(ai weiwei pottery)

I’m obsessed with the idea of making pottery.  A few blocks from my house there’s a giant pottery-making place and I stop in with the dogs occasionally to stare at the pottery wheels and the hunks of clay and walls full of rainbow colored pastel glaze.  Every time I go, its all booked solid: every class booked, every membership to the place is sold… It’s like life wants me to dream about shaping clay rather than do it…!… but I will get in there soon…

I think I am obsessed about pottery because its literally the act of taking a block of raw material (potential) and, by adding energy (the spinning wheel, the ingenuity of deft hands), it becomes something beautiful.  It can be scored, striped, embellished, laquered, and then finished to a high shine in a giant oven that turns all the work and preparation into a finished product.

Really rewarding idea, you know? Taking a hunk of nothing and turning it into a gorgeous something.

Since I can’t get into the pottery classes yet, I will keep to my life-shaping activities like an art practice. There are all kinds of “live better” principles, you know.  I am sure there’s validity to each and every one, though I tend to gravitate toward larger ideas and ones that are actionable.  Sinking your hands into something, adding energy, shaping it… its the kind of “self-betterment” that is tangible and doable.

Let’s look at a few ways to turn the vast potential of life into something very practically empowering!

Here are 5 of my favorite ideas to shape life in a way that works for you.

1. Cause +  Effect are all of life.  This is a fundamental principle of Buddhism, as well as science.  For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  It’s the idea that all of life is not random.  You make causes and you experience the effects at some point.

To shift the flow from negative events to positive, keep going more good for yourself and for others no matter what is happening in your world. 

2. Use the somewhat mysterious power of your consciousness in a real way.  It’s been studied extensively: our intention (determination to act in a certain way) and out focus all day affects the physical world around us.  You can read lots of scientific studies of consciousness and its affect on the world HERE. They are a huge trip.

To use this concept practically, pause during the day and re-focus your energy on your mission. Even in the most hectic days if you can shift your focus directly onto your desired outcomes no matter how far life pulls you off course, you will keep affecting your world in a direct and positive way!

3. Time is something that you create to a great degree.  Time passes slowly for some and in a flash for others.  How are you using your time? You can shape time in ways that really work for you if you are willing to build a new habit.  THIS awesome video from Dr. Bruce Lipton will get you looking at time in a very practical but wildly exciting new way.

To shape time more right now, can you make a list for the day of everything to get done and sort of re-order it within a minute or two so that you can see it all happening.  If you do it all… what will you do for yourself that is motivating?  On extremely big days I book myself a non-cancellable appointment like a massage or spa night so I have a heck of a lot of motivation to get things done efficiently.  On a regular basis I do awesome things like great dinners or a break with friends  only when I finish what I need to do first!

4. Shape your physical  energy.  Your personal energy will either be flowing or stagnant.  Your personal energy can be felt.  Its that magic juju you have when you walk into a room and light things up.  You know what I mean. Its that light and greatness of life.  The more your energy flows witin you, the more your life will flow on the outside in day to day events.

Whatever is tanking your energy (for me, recently, I needed extra iron supplements, for instance) is the thing to fix.  If you need more protein, vitamins, exercise, less caffeine, sugar, etc…  We all have a good idea of how we are tanking our energy but, yet, once we feel bad its harder to reverse the cycle.  Stop right nopw and start in a new direction… a vibrant, glowing direction!

5.  Shape the way energy flows through your life!  That’s what feng shui is: the way that life-animating energy flows through our space and life.  The more that you feel inspired, easy-moving, unimpeded and alive, the better.

Shape the way energy flows through your life.  Remove big piles of junk.  Organize your desk. Take out the trash.  Open windows.  Get rid of extra furniture.  The blog has at least 5000 tips to inspire you (!) and then there’s the DIY feng shui e-guide- Feng Shui 101- that you can download here if you want to refine your energy-shaping at home even more.

There are no victims.  This is all about being present, being the creator of your universe and taking what you have that you don’t want and turning it- very directly and in real ways- into your greatness.

xoxo Dana

P.S.: The Love Camp is coming (!!!) to transform life with so much more love! It’s the ultimate in Feng Shui to multiply your manifesting magic.

The FREE 3-Video series kicks things off right HERE!!! It’s packed with Feng Shui to help you create even more openness, magnetism and more LOVE in awesome, tangible ways!

This hour of Feng Shui videos for love starts soon and it’s only up for 21 days a year…so if you’re ready for a lighter, brighter, more love-filled life, you won’t want to miss it! xoxo!!!