Concord Journal
July 3rd, 2003

Feng Shui: Anywhere can feel like home
BY SANDRA BUTLER
SECIAL TO THE JOURNAL

     In late winter, Middlesex School senior Mackenzie Ferguson asked Mary Roberts of Feng Shui Solutions in Carlisle to help with her independent study in interior design and Feng Shui.
      "Feng Shui can improve sleep, promote calmness, and enhance relationships with friends and teachers. Former clients had experienced these results, so I was fascinated and excited to work with Mackenzie for an extended period of time - once a week for two months - to see how Feng Shui would benefit her," said Roberts, a teacher of 30 years and graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui in San Diego.
      In their first meeting, Roberts presented the three foundational principles of Feng Shui: 1. Everything is alive. 2. Everything is connected. 3. Everything is constantly changing. Because our possessions are alive with invisible energy called "Ch'i" and we are connected to our possessions, the first step in Feng Shui is cleaning clutter.
      Clutter is associated with stagnant energy, which then creates stagnant energy in those around the clutter, making it difficult to motivate and finish projects or even start them. As Mackenzie discovered, in Feng Shui your environment is talking to you, so listen to what is saying and act. "The wall behind my bed was covered with brightly colored pictures of me and my friends at parties and dances. They were sending active messages to me while I was trying to sleep. The messages were overwhelming and I hadn't slept well in over six months," said Mackenzie. This was the first area the two focused on. "I gave Mackenzie the knowledge and tools and she did the work," said Roberts. Mackenzie removed the photos from her wall keeping the third of them she really loved and placed them in another place in her room.
      "Now the wall is calmer; fewer photos, not as many colors, and more still shots so there's not as much action," she said. Then Mackenzie learned that her bed placement left her vulnerable in her sleep because she was sleeping with her back to the door. "I moved my bed to the command position where I could see the door to my room but not be in line with it. That night I slept for 13 hours and have slept soundly ever since," she said. Roberts has seen results like Mackenzie's with many of her clients and her own life. She changed careers after having a Feng Shui appointment in her Carlisle home.
      "After making changes in my home, energy blockages within me disappeared. I was energized with a fresh outlook that I could live to my highest potential," said Roberts. She earned a degree in Essential Feng Shui from the Western School of Feng Shui in San Diego, Calif., and is currently working on completing a degree in Black Hat Feng Shui at the Boston School of Feng Shui in Arlington.
      Roberts is now working on a concept called "Dorm Ch'i." She has a son who just graduated from CCHS and is looking to prepare him and other high school grads for an easy transition to college. Dorm Ch'i will educate students on how to maximize their performance in college, both academically and athletically, by working with their bedrooms at home and planning what to bring to their dorm rooms. Dorm Ch'i will provide Feng Shui knowledge and cures to help the students set up their room to support them in their new identity at college although most dorm rooms are too small to allow the luxury of moving furniture around, Roberts offers cures for unavoidable places of negative energy.
      Mackenzie's dorm room had two sharp edges created by the closet, one of which was pointing at Mackenzie while she slept, sending negative energy towards her.
"There are several ways to cure sharp edges, which are found in most homes and offices," said Roberts. "The idea is to avoid sharp angles and straight lines. Feng Shui prefers curves, so energy can meander in an unobstructed and relaxed fashion, which provides serenity for the occupants. Student bed and dorm rooms that embody Feng Shui principles give young people a feeling of comfort and safety and enable them to study with a clear and focused mind,: said Roberts. Before Feng Shui, Mackenzie studied until 2 or 3 a.m. after Feng Shui, she could not work beyond 1 a.m. She studied 1 to 2 hours less each day, and her grades stayed the same. I could focus better in my room, and I was less stressed about my grades." Roberts has also seen Feng Shui reduce substance use among teens. She has attended many presentations in Concord regarding teenagers and substance abuse, especially the relationship between stress levels and substance use. Feneg Shui creates positive energy in a room, which creates a positive energy for the occupant, reducing stress levels and often even substance use.
      "Some of my colleagues have documented cases of decreased substance use among teenagers who have used Feng Shui In their living space. Life today holds many challenges for teenagers. If I can help make the road from adolescence to adulthood smoother for them, then I will have made a contribution," she said. The best way to learn about Feng Shui is to do it and experience the results for yourself. As a result from her independent study, Mackenzie has her own definition of the subject.
      "Feng Shui adds comfort to my room. It is a way to organize myself, my room, and the work I have to do. Feng Shui also provides a fun way of decorating. I never used to think about where I placed posters and photos; I just put them where they fit. Now I Know where to place certain colors and themes so they can improve my life," said Mackenzie.
      To learn more about Feng Shui, Roberts recommends "Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life" by Karen Carter, "The Western Guide to Feng Shui" by Terah Kathryn Collins, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" by Karen Kingston, and "Feng Shui for Children's Spaces" by Nancilee Wydra. Also, to learn more about Dorm Ch'i, you can contact Roberts at 617-653-0370 or e-mail msr1119@aol.com. Dorm Ch'i classes will be held in Concord and Carlisle this summer.

Sandra Butler of Paul Revere Road. A 2001 CCHS graduate, Sandra will enter her junior at Colgate University this fall. She plans to Feng Shui her dorm room next semester.