By guest writer Lynda Lee Abdo.OK, so you’ve moved into a new home, or you’ve been at your place for a while and you’re feeling tired, depressed, or confused. You want to renew your spirits, and something feels off, but you’re not sure what it might be. Should you hire a Feng Shui consultant or a space-clearer? Here are a few guidelines to help you understand the differences between these two practices and what may help...Traditional Eastern Feng Shui observes how chi (life energy) flows in the exterior environment, and how it influences the energy of your home. Eastern Feng Shui consultants analyze how the Sun, Moon, cosmic cycles, magnetic fields, and landforms influence chi and how this affects buildings and thusly-- human vitality. Space-clearing works primarily to change the emotional energy of your home, and this is a very important distinction. Sometimes we may feel the negative feelings of others, or sense an unwelcome presence, and are not sure how to neutralize this uncomfortable experience. The burning of sage is a common solution to help alleviate negative feelings. A traditional Feng Shui consultant, however, will adjust the environmental energy through the five-element system, a practice akin to Chinese traditional medicine and acupuncture. Western Feng Shui practitioners use a transcendental method to focus on manifesting one’s desires, and approaches these problems with a version of positive thinking. Our physical world affects our emotional state, and vice versa, and there is always an overlap of influences between these two. To clear and balance a house thoroughly, all aspects need to be looked at.The techniques used by Eastern Feng Shui practitioners include the compass and the 5-elements: (i.e. water, wood, fire, earth and metal). Many Feng Shui consultants are also versed in methods to clear what is known as “hungry ghosts.” Space-clearing techniques commonly burn aromatics such as incense, sage, resins, or fragrant woods to neutralize negative energy, and lift the vibration of a home. The Catholic church, for example, frequently uses frankincense and myrrh to purify a sacred space. White sage is a popular herb traditionally used by Native Americans to cleanse and protect their homes. White sage works well, and many people of all cultures have adopted this practice routinely. Palo Santo or “holy wood” is commonly used by South Americans to cleanse and ground energy, and provide a pleasant uplifting scent that raises one’s vibration and can also prepare one for meditation. Burning tree resins or Palo Santo are used to repel insects as much as ghosts. The popular burning of sacred herbs or “smudging” works effectively in many instances, but cannot relieve the unbalanced energy that is created from the structural forms of a house via Feng Shui.So how do you know if you need a space-clearing or a Feng Shui audit, and what are the clues? Maybe a ghost has been attracted to your home or a family member, (been to any funerals lately?) Is there is a persistent sense of gloom or doom in the home, sadness or despondency; or maybe you’re having trouble sleeping? Is one of your children having recurrent nightmares, or is acting unusually fearful? -- then you might have a ghost.Invisible entities are not all scary, sometimes they are just wounded and lonely souls who don’t know how to ascend and need our prayers, or a proper burial. Depressing energy in in general can also be your own negative or fearful feelings that are out of control. Your vibrations (emotional energy) will affect and be registered by the things around you. Everything is some form of energy and there are recording mechanisms in many different types of materials. Don’t forget that we (humans) know how to record complex sounds/music on a mere piece of plastic tape or disc. Psychics good at psychometry can read you from just handling your keys. It is only natural to acknowledge that your furniture and home also pick up (and record) energy vibrations from you. Crystals do this easily as they are semi-conductors, and are used for a variety of healing modalities.Other factors that may be influencing our feelings are low sound vibrations under 20 Hz that are called infrasound. These vibrations can make us feel anxious. 20 Hz. is below what normal human ears can hear, and gives us a spooky feeling. Some sub-woofer speakers can generate these low sound waves. An overload of positive ions in the air also affects our mood negatively, such as being around too much electronic equipment. We can easily feel overworked, drained, or cranky. Old or antique furniture that we have negative associations with can drain our energy at a subconscious level. Ask yourself, “Do you like everything that is in your home? If you own items that you have mixed feelings about, maybe it’s time to give them away? Ideally everything you own should make you feel good in some way.Feng Shui tends to address more personal issues such as having problems with money. How are your finances?  Is money having trouble coming in, or are expenses too high? Are you working very hard, but feel that your career is blocked in some way? Certain houses can have a powerful effect positively or negatively in regard to career. How are your relationships faring? Is there a lot of fighting, disagreements, or do relationships and friendships come easily? How is your health? Are you vital and full of energy, or are you having chronic health issues? The Feng Shui of a house can have a powerful effect on these areas of your life for better or worse; and the proper energetic balancing of a home does not have to be expensive or difficult, and can bring long term benefits.How do you keep the interior of your home? Is it organized or cluttered? Clutter in a house encourages a “yin” environment that can attract negative experiences. When things pile up in your home, chi stagnates and moves more slowly becoming less nourishing, much like clogged arteries. Clutter encourages mold, dust, and dirt, and before you know it, you are feeling exhausted by an environment that you have created! In nature, a yin environment breaks things down to recycle them into more useful materials. It is this kind of environment that attracts fungus, bacteria, insects, and vermin; and on the invisible level -- ghosts and elementals. Clutter is usually dealt with by a Feng Shui consultant, but your house should always be physically cleaned first for best results even before smudging. Spring cleaning is often a great way to naturally improve the energy in your home even when you are not having any major issues.The burning of sacred herbs is generally a less expensive way of correcting your home, but if a smudging ceremony has not improved your situation, you may then wish to consult a professional Feng Shui advisor. If you are experiencing more than emotional lows, these other issues can often be resolved with a Feng Shui audit. Many consultants are familiar in both lifting heavy emotional energy and balancing the environmental energy. A good Feng Shui adjustment should last one year or longer. Smudging lasts about 3 months (or less) and often needs to be repeated.In short, smudging works well for treating a new home, neutralizing arguments, or elevating vague feelings of fear or anxiety. Feng Shui is utilized more for career, money issues, and relationship problems; and can also help some stubborn health issues, that doctors may have difficulty in treating successfully.So if you have a ghost, a troubled teen, or a depressed tenant…you may need to call a space-clearer, (also known these days as a ghost-buster!) If you are having problems like accidents, illness, relationship challenges, or financial lack, it may not be a ghost at all, but the electro-magnetic balance of the home instead that needs to be adjusted!For more information on how Feng Shui can help you, please visit my website at: www.fengshui2bliss.com © 2016 Lynda lee Abdo