DORÉ

I serendipitously met Los Angeles-based Meghan Wallace James just over a year ago. She was simultaneously starting up her Feng Shui business, while navigating a separation and settling into a new Hollywood nest with her two boys. We swapped stories of change, renewal and transformation, while also playing fashion bingo upon the realization that we both were alum of that world.

Several months later, when I moved into my current sweet spot with my new(ish) love, Meghan – in her unique counterpoint of sexy and sassy – helped us activate our space by seamlessly taking into consideration our limitations, in our case, spatial, geographical and environmental (hello Mexican jungle!).

So, what is a consultation like? For me, it was an entertaining and deep journey that has brought about positive changes in my relationship and my livelihood, while also helping us find an actionable way to create flow in our house and beyond. Not only that, Meghan remains enthusiastically available for troubleshooting and to provide new life hacks where needed.

So whether you’re calling in a lover, financial abundance or just looking to create a space that brings more joy, get ready for an expansive experience that will meet you wherever you are – including on site or remotely – with a takeaway that is both energetically and aesthetically charged.

Alison: Tell us about Feng Shui. Is it a practice? A modality? A way of life?

Meghan: Yes to all. Feng Shui is an ancient scientific art form, which originated in China nearly five thousand years ago, as a way to simultaneously honor ancestors and bring blessings to the living family. Over time, it has assumed a myriad of varietals. Today, some imagine Feng Shui as a secret tool for the rich and famous, while others view it as a tacky manifestation hack covered in red ribbons and sun-catcher crystals. As a purist with romantic tendencies, I honor Feng Shui as a practice that enables massive personal growth, with the delightful byproduct of a beautiful home.

Inner and outer growth are two halves of the same circle. Feng Shui encapsulates and integrates these two sides into a cycle of refinement: as you elevate your material world, you expand your self worth, which then inspires greater desire. To offer a visual, Feng Shui is an energetic ouroboros; ever renewing.

When or how did this become your career path?

I discovered Feng Shui while renovating an old home in the hills of Los Angeles. I asked for some sort of cosmic roadmap, for what should go where and why, when surprise – Feng Shui fell into my lap. Reading my first book on the topic was a life altering experience. I was ridiculously excited, for suddenly my “disjointed” career path felt aligned. The engineer in me cherishes efficiency, whereas the fashion designer in me favors form over function. Order and style receive equal seats at the proverbial Feng Shui Table. The left and right brain are united.

All was right with my world… until it wasn’t. As my renovation came to a close, so did my marriage. Faced with building a new life as a single mother of two baby boys, I used Feng Shui as part coping mechanism / part Universal Game – a way to shine a light on the dark. During this transient phase of life, my sons and I bopped around to three homes in three years. In each new nest, I would “activate” our home using my emerging modality. I quickly discovered that an activated home has a poignant flavor; I would call in different career opportunities, different lovers, different tastes. I was fascinated and hooked. I became a true believer in the power of Feng Shui, for it provided a way to fast track authenticity. I was keen to experiment with others, and thankfully, my friends were most willing.

When my pals began to call in business investments, marriage proposals, new jobs, new homes – heck, even better sex and style – I knew it was time to share the work. I was simultaneously motivated to demonstrate the power of following your passion to my sons.

How has Feng Shui changed your life? How have you seen it change the lives of others?

Feng Shui is not about a Pinterest-worthy home, it is about a life in FLOW. Two primary tenants of this science include harmony and balance, which lend themselves to engaging interiors, yet really get the ball rolling with a life that works for you, as opposed to against you. Through Feng Shui, a transmission occurs that places you in an ongoing dialogue with your home, so in essence it becomes a living mood board. Changes within your home permeate and expand outside of your home. The metaphorical correlations become undeniable.

Feng Shui Enables Growth:
– Room to Breathe
– Space to Feel
– Presence
– Radical Accountability
– Boundaries
– Honed Intuition / Increased Clarity
– An Infusion of Sensual Energy
– More Abundance (Health, Wealth, Love)
– Conscious Consumerism

How does one get started incorporating Feng Shui into one’s life? Are there any do’s and don’ts?

Getting started with Feng Shui is as easy as declaring your intent for greater ease, your intent for greater access to energy. When you are tired, sluggish, stagnant – this is the very time to embrace Feng Shui.

You need to get the energy into your home, and then circulate it effortlessly.

Feng Shui in Five Easy Steps:
1. Design a welcoming yet safe entrance – and actually use it. Everything flows through and from your front door in Feng Shui… ‘tis the mouth that feeds the home, so to speak.
2. Create room for more – more leisure, more freedom, more money in the bank – via a solid declutter. Abundance adores a clean perch to land upon. Think open floor space, clear surfaces, empty drawers, empty hangers…
3. Consider mirror placement, for mirrors ‘double’ what they reflect. Are you doubling a beautiful view – or your toilet?
4. Place your bed and desk in a “Power Position” – meaning against a solid wall, with a nice view of the entrance, yet not in line with the doorway. Envision a CEO in her office.
5. Add life! Host friends and family, procure local produce and adopt some epic houseplants.

Many people think of Feng Shui as being something that is related to improving a home or office environment, it’s often seen as interior design hacks with an Eastern influence, and often the “tips and tricks” don’t feel so fresh or particularly cool. Describe how the way you work differs.

My years in fashion reinforced the ethos: If you look good, you feel good. The same holds true for your home. It feels so darn good to take pride in your living space. There is an overwhelming metaphorical correlation between your optics and your experience.

The superstitious Feng Shui paraphernalia makes me feel silly as opposed to prosperous. However, elegant, honest material elements (bronze sculptures, glazed porcelain, hand-blown glass) and sophisticated color palettes excite my senses.

On a consultation, I walk throughout and around a client’s home (physically or virtually) and give them a hundred shifts that they could make, yet as we are coming to a close, I use my intuition to narrow the scope to five action items that will make the greatest impact. I receive clarity on exactly what to shift, and in what order, to maximize the flow we have been discussing. I tailor this through the lens of client goals, such as selling a home, launching a new business or conceiving a child.

At times these action items have a price tag attached, yet I will be confident that the investment will absolutely pay itself forward. At other times, these action items require major elbow grease, yet I will feel assured that the hard work will open up much mental and physical space. I aim for my clients to look back upon their investments with fondness, for they pre-paved such a lovely turn of events.

The energetics of romance have become a specialty of mine. I have noticed that far too many homes are lacking sensuality. It is hard to call in sex, love and/or partnership without a strong sensual imprint in place. To share lessons learned on a broader scale, I developed a foray into online learning, entitled SEX ED FOR ADULTS. SEX ED FOR ADULTS is a cheeky yet grounded five module e-class that deep dives into the intersection of Feng Shui and Tantra on the homefront. I cannot wait to hear about the results of all of these bedroom “activations.”

Tell us a bit more about what it’s like to work with you.

To quote my man Joseph Campbell, “If you are falling… dive.” Folks do not work with me by coincidence; they have already started their work and I am there to partner with them to take it deeper. Feng Shui is medicine for the stickiest moments in life. You would not feel stuck if you were not about to leap into a new realm. I live to accompany folks on these leaps, having witnessed enough to hold the unwavering confidence for exponential growth and self discovery.

My clients complete a comprehensive intake form, which allows me to tailor the scope of work. Each and every consultation is unique. At times I advise a massive purge – we empty entire rooms. Other times I place material elements, or suggest a change of color. I work with wardrobe quite a bit as well. Things get archetypal quickly. It is so much fun.

I would say that your approach is both holistic and intuitive. Do you incorporate other modalities into your work?

As a seeker, I am constantly infusing my work with inspirations, from the realms of design, metaphysics and motherhood. Intuition plays a major role as well.

Share some of your influences?

The great creative storytellers of our world influence me on a guttural level (Joseph Campbell, Coco Chanel, Malick Sidibé, Leonard Koren, Beyoncé – just to name a few obsessions). My language and my world view is one of metaphor. Finding that book, song or vintage garment that speaks to a very moment stops me in my tracks. I aim to modernize Feng Shui with a heavy infusion of zeitgeist. I aim to consume as much culture as possible to keep my modality well fed and forward thinking. There is constant editing and evolution.

As a women, a single mother and an entrepreneur, how do you use Feng Shui in your daily life?

The high level poetry is that Feng Shui has become the rhythm to which I move through the world. It is a medley of speaking my truth, upholding boundaries, fostering wild freedom, and adhering to natural cycles of renewal. I feel guided and held by this art form.

The concrete logistics are that my home is meticulously organized (small children be damned!), I have daily anchors in terms of routines and rituals, as well as invisible systems that keep my household running smoothly.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start right now?

Well, first of all, I would say thank you for opening your mind to Feng Shui. If you are so inclined, I encourage you to promptly tackle the project in your home that has been silently pleading with you – calling out for your attention. Is it a messy closet? The junk drawer in your kitchen? A lingering leak? Honor your home by completing this task with zest, and in a state of calm gratitude. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by what comes next – perhaps the start of your next great adventure?