religion or personal belief, as I explain in my book “Change your Home Enrich your Life”. This paradigm is still so rooted in society that some people have Feng Shui consultations and don’t let their clients, workers or friends know about it, as they are scared of how others will interpret it. This shouldn’t be happening. Doing a Feng Shui consultation and study shows you are concerned about your well-being and the well-being of those around you.
What projects do you have currently under way?
There’s always something under way with me, but I never talk about a project until it is launched. Now, during the pandemic, I needed to adapt, seeing that my occupation means I visit people’s homes and companies. I had to reinvent myself in order to continue working. I created weekly lives on social media with tips for lockdown so that people could feel stronger in both health and finances. I will have news, soon, especially with regard to the digital world. For now, I can remind you that you can follow some of the projects that have been launched, via my Youtube (Sofia Lobo Cera Consultora Profissional de Feng Shui). These are still up-to-date, such as Organized Home, Balanced Life, a series of 25 videos with Feng Shui tips to apply in tour home and workplace over the year.
in Sol Newspaper - Valor Magazine published on December 2020
A product’s life cycle is something akin to the four stages that are studied in Chinese metaphysics: birth, growth, prime and decline. The product’s life cycle is the timeline since an item is designed until it reaches the end of its life.
Nowadays, products have shorter life cycles, not just because generally people don’t invest as much in the quality of materials compared to how quick they need to circulate the items, but also because people have adopted behaviours where objects are almost disposable. In the past, when you bought living room furniture, it was for life. Nowadays, that is unthinkable. However, more and more individuals are concerned with the planet’s sustainability and durability of products, and tend to favour pieces and materials that last longer and are environmentally friendly. But where does a product’s life cycle tie with Feng Shui?
Although products have a more less defined “use date”, it is possible to make a product longer, based on Feng Shui. What lies behind this is the Cycle of the Five Elements. So, if the materials, the colours and the shapes that make up an object are in harmony, that object will last longer than if the materials, colours and shapes that make it up were not in harmony. A round, plastic white colour tends to last less than a square, plastic, white table. In the first case, we have a material that represents the Fire element, and a shape and colour that represent Metal. In the second case, we have a material that represents the Fire element, a shape that represents Earth and a colour from the Metal element, where Fire fuels Earth and this feeds Metal, instead of having a situation where Fire is fusing Metal.
In my book Change your Home Enrich your Life you will find the features of each element with regard to colours, materials, shapes, and other, to select better pieces, as well as creating harmony in them and, as a result, your home and your life!
November, November, the month of so many things we can think about, act and do!
At this time of the year, when days continue along their path, relentlessly, becoming shorter, a lot of us feel more morose, homey, less active. Others, the anonymous blessed, feel more exuberant, energetic and enthusiastic.
November is marked by the end of the Metal energy, in transition with Earth and the start of Water, i.e. Winter. The oriental people have a different way of approaching the laws of nature as they consider a cycle of transformations, that varies over time. Everything has a cycle: first there’s birth, then the prime and then there’s decline and lastly, death. Next comes birth again and it starts over. This cycle can be applied to human beings, animals, plant life and energy.
When we are still in the western Autumn, at the start of November, the days grow colder and the nights are longer. For the oriental people, this is where the birth of Winter takes place.
On December 23, Winter is at its prime, which is when we say in the west that Winter is starting. For us, westerners, Summer starts on 21 June and have you noticed that once Summer starts, the days start getting shorter? Well, supposedly, once Summer starts, the days should be getting longer rather than shorter! That is the oriental thought process.
People can feel so different at this time of the year because three types of energy are present – it’s why some feel more withdrawn and others more vibrant.
Yet regardless of the mood, use this time of year to be in synch with the season. You can do this in three simple steps:
The first rule of thermodynamics tells us that what isn’t growing is dying and if we stop evolving as human beings or entities, we are nearing our end. Taking this principle as a starting point, we can better understand the concept of Feng Shui, an “art” that can offer us a better life, without doubt.
Who better than Sofia Lobo Cera to tells us a bit more about the values of Feng Shui, the art of harmonizing spaces with the aim of enhancing the vital energy of beings and environments, whether private or corporate. We set off to get to know our interviewee, Sofia Lobo Cera, a professional Feng Shui consultant who embarked on her namesake project – Sofia Lobo Cera, Feng Shui Consultant, in 2009. This was, according to her “the best decision I ever made in my life”. Sofia is renowned internationally as a consultant accredited by the Feng Shui Society and she has vast experience in all types of Feng Shui projects.
It may seem odd, but our interviewee’s adventure began with engineering, specifically chemical engineering. And how do these two fields, which seem so far apart at first glance, cross over? “They really aren’t that different. Oftentimes, people associate Feng Shui with more esoteric or spiritual fields, but in fact, the study of Feng Shui looks at how energy flows and that same energy is what we learn in physics and chemistry,” she highlights, recalling that her journey through this art began when her mother bought an encyclopedia on it and she literally devoured it. This was the moment when the flame of passion was ignited in our interviewee. “I had a feeling that I’d already studied all of it and that it made complete sense”, she notes, remembering that this was when she concluded her degree in engineering and began her career “in which I felt I wasn’t fulfilled and I didn’t think this was my path”, she states with certainty. And so, our interviewee decided to hire a coach to understand what she wanted to do with her life “especially because life is too short to stick to what doesn’t bring us any value and it was in this process that I realized that one of the things I wanted was to have my own business, something that caused a few doubts. What? Where? Normal questions, but which led me to the conclusion of what I was looking for, i.e. this was the path I wanted to be on, with my own schedule, run by me. I already felt I was helping so many change their life through Feng Shui at a personal level, so why not do the same for myself?”. These were the questions Sofia Lobo Cera was asking herself at the time, when she kickstarted her business in 2009, with great results. “These 11 years have been filled with achievements and, naturally, I’m truly pleased to know I’m contributing by helping other people improve their lives through Feng Shui, and it’s important to note that I never stopped studying. We need to understand that Feng Shui is an immense world with abundant information and detail. People think this art is something that relates to decorating alone or that it’s general stuff. That is not the case at all. Feng Shui is much more than this, because when we study energy, we work with precision and that is what leads to a difference in results in a person’s life or a company”.
And is there still some stigma associated with the values of Feng Shui, or lack of knowledge of these? Sofia is adamant that the current panorama is quite positive when compared with the end of the 1990’s, for instance. And what is the level of acceptance today? “In Portugal, it is more developed and more readily accepted, but it’s far from the more developed countries. If we go to the UK, for instance, the major corporations, the people who hold any power, who are successful, well-off and highly regarded all have a Feng Shui consultant and always invest in learning more about the subject”, acknowledges Sofia Lobo Cera, recognizing that in Portugal there is still a long road ahead, “especially at corporate level”, a reality that can be changed faster with the new wave of entrepreneurs that is making its way in.
“I believe this reality may be a lever, namely because they are more aware of these practices, i.e. the importance of the workers’ well-being, a balanced working space, as they understand that well-being and harmony leads to greater productivity, with evident results in terms of turnover and consolidation of profits”, she states.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is currently experiencing a new “normal” that led to a series of changes in everybody’s lives. But how did this new reality change the panorama? According to our interviewee, “people have started to wake up and, while not talking about health issues, of course, I can see that this pandemic has helped people stop and think about where they want to go, what they want from life. People have become much more available and open to accepting alternatives to save their companies and also improve their personal lives. When someone works from home, they realize just how important their home is in influencing their mood, well-being and comfort. This has opened up a huge window, especially for corporate customers – I can claim to have had an increased workload because people and companies are starting to become aware of these factors, where Feng Shui plays an essential role”.
Our interviewee admits she likes to lead and enjoys addressing all the challenges she sets on herself or those that are set by others. “A woman of all trades” is a moniker that suits Sofia Lobo Cera well. She wrote the book “Change your Home Enrich your Life” and set up the online project “Organized Home Balanced Life”. “I love challenges and overcoming them. Striving towards excellence and helping more lives, corporate or personal. I want people to have a better life on all levels”, she states, certain of her words.
What is there left to reach? Quite honestly, Sofia Lobo Cera admits she would like the setting to change with regard to construction and architecture, especially the first. “People should be more aware of Feng Shui and of building or designing homes with good Feng Shui. We need to assimilate and understand that when we design a space with good energy, this will make an outstanding difference in society and we will be able to shift the paradigm”, she assures us. Sofia began her professional studies at the National School of Feng Shui in Portugal and obtained her first professional certificate in 2010; she reminds us she plays this role on a daily basis: “I try to bring people over to this subject and fortunately, I’ve seen a few changes, I see houses being designed with these concerns in mind, but we need to keep going, especially when it comes to companies from the ground up, where I don’t see many with this type of awareness or concern”.
Your business’s health and balance, your workers’ and clients’ well-being and, with all of this, a greater potential for consolidation, both in terms of growth and financially, while also gaining renown from those outside and inside the company
in Publico Newspaper - Pontos de Vista Magazine published on October 2020
Summer is over. The days are shorter, the mornings and nights cooler and the first rain can be felt. No more outdoor strolls, going to the beach, dining out on the terrace with the sun on our skin. Come Autumn, we begin our indoor routines and this year, even more so. With a pandemic that insists on not leaving us alone and the COVID-19 numbers consistently on the rise, not just in Portugal but worldwide too, our social life will continue to be indoors. And that being the case, what can we do to feel more comfortable, safer and happier and protected inside our four walls?
Did you know that this centuries-old Chinese art can help save your life? That a home with Feng Shui is much more protected against the threats the world is facing? At a time when Autumn is here and the pandemic, which insists on rearing its ugly head, call us into our home, make note of a few tips that will bring a positive energy to your home. So that you may feel safer, more comfortable and… happier!
NOVA GENTE magazine asked Sofia Lobo Cera for help, a professional Feng Shui consultant who starts by explaining that this is “a centuries-old Chinese art that studies the form and effects of how energy flows through a given space”. “All the air that circulates between walls, the wind knocking at the window, the light that seeps in, the materials that make up a space, the way people move around in the house/office, how they lay it out and decorate it, the outside… all of that is studied in Feng Shui, for the occupants’ well-being and more.”
What can Feng Shui do for our homes/lives? “I dare say that it can “save” our lives. For instance, a house with good Feng Shui will be much better protected from the threats the world is facing, whether in terms of health, finances, career or expectations, than a home that isn’t as positive,” says the expert, adding that with the arrival of a new season, it’s essential that we make adjustments and amendments to our home: “Energy is cyclical and we should go along with it to reap the best results for our lives. If we observe the sun, we note that it rises and sets at different times and in different places all the time. In the same way, the wind doesn’t always blow in the same direction and with the same intensity. We need to adapt to the energy of the seasons and the years. Oftentimes, these are minor adjustments for us to feel well and happier. If we sow a plant out of season, we won’t reap what we’re supposed to.”
And don’t be fooled into thinking this art is just about moving items around and redecorating. “It’s much more than that. The great knowledge of Feng Shui is identifying how energy flows in a space so we can either stimulate it or else correct it when there are issues. Whenever I hear my clients telling me about their pathologies, it’s always represented by the flow of energy in the space in question. Recently, I consulted on a family whose biggest problem was that one of the members of the household was anorexic. I knew straight away what the problem was and probably where it stemmed from. I analyzed the space and indeed, that was the problem. In many such cases, or of other types, when the space allows it, we can solve or significantly improve the problem”, Sofia Lobo Cera assures us. She recalls another episode: “I remember a case, many years ago, when a four-storey house “supposedly” represented a substantially favourable energy flow. However, that family, in addition to the huge relationship issues between the various members, was on the verge of financial ruin.
When I went to see them, besides terrible disorder, the house was so jam-packed that I couldn’t take a step without bumping into something. One of the first recommendations I made was to reestablish order and organization. In less than a year, the fighting had stopped, both had been promoted and the financial problems came to a halt.”
For this, and for so many other reasons, the Feng Shui consultant cautions: “It is essential, not to mention urgent, that people become aware of how their homes and workplaces (and their cars, too) influence their lives. Fortunately, the pandemic and the fact that we were in lockdown means that a lot of people gained this awareness. All of a sudden, everyone needs to fell good in their homes, protected, healthy – from a physical and emotional standpoint – and with their jobs guaranteed.
- Reorganize your kitchen, check for any broken china and recycle it. In Feng Shui, broken items don’t carry good energy.
- “Organize you closets, commodes (…). Check for any shoes, belts, purses and knickknacks that make no sense hanging on to”
Organize your paperwork at home, keep what you really need and recycle the rest. You’ll be amazed by the amount of bills, papers and documents you’ve kept over the years and which have taken up space that could be used for useful things that end up “hidden” in the oddest places.
- “Organize you closets, commodes, cabinets and be delighted by the memories so many old items bring you, invading your memory… and even the surprise when you realize that they now fit you so much better.
- Declutter the cabinet in the hallway that oftentimes serves as a depository for ATM tickets, supermarket receipts, advertising leaflets, storage for necklaces, batteries, bags and what not. Remember that the hallway and your front door are where almost everything begins.
- Since you’ve got your hands on your computer, tablet and/or phone, delete any messages, files and folders that occupy virtual space. Store on your computer all the necessary folders and files. Know that these technologies are associated with our day-to-day communication and the businesses that you intend to flow well.
- Organize your holiday pictures and print out one or two to frame and place somewhere where it can be seen. Believe me, it will feel incredibly good to remember good times.
- And speaking of good times, scan your children’s drawings, keep only a few that you can even frame, making them part of the contemporary art collection around the house. After all, it’s not imaginable to store ten school years of all our children at home!
- Decide which books you won’t be reading again. You can donate them to a library or institution, instead of having them take up useful space on your shelves.
- And what about that faucet that is constantly leaking? Or the blinds that won’t shut properly, the door that insists on squeaking or the drain that is clogged? It’s time to make the most of this time the universe has given us to fix all this. And do you know why? Leaking faucets represent loss of money and lack of vitality. Broken blinds mess with our (in)definition of goals and aims. Doors that don’t work properly affect any incoming opportunities, as they won’t come if we don’t have the capacity to welcome them. Clogged drains and pipes mean that life isn’t flowing and there are blockages. If you want your life to move forward, get your house running effectively.
- Go through your toolbox. When was the last time you did it? Are there items that need replacing and others missing, that you need to replace? Take care of it.
- Do you have any obsolete chargers roaming around? Small devices that are no longer in use, wires and pieces that are worthless? Get everyone in the house on the hunt for this type of “useless items” and send them along to their final destination.
- Lastly, we deal with the women’s belongings. Check for shoes, belts, purses and knickknacks there is not point holding on to, or fixing, and gain space in your drawers and closets.
in Nova Gente Magazine published on October 2020
The tale of how I bought my current home and sold my old one is public knowledge. For those who don’t know it yet, in summary, before buying this home I visited many others. Yes, many. For some, this may seem over-the-top, and perhaps it is, but this happened because I’m fully aware of how much a home influences us and the huge power it can have on our lives.
And now you ask me: “But why so many, Sofia?”
Well, first of all, I need to explain that just as the saying goes, “there’s a nut for every bolt” - this rings true for homes. In fact, the home I bought was the first one I visited, but for other reasons that aren’t called for here, I felt I should look for another. But there you have it – that would be my home. And now I can see why, and I love it.
In addition to representing our life in full, our home speaks for us and as mentioned above, it has the capacity to influence us, and we influence it too. It’s as though its energy echoes ours, we find each other and when we do, our energies (waves) are propagated with the same vibration. It’s as though the timeline were the same and therefore homes always turn up at the right time, whether through need or other circumstances. That is why we need to keep looking until we find the one that will become our home. And this is one of the points where Feng Shui can help, so we can make a quicker selection, after having defined the type of home we want, where we want it and the characteristics we’d like.
Those who follow this subject know that houses must possess certain traits, for instance, the outside should be pretty and balanced, the layout should be square or rectangular shaped, the locations of the bathrooms and so many other “rules” we’ve heard of. Yet we shouldn’t overlook a home that has a hospital nearby, for instance, has an irregular shape or even a bathroom at the centre. It seems controversial, doesn’t it? I believe it does, but it’s really not. When we get into professional Feng Shui, namely at an advanced level, where I am now, we know that the most important feature in a space is the way in which energy flows inside it and its surroundings. And there are numerous homes with hospitals, cemeteries or junctions nearby, sometimes with irregular layouts, and yet which have excellent Feng Shui, while there are others in graceful areas, where everything seems to be in harmony, yet inside people are experiencing times of great chaos and sadness. Do you know any such cases? I do! And what is going on that these homes offer such happy lives when the so-called rules we know about are broken? This is because not everything around a home will influence it and not everything missing stops showing its effects. We need knowledge to analyze this and recommend a given space or not to certain inhabitants. That is why it is fundamental to analyze a property before deciding whether to buy it or not. I’ve had so many people reach out to me after buying a beautiful house in a stunning location and whose lives started to fall apart after they moved without them knowing why, as they took care to select a house with a rectangular layout, without any bathrooms at the centre, pretty and balanced on the outside. The problem here is they did take care with that, but they didn’t take care with the most important part of all – hiring a good professional before buying to know if the house did indeed have good Feng Shui and, if not, how it could be improved. And even to know whether the area they were planning on moving to was favourable at the time or if it would be preferable to wait “another week” (here I’m referring to calculating Directions, Date Selection and BaZi).
When moving home, there are a series of details you must take into account and it’s perfectly natural that someone who isn’t a qualified professional, specializing in this field, wouldn’t know about them.
Many people have a vague idea of Feng Shui’s potential and how it can help them. Plenty do not know, however, that to sell their current home quickly, the place where to hang the “For Sale” sign and when the house goes on the market make a huge difference. Some also think that Feng Shui is about decorating. A space’s decor will obviously affect its energy and so it should be decorated bearing in mind the energy characteristics and the taste of those who will live inside it, as it’s fundamental for those who live in a place feel comfortable and have their identity present. Yet these are different areas that can work together.
In practice, houses are built using lots, with simple designs that cut back on infrastructure costs and not sun exposure, winds, framing within the surroundings, among others.
So, next time you move home, remember to start the process “with the project and not the roof” so that you avoid any unpleasant surprises later on. It’s up to Feng Shui to overcome the “squareness” and add balance, good energy, well-being, comfort, that welcome feeling and cosiness.
Although homes are already “meant to be ours”, the path we take to get to them depends on us and our choices alone.
I wish you good vibes
in Vento e Água Magazine published on March 2020
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