Karen Rauch Carter, a famous Feng Shui consultant, offers the following tips for survivors of crime to feel more in control, to rid their homes of negative energy or “chi” and to establish a sense of safety.

In addition to being an internationally recognized Feng Shui expert, Karen was present during a bank robbery that shook her own feeling of safety. When she feels anxious about going to the bank or questions her safety, Karen tries to focus on the present asking herself, “Am I safe right now?” She believes this practice helps to stay focused on the present, since that can be controlled to some degree.

Here are some of her recommendations:

Find a Strong Bed Location — Make sure your bed is in a powerful position with a headboard. If your bed doesn’t have a headboard, tack a beach towel up or something else that could resemble a headboard. The bed should be against a solid wall with no doors or windows. The most important Feng Shui element here, according to Karen, is to make sure the door is not aligned with the foot of the bed.

Add Symbols of Protection — The traditional Feng Shui symbols of protection are Foo Dogs, and they are typically set outside the front door, facing away from the house. If you don’t have Foo Dogs, a toy soldier or small lion in a plant by your front door, facing away from the house, will work. Use something that is a symbol of protection for you.

Be Aware of Where You Sit — Karen suggests that you think about the strongest part of the room when you enter it and try to sit there. Your back should be against the wall with no windows or door behind you. If you do have a door behind you, position a mirror in front of you so that you can see what comes in and out of your room.

Free Your Energy by Forgiving — While this is an incredibly difficult thing to do after surviving a violent crime, harboring anger can eat away at your energy and spirit. Karen suggests writing a letter, praying, or doing something that will help you to forgive. Letting go often feels like a weight has been lifted and your energy can become positive again.

Start a Helpful People Box — A small silver box (it can just be silver in color), preferably with a red lining, should be positioned in the front right corner of your home. Your helpful people box should identify the people you need help from and what they can do to help you. Similar to “the power of positive thinking” or “manifesting your destiny”, a helpful people box means you are focusing on a putting energy into connecting with positive, helpful people.

If you have had a crime take place in your home or if you feel that your home carries negative, dark energy, Karen suggests doing the following clearing ritual.

You need: 1 coffee mug that you are willing to throw away, a fire-safe place to sit the mug, some Epsom salts, an unopened bottle of high-alcohol-content alcohol, and a match.

• Place the coffee mug on a brick, the fireplace hearth, or even place it in a shallow pan of water. (We’re doing these things for fire-safety.)
• Fill your palm with the salt and place the salt in the mug (three times).
• Open the alcohol (Karen prefers Bacardi 151, but use whatever alcohol you can find — sometimes regular rubbing alcohol does not have a high enough percentage of alcohol to burn is why Bacardi is suggested.) and pour in just enough to cover the salt.
• Light a match and drop it in the mixture.
• While the mixture is lit, visualize any negative, sluggish or inappropriate energies for you going into the fire and either being transformed into positive energy, or simply being taken away. You can add any mantra, mudra or prayer that you feel is necessary.
• When the salt burns out, let it cool a bit and then flush it down the toilet or simply throw the entire mug in the trash outside of the home.

To learn more about Feng Shui, Visit Karen Rauch Carter’s Web site at www.fengshuipalace.com or reference her national best-selling book, “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life.”