Why Your Bedroom Is Ruining Your Sleep and Hormones (Feng Shui Expert Explains) | Marie Diamond

What if feeling sick or disconnected or off or foggy-headed isn't just the traditional midlife symptoms? It's not lack of hormones possibly, or supplements, or something that we ourselves are doing health-wise. What if it has to do with our environment, how we're living, in the rooms that we're working in, all of our space, even in our car when we're driving? And what if we could make some simple tweaks that make a big difference on our health, our mood, our abundance, all of it. Today, I can't wait to dive into this conversation. I have been fascinated by feng shui for many, many years, even though I've never understood it. And I feel that there's this big confusion around it. People either throw it into this big woo-woo category that, you know, no, I don't want to go there, it's too woo-woo, or they don't understand it, or some people actually swear they feel a difference when they apply principles. I know me myself, I've shared before, I am one of those very highly sensitive people where I really can feel the energy in a certain environment, even on someone's lawn, the way that landscaping is. I can feel a difference. I tend to realize that some people do feel that, some people don't, but on a level that maybe we don't quite understand, it is affecting us. So today I can't wait to dive into this conversation. I've got Marie Diamond on. She is the go-to expert when it comes to feng shui. I've learned so much just even looking at her Instagram. So we've got lots of questions today. Thank you so much Thank you so much, Natalie Jill.

So lovely to be here with your community.

So I have so many questions, but I'm just gonna, I'm gonna dive right in and not sure where this is gonna take us, but can you help understand first, just however best you can explain it, what is Feng Shui? What is it?

Well, Feng Shui literally means wind and water. And so it actually is an energy system that has been around for thousands of years in the Asian communities. It's kind of originated from China. And it spread through Asia. And it's something that in Asian community, they definitely are very connected with. And it's only since the 1990s that that information kind of trickled into the Western world. Now, Feng Shui, like I said, is an energy system. So you can compare it with like when people do acupuncture for the body, or they do movements of Tai Chi and Qigong, to really uplevel their, their energy and their Health. And it's actually based on the same principles, but this time not for the physical body, but for the body around our body. And that is our home. So it uses the same principles. And I always say, like you just shared, that you're hyper— not hyper, but high sensitive. And so that you literally feel like in certain places that has good energy or not good energy. I do feel most people have that experience when they come somewhere and they're like, whoa, I don't really like it that much. But they don't have an idea why. They don't You understand there's a reason behind it. And then they go to other places and if you like, perhaps it's not so aesthetically pleasing, but there's this vibe there, right? And you love hanging out there. So what is it and why is it happening? Because everything is energy. We know that in our body, we feel that we want to increase our energy, but also the spaces that we live in, we sleep in, that we work in is really affecting us. So that energy system for the environment is called Feng Shui. And so there are some principles that are also related with acupuncture or Chinese medicine, for example, or the, the Indian system called Vastu. It's kind of a similar system. There were just people that were for many thousands of years, they were like more aware of what they could do to change the energy, not of the physical body alone, but also from their home. Because when your home has a higher energy, higher vibration, you feel better. You will have a better life experience. Your health will improve, your concentration, your relationships will be more in harmony. Perhaps there's also more attracting prosperity. So that's actually what Feng Shui does. And we're using colors, we're using your personal birthday actually to find out what are the compass directions the wind directions that are the strongest for you. We work with 5 elements, so water, earth, fire, wood, and metal, to have that in balance through shapes, materials, colors, symbols to place that around us. And I kind of went a little bit further than just explaining it this way because I try to, as a Western woman that studied the Asian in Malaysia with a grandmaster. I'm traditionally a feng shui master. So I really trained the real foundational aspect. But I wanted to bring it more to the Western world. So what we experience is here in the Western world, we are of course thinking beyond the energy, we're trying to create some logistics into this, this experience of the environment. And like I said, as people can feel it, we also have to go beyond that. And so I really I try to explain to people that it's almost like connect with the quantum physics. So everything around you is energy. And everything that you go into the space on a subconscious level is really affecting you. Not just like the way you speak about yourself, but the way you surround yourself with colors, images, the way you position your desk, your bed is actually influencing you on a subconscious level. And as I'm known as one of the master teachers in The Secret, where we talk about law of attraction and manifestation and how a positive mindset can really create a different reality for you. I started to really talking about that your home is like a vision board. So everything around you is giving you a subconscious message because you're there living constantly. You're sleeping 8 hours in your bedroom, you're 8 hours in your office, you're 8 hours in your living spaces. And so everything around you is on a quantum field is actually giving you a message. And the question is, is that message that you surround yourself with what you really want in life? Is this perhaps reflecting your past or is it already reflecting your future? So it's everything is an impact on your subconscious mind. And so that's kind of how I brought feng shui, and I would say a way to use your mind in a positive way to increase prosperity, health, relationships, inspiration. So I kind of brought these two aspects together, the Western and the Eastern take on things.

So when I— I'm one of those people, as I mentioned, that I feel energy in a weird way, and I've never been able to explain it, but I'll be in a certain environment and I can instantly say I feel calm or I feel anxious here. And it can be in Buildings, it could be in rooms, it could be in a car, it could be outside. And for example, I was walking with my husband not too long ago, and we were in San Diego where we lived for 20 years, but we were just recently back there. And we're walking, and I stopped in front of this house, and I said, can you feel that? And he's like, what are you talking about? And I said, I can. It's just how their landscaping is, all these trees, how they're leaning in, everything about it. I said, this is such good energy. I said, whoever did the landscaping here really knows what they're doing. They, they must know feng shui. It was like really welcoming, and I could feel it. And He had nothing. He's like, I don't know what you're talking about. You're weird. Like, not even a thing. And I, it really hit me how some people are really tapped into that and some people are not. And you say that everybody sort of has that, but what is it that some of us like really feel it and some don't?

Well, I think people that are more connected with their body, right? That are really understanding when they eat something and they're like, oh, that doesn't, or even smell something like this is not right for me, or people that are very in tune just with perhaps their energy field, will be more open to it. And so it doesn't mean that not— it's not affecting everyone. But there are some people just very much into their mind. And so they are just not always feeling like and using their senses. Yeah, because you sense things. And that can be because you see something, because you hear something, because you feel something, you taste something. So some people are very connect with their senses, and others have never learned really how to connect with it. And this is not that they cannot, but there needs to be a process of being aware of it and being open to it. Yeah. So, but it doesn't mean that it's not affecting them when they live in these areas. But, and sometimes they only see the effect of that home that is not such a good feng shui after a year. I sometimes after a few years that they feel like my health is not doing so well. I'm faster tired, or they feel like my relationship since I moved in here is not doing so well. My relationship with my children is not doing so well. My career is really like stuck. So I always ask people, okay, you moved in, what happened since you moved in? What has occurred for you? And some people say, oh, in that previous house, I did so well. But in that house, oh, it's been really upsetting. Difficult, but you have not changed. The house has changed. And because you live there, it will start affecting you. Not from day one, for sure not. But the more sensitive you are, the faster you will feel the impact of that house. That's why some people feel it like right away after a few weeks and others will not feel it for years. Yeah. But it still impacts them.

So when somebody says, and I know we don't really have a lot of those disbelievers listening because people are gonna tune out of this topic if they're, if strong against it. But when people either say, oh, that I feel it, I know it to be true, it's— or you've got the opposite. I'm sure you've got skeptics are like, no, that's not true, it's not scientific. What do you say about that? Do you let those people go, or what's your response there?

Oh, I'm, you know, I just want to kind of place myself as somebody who is very sensitive, but I'm also very logic, right? So my background is I'm an international criminal lawyer. So I mean, that's what I study, what I practice for many years. So I mean, literally, that's a very logical mind. Right. And so I totally understand that, you know, and, you know, a lot of these, I would say, ancient energy systems, at that time they were created or understood. Of course, there was no science there. But now, you know, they are doing more and more studies and researches how that influences. So for example, there has been studies in China at the University of Beijing, that they have seen, for example, if people mirrors in their bedroom, what we always ask to avoid because it doubles the energy, that there's a higher level of stress, that people have higher blood pressure after sleeping there for a while, and that they have a higher amount of white blood cells. So inflammation is rising when you're sleeping with mirrors reflecting your bed. So they have done tests on that. We have done some tests also on brainwaves. So when for example, people are in a space that is very cluttered and chaotic, it actually will affect your brainwaves. And we see that if you're in such a space that within a few seconds, you actually create more beta brainwaves. When we're more in beta brainwaves, we actually create more problems with concentration, with focus, more anxious energy. We're like, we're not so creative. And then when people declutter it and we test again their brainwaves, they actually see that they are creating much faster alpha brainwaves. And alpha brainwaves, again, your energy is more optimistic, you're more creative, you're more focused, more concentrated. So we see there's a shift happening in the brain. And even when we work with like facing certain directions. So for example, if you would face away from the door, let's say, the door is over there, and I would put my desk against the wall or against the window, and the door is behind me. So you don't see where people come in from. We see people create faster beta brainwaves. If you put your desk in such a way, or you're sitting on the sofa or on a couch, or you just even your bed and you wake up and you see the door, you actually create faster alpha brainwaves. Waves. So there are some studies and some indications about that for sure, that people are like, wow, I feel stronger. And I show that also with on stage when I do this and speak about this topic with muscle testing, kinesiology, that is accepted by many doctors. And there have been many studies done that you can actually check your body with muscle testing with the arm or with the hands to see how your body reacts. And so when people are in a cluttered area, literally, it's immediately the body starts feeling weaker. Or when you're organizing things, then you feel better. I think women all know that.

Yeah.

That's why at a certain moment, they're like, oh, I need to clear everything. I need to go through my closet. They cannot keep looking at that closet that is more chaos. Or in springtime, they want to wash everything, you know. So we feel somehow better. When things are organized and cleaned, and we feel like we are more uplifted.

Yes.

It's not just that we feel it. It's also really visible in the brainwaves and in how we then act upon life because everything is better organized. So there are more and more studies coming out how the environment really affect us as human beings.

Makes sense. When you personally— and I'm going to get into some really tactical questions here— but when you personally you got into this? Was it— is it the chicken or the egg? Were you learning about it and then applying it, or were you feeling it the way that I'm describing and naturally doing things and then going, why am I doing this? Which one kind of came first for you?

Well, I first— I remember I was 15 and I had gone through a near-death experience. I was in a coma. I got out of it and I was asking one of my mentors, like, why did I attract this bad luck? I had like 3 major accidents in a year and a half.

Wow.

And the third one, I almost got killed.

Wow.

And I was like, there must be something wrong with me. Like I thought it was me. Right. And I was like, you know, but I was a very dedicated girl. I was a very Christian girl. So I was like doing all the right things. I thought as a 15-year-old teenager, I was a role model as a 15-year-old. I'm telling you that. And so the mentor said, well, it's not always about you. It can be your environment. And so he suggested that I would move from one bedroom to another bedroom. I was sleeping on the north side of the house. There was no sunlight coming in. When I look back, I was very depressed, really. I had no friends. I was bullied at school. So it was like my life was kind of cold. There was not like sunlight in mine. And he suggested I would go to the west side of the house and I would paint it in like warm colors. And I chose orange. I love orange. And there was a lot of sunlight coming in. And literally within 2 weeks, my life changed around. I had like the bully stop bullying me, became friendly. I started having a boyfriend. I was like, my depression was like, I felt so much better. And that's the first time I understood the location where I slept mattered. And then I learned some few basic principles because there were literally no books out there in my language. And I speak Dutch as first language or So it was like, it took me till I was 30 till I found books on feng shui. And so when these first books came out, I was like, oh my God, I can change this and I can change this. I was aware of clutter already. I was very organized. I knew already that whatever was around me was affecting me. So I would look at really good posters of friends and love and Like I would just, you know, do some basic things I felt could contribute. Right. But I had not a real system. I had no real idea about what I was doing till when I was 30, had my first books. And then I started studying within a year. Actually, I started studying with grandmasters first in London and then in Malaysia. And like, oh my God, there is a system in place. And it's not just practicing, studying, practicing, studying. And I saw my life turned around and, you know, my family was doing better. I would say at a certain moment, I really felt I was getting towards a divorce. And so that turned around. We're now 36 years together. So it was really like my family was doing better. My business was doing better. My health was also improving. So I felt like the energy shifted in a good way.

This might be a strange question. I don't know if you want to answer it or not, but this comes up a lot. So you mentioned that you were a Christian and some Christians say that feng shui is kind of like anti— it's not Christian to do that. Where does that come from? And what do you have to say to that?

Well, I'm raised Catholic. Yeah. And so I have worked with people from all different religions. I even did the feng shui of an archbishop. So from the Catholic church. So they are not against that, right? You know, on the higher escalon in the churches, they always know that how energy is important and rituals are important. So I've worked with rabbis, I've worked with, you know, people from different religion. So I always say Feng Shui has really nothing to do with religion. Yeah. It's a system. Yeah. So it's like, if you are Christian, you can still do acupuncture. Well, in a way, this is acupuncture of your home. So I don't know where that comes from. I think it's because of some probably quotes or something in the Bible where they're a little bit afraid of this. But, you know, I think we all are with energy. And if there's clutter, I mean, a good Christian mother will say to her children, you know, your room, right? Or, you know, these images are not very beautiful. So you, you have to think about that. When I go into a Christian home, then I would say, okay, or I would always ask, what is your religious background, and I want to honor that. So of course, there's one of the directions we call that the wisdom direction. It's all about your connection with God. And so I was like, okay, you have a Bible. This is the best place for your Bible. Or you have a beautiful image of Jesus. This would be a really beautiful place to put that because it supports you. So there are some— you always bring that into the space. And I think it's also been helpful for me being a Christian, right, that I know it totally aligns, you know, with the, your religious backgrounds.

What do you think about when they say things like we need your birth date for, for feng shui? Because I know that there's— I understand that there's some simple things that everybody can do, like you said, the decluttering. But what is the tie with the birth date part? That's the part I think people get a little bit like, what is this? What's going on here?

Yeah. So, you know, in the first thousands of years that they use feng shui, because about 4,000 years that there are some books and scrolls that are talking about that. They, at the beginning, they did not have the existence of a compass. Yeah. So they were just using, you know, the, where the sun was rising, where the sun was setting, where the sun was the highest. So they will use kind of this sun experience to find out where were the best places to open the door, open the windows to create location of a space. But then when the compass was created about 2,500 years ago, they start connecting with the day of birth. And it's not only the birthday, it's also the gender. Like, you know, our DNA is male and female, right? And so we have female and male connection in ourself. And so they found out that the DNA and your birthday, they could create calculations. And they found these calculations and they calculate for about 10,000 years. Very interesting. And so based on your birthday, we could find out where are the compass directions that are actually the strongest for you personally. So there is a difference between what we call feng shui for sacred spaces and for family and business spaces.

Makes sense.

So if you look back in ancient traditions, and that's both Christian traditions or Muslim traditions or Hindu traditions, they would always look for making sure that the front door of the temple or the church would go or either towards the sunrise or the sunset. Very interesting. It would east or west facing entrances. They would never do where the sun is setting when it's the north and the sun is rising would be too intense. Yeah. So they would always have these doors exactly due east or due west. And you can find that in all religions. So they had— they were aware of certain things, right? So, but then if we— that's kind of more collective feel for the sacred spaces. But in a normal home, we are, of course, want to create an create a space for God and the universe, whatever you call that in your belief system. But it's connecting to the people living in the space.

Makes sense.

So that is why they start understanding if a front door is facing a certain direction, that it could really affect a person. If you're sleeping with your head a certain direction, it could really affect your body.

So that's unique to you, correct? It's unique to you and your birthday.

Or when you're on a desk, you want to face a certain direction and there are specific directions that work for you. And so people can actually download my free Marie Diamond app. So they put in the app store. And so what happens is they will be asked to put in their birthday, their full birthday. It must be your birth gender. It's connected with your body. Yeah. That you, created at the beginning of your journey, right? So, and then you literally will get a calculation and that will go between energy number 1 and 9. So there are 9 numbers combinations, and that will give you exactly, and I would love to do that for you, Natalie.

Yeah. I'm gonna, I wanna do it. Yes. I absolutely wanna do it.

Full birthday though. Okay.

What are you gonna do right now? Okay. So my birthday's 9/2/71.

So February.

September, September 2nd. We say it backwards here. Yeah. September 2nd, 1971. We're going to find out what mine is. Yes.

And 91?

71. 71.

Okay. 71. So, and you are female. So I calculate this. Okay. So it gives a calculation and let's see, you are number 4. Okay. So you are what you call a manager. So you are a guide. So you love guiding people and giving them all the ideas for the future. So you want to create better futures for people. That's actually energy. Now your major element is water.

So water is very important for you, which explains why I like living in San Diego, not Arizona.

Correct. So living close to water is very important for your energy field and seeing water very regularly. Yeah. So when you then have this, you will be able on your own phone, you will actually then get an overview and you will have here the number 4.

Okay.

So because I'm a 5 and then you get very important, you will get a compass.

Oh, fun.

That compass will indicate your good directions. So there are my directions, right? So for you, it will say that north is the most most important direction for you in your home.

To face north or to be more— what does that mean?

Well, people will use the compass and they will hold the compass in like the center of your office, okay, your bedroom, and then see where is north. Now, north is actually over there if I would go in my office, but for you over there, I don't know. And so you need to then look what is in the north because that's your success energy. So for you, it could be the name of your podcast. It could be a logo of a company. It could be awards that you received or books on success. If you have your own products, you can place them there. So you like have to understand that creates like an energy connection with the universe, with God. It's like that energy with north for you is the strongest. For me, that's not a good direction, but for you, it is. Is.

So I understand. So like if people download the app and they put their birth date in and they come up just like me, so let's say they're north or whatever they are, and you stand with a compass. So if I'm in my office, for example, and I see where north is, would you want to face north or would you want to put things there?

So first of all, you put something there, right, that reflects success and abundance for you, right? So for example, you cannot have your paper shredder there because you're kind of shredding the energy. Makes You cannot have clutter in that area because it's going to affect you subconsciously through the system. So, and then we have four directions and you will see you have empty directions. Yeah. So for facing in an office, there's a first, a general rule. And the general rule says you have to see the door. Yeah. So as working, like I'm speaking to you, but the door is over there. So if someone someone would walk in, I can see them. So that's called a power position, the door that people will walk in. There could be a door to a bathroom or to a closet. That doesn't matter, right? So that's the first thing. The second thing is you want them to try to face, look at one of your good directions. So because that creates more alpha brainwaves. So I'm actually facing my wisdom direction. So wisdom, why? Because I'm teaching. I'm sharing my wisdom, right? So this is not my success direction because my success direction is actually behind me in my room. And if I would face that direction, I would be my back to the door. So again, I would not see people coming in. But what did I place there? Well, you see my books are there, right? My awards are there. So I put things out there that reflect who I am right now and also to reflect I want to be in the future.

Makes sense. So, when you— okay. So, some things that you said, like, for example, with mine, you said water, which I would've known innately anyway because I lived literally in San Diego for 20 years. And my biggest complaint when I moved to Arizona was I need water and I'm missing water. So, for me, we had to make sure our house has water elements. Is that what you— how you would tell somebody is if you can't go relocate, you add those things?

You cannot relocate. So for you, it would be good, for example, in the north of your office or the north of your living room, you can put a symbol of water. So that could be an image of fish swimming or a river or a fountain if you like that. So because there's a water element that we need there and just hearing water for you, yes, your nervous system.

It does. I love when I hear this, then I go, well, I already— I felt that. So that gives me validation that that's what I was feeling. And that, that's interesting. Even sleeping, I like to hear the fountain while we're sleeping.

So yeah, because it calms your energy field. Yeah.

So somebody listening though, theirs might be fire or it might be something totally different. So it's, it's looking at the app and going, okay, what is mine? And that's what you want to do, you know.

And then I would suggest they get get my latest book, Your Home Is a Vision Board. Yeah, that just came out last year. Um, and so they will be guided, like, through all the steps they have to take through their home. So for me, it's actually earth. Like, I'm an earth person, and because I'm number 5, and so I want to see hills.

Yeah.

So when I go look outside, I actually, to the front, I see hills. I live in Bel Air Hills, so in a hilly area. Right. And when to the back, I see hills. When I see that, I always feel very calm. Yeah.

Makes sense.

So I also will bring in a lot of crystal energy, right? Because I love seeing crystals. They just, they make my heart sing somehow.

Yes.

That doesn't mean I cannot have a fountain in my house, but it will be like my major element. For some others that my daughter is, she needs wood. Yeah. So she needs to be outside, seeing green, having plants around her. Plants are always good for us, but she needs that for sure. So this is all the elements that— these are the 5 elements that we can work with. And it's like most people feel that very— like there are people that need fire and the moment they come home, they will put on the fireplace. They would put on candles or they love reds around them. Right. So because it's like their nervous system subconsciously feels that and most people react to that and they will be like, oh, there are people like, I don't like being with the water. I like living in a forest.

Yeah. And they tend to marry each other. The opposites tend to marry each other.

Yes, they do. Yeah. It's very interesting. State.

So, okay, help us with some— and everyone, you have to download that app and play with it. I'm gonna be doing all the rooms in my house. I already know I'll be up late doing this today. What are some things that we all, especially midlife women, that we are doing maybe incorrectly that we can improve? Like, I've seen some of your posts, like, about— let's start with, like, front door. What are some people doing wrong with front door entrances?

So the front door is really your connection with the outside. World. And I always say to women, use your front door, don't use your back door, don't go into your garage, because you will empower yourself more, because you then are the queen of your home. And so when you walk in, make sure that you feel welcome in your own space. Yeah. So if there's like shoes on the ground and a lot— your coat hanger is full with coats— it's just, it's very intense. And we sometimes get quickly overwhelmed, you know, especially, you know, when a lot is going on in our life. So welcome yourself with perhaps a fresh bouquet of flowers or an orchid, something blooming. Put a picture of your family out. You know, sometimes your children are already out and like, you know, I am 63. And so I have kids that, you know, sometimes live here. Sometimes they are out in the world. I have a I put a picture of my family there to tell my family and, you know, my grandson, like, you're welcome in my home. I allow that visibility, that that image is there. So welcome yourself at your, your entrance. Don't put an image just by yourself because then you're kind of telling, I'm— this is a house just for me.

Okay. So for example, if we're walking, we're parking our car in the garage and walking through the cluttered garage every day, would you be the one that would say park your car there, but then go leave and go out your front door, go in your front door?

That's exactly what we— what I do.

Interesting. Okay, I'm going to start doing that.

Yeah, because I mean, of course, sometimes you have errands and you're like, yeah, it's more easier. But when you go out, especially when you go out in the world and you come back from something important, not the errands, just use your front door, right? Because you will be more respected, you'll be more recognized, you will feel more powerful. Beautiful, because then you come in, your house is your palace, you're the queen. So, and do that, because I always say people that use the garage or the back door, they're the servants. Yeah, because you have to go through a kitchen that is not cleaned up, it smells not so good, the laundry. I mean, that is not a welcoming feeling.

Yeah, you're describing my entire garage experience right now. So I'm gonna be changing that. What about bedroom? Master bedroom?

So the master bedroom, like I said, it's very important that when you wake up, you see people coming in. And so make sure your bed is against a wall so you feel the strength. Have a definitely, how we call that, a headboard. Yeah. So you're like, it's strong. It's a statement like you're powerful, right? Make sure left and right of your bed you have nightstands with lamps on. So you're telling others place for both people to come to the bed and never put your bed in a corner because there's only place for one person to come in. And then look at, you know, if you have mirrors, yeah, try to close them off at night. You can put a screen in front of it or even television is a mirror. I'd cover that at night. Wow. Because you're actually doubling your stress. You're doubling sometimes your loneliness. And you're also, if you're with a partner, you're doubling the partners. So it's not a positive thing to have mirrors. And the moment people cover the mirror, they sleep so much deeper and so much better, and there's more harmony in the space. So declutter your bedroom, right? So if there is clutter or you have to put things under your bed, put it towards your foot end, never under your heart or your bed, not on your nightstand. Like, don't fall over your own clothes and shoes, you know? So just make sure it's a harmonious place. And then I always suggest for women to make sure there's not too much blue in the bedroom.

Yeah, I did that one wrong too. Our entire bedroom is. So what do we do there? So why is that?

It's water. And so when we're sleeping, we don't want too much water elements around us. I mean, you can hear water if it's outside the bedroom, but it actually dampens our passion. First of all, wow. Midlife, right? We need to really focus on passion. So it actually can create more anxiety if you're having blues around you. Also blacks, because that's also considered a water element or images of water. Remove that as much as you can and go for earth elements. So it could be—

even if you're a water person, it's still different room to room.

So I would say in the bedroom, we can have a few blue things, but not like a blue cover, a blue sofa, or blue curtains, or anything blue. Really dampens the passion and creates more anxiety. So just think about if you would be sleeping on water, or you would sleeping by the water, you would not feel super safe. Yeah, because you never know there's a wave coming in. So we always keep that a little bit away. Earth elements, so beiges, yellows, pinks, peach color, just tans, even just earthy colors. Your body will calm down more. So avoid too much fire. You can add a little bit of fire elements, but if you have like red walls and red covers and purple and hot pinks, your, again, your body will not calm down enough to sleep. You will wake up more.

You think stone, like tan or gray or—

And metal colors are also good. Whites or silvers, golds, coppers. So earth and metal colors calm down your nervous system and people sleep much better. And of course you can add a little bit of reds and hot pinks and, but not like overwhelming, right?

So that would be good in a gym, I would imagine, like in a workout area you'd want the opposite.

Yes, of course you can do that. Even in a dining room table, around the dining, you can do more blues and reds because it's more a life vibration. But at night you need to really calm your energy.

What about kitchens?

So yeah, people always say that's the heart of the space, right? The people love hanging out around kitchens, but in Feng Shui, that is kind of a dual experience, right? So because you make food there, but sometimes it's also very messy, right? And that's why we would say to people, don't put family pictures in your kitchen. Yeah, because there's a sink, energy is getting away, you're creating fire. So it can create a lot of conflict when you put too much family pictures in your kitchen.

Which most people do on their refrigerator. Tons of them on there.

And I always say laughingly, it's not, you know, you know, you're kind of freezing your relationships there. It's kind of the coldest place there.

Okay.

So I would say you can hang things up there like images, but I would not put too much personal pictures on the fridge, you know? I mean, like a painting or something from your children, that's kind of fine, or travel things. But if your relationships are not doing well, I would definitely take them out. Put family pictures in the family room, in the living room where you gather. Right. And definitely also in the kitchen, make sure all the knives are hidden. You don't want anything sharp being shown, even if it's in a knife block. And that is fine. Yeah. And just, you know, put some beautiful fresh bouquet of flowers or a fruit bowl or something that shows You know, the earth energy, the wood energy is very powerful there.

This is fascinating. What about cars?

Yes. So that is like, I just got a car video on Instagram that went over half a million. So people saw that one.

That's why I'm asking. Yeah. I already know some of the things you're going to say about money, but so I wanted to hear it from you here though.

Yeah. So I would say your car is an extension of your body and it's like a little home in itself. Health, right? So especially if you spend a lot of hours there. So a car can really affect your money energy. So declutter, you know, you go to a job and if that is cluttered, what is the energy you bring with you to that job? All the empty cans and perhaps loose money that you have everywhere and receipts and like, just put that together, you know, have a little envelope or, you know, take that regularly out of your car. So because because, you know, you go to a job, you go to a client, and, you know, that energy is impacting your, your energy field. And so, you know, make sure your car is really reflecting a beautiful space.

Amazing. You had said something about not having loose change in your car on your Instagram. What was— can you explain that part?

Yeah, you know, one, it's not just in the car, it's actually also in your home. Yeah, you don't want to like leave cash everywhere. Right? Because you're actually done saying, I don't respect money. Yeah. So you need to gather this. So I always say to people, get like a bowl, a ceramic bowl or a gold-looking bowl, and every chain you have, just put it in there. Right? I wouldn't put it in the kitchen because it's not really the best place for money. You have a sink and you have a stove there, but it could be even at your entrance, you know, or like on your way inside, you're like, oh, I put all my, my loose change there. So, and you're collecting it, and that means you are saving it. You're going to respect money. So if you have like loose change everywhere, I mean, I had this with my husband for many years. I was like, loose change in his pockets. Yeah. So he has learned over the years there's a little golden bowl in the walk-in closet, and he's like putting it in there. So otherwise you're like saying, I I don't really honor the money that I receive.

Yeah, this is fascinating. You know, I actually, I feel like I knew that innately about money before, but I read somewhere, and it wasn't from feng shui, that you should put money everywhere so it's abundant and you see it. And I tried to do that, and I don't think that works so well. So I'm going to go back to what you just said. I don't remember where I read that or heard that, that you're supposed to have it.

Right. Because we need to honor money.

So it makes sense logically though, logically that you just, you know.

Yeah. And so especially for example, for this year in 2026, when we were recording, you know, get a bowl of gold looking color, right? Real gold, of course. And put your loose chain and fill it. And even as much as you can fill it to the top and put it in the east section of your living room or your office. Office because it will actually, for the fire horse year that we are in right now, it will indicate that you are respecting money and more money opportunities will come.

I like it. I will be doing that in every east area of the house. So that'll be, that's amazing.

And in the book, Your Home is a Vision Board, it tells for the next 10 years where you have to do some acupuncture activations to create more money.

Okay. I love it. So your home is a vision board and we'll put the link in the show notes. Notes too. But what is, tell us about that title.

Yeah. So in the book, Your Home is a Vision Board, you know, I wanted to explain to people that are not connected with feng shui and with that word that, you know, they needed to be more aware of their home and how your home is also a part of helping you to manifest better health, better relationships, better success and career. And so So for many years, as I'm in The Secret, we talk about making a vision board and making a dream board or journaling your goals. And so at a certain moment, I said to people, well, your home is also a vision board. And that's kind of when I— and I was in front of 600 women, I was speaking. And that was the first time I really got the aha moment in the room of like, oh, 'Oh, I never thought about that.' Yeah, yeah, everything around me is affecting me. And so that's why we chose this title, because each time I mentioned that, people really get the aha. It's like, it's so good. It is really— yeah, that's so true. Everything is really affecting me.

And you know, it's interesting, what I'm taking from this conversation too is, as you said at the beginning, we all kind of have that intuition. It's just some people nurture it more, some people haven't really tapped into it. What's coming up for me is to listen more to that intuition. For example, I knew that about water with me just because I sensed that. But, if I look in my backyard, we have a beautiful pool and waterfall. It's very pretty, but there's some clutter out there that drives me nuts. And every time I'm looking at that, I see my husband's workouts, just the clutter that's right there. And to him, that doesn't bother him because he's not tapped in. And literally, for 2.5 years in this house, I'm looking at that. But, listening to you, I'm thinking, Why? Because if we're sensing that and tapping into that, it's an easy thing to fix. This isn't moving. It's just move the stuff.

Move it out or put it in something that it's not so visible. So because for you water is strong, probably for him water is not so strong.

No.

Right? And that's why he feels probably okay with it. But so many times we go to our house and we're like, oh, you know, that image of that was given by my aunt. I really don't like it. And 10 years later, it's still there. So it's like, just listen to it and saying like, that doesn't feel right. Yeah. Once you start understanding perhaps that direction, let's say that's an image of your aunt and this is your relationship direction and your aunt was not a nice woman and she was single and she never had a family. You're like, yeah, she's not reflecting who I am. I'm a wonderful woman. I have a family. She is just just not the right representation for me. Right. So the movie starts seeing it. People are like, oh my God, you know, I'm just giving an example. Yesterday I was talking to a film producer. And so she has worked in her younger years with Steven Spielberg connecting with the movie Jaws, the shark. Okay. And that portrait of that movie hangs in her relationship direction. So in her house, And the poster literally shows a woman swimming and the shark with his open mouth going to take the woman. And I said to her, since you moved in here and you placed that there, how have your relationships been? She said, my God, I attracted such awful men. And I'm like, were they like sharks? And she's like, yeah, you can call them sharks. And I was like, well, and I showed her the image. That's wild. Oh my, and it's a huge portrait, right? A huge poster. And I said, I think we better take that out and put it somewhere where it's less harmful for you. Because it still means a lot for her, right?

Totally.

But not in your relationship direction. So it's like almost when I go into a house, I always say it's almost like I read the house because I look then at the system and I'm like, oh, this is hanging here. Is that been happening in your life? Is that started occurring in your life? And they're like, how do you know? You're clairvoyant? No, I'm just reading. Right. That's why. Because you placed it exactly there. Yeah. And so I think women are so connected with homes. And especially when you are in your midlife, you have finally time perhaps to take care of your interior design. Feng Shui is not an interior design system, but it can support you with your interior design. Perhaps you're like ready to, you know, get a space that is more connected with you and less with your children and your grandchildren, but you still want this to be welcoming for the whole family. So what if you could use it now for the next level of your life?

I love that. Well, one thing I didn't ask you about was landscaping and outside. Like I was sharing earlier that there was this house that I saw and I could feel it, and it felt like all the plants were sort of leaning in towards me. They were— it was just everything about it. And I started— I actually went on Google and looked up some of the plants and what they mean, and I was like, oh, this person definitely knew what they were doing here. What are people missing with landscaping, or is that a personal thing based on each individual person? Help us with that.

Yeah, so we have something called landscape feng shui because your landscape is the extension of your home, right? And so certain trees, certain plants will definitely, you know, guide you. And I have on my website, marydame.com, for people who are into it, there's like a plant, flower, and tree guide for feng shui that you can download. So the whole point is that certain plants have or connect with certain feelings and certain symbols. And so in Feng Shui, we would always try to look to find a balance between the 5 elements, to have the wood at the right direction. And that's not so much personal, it's much more direction-wise. Yeah. Certain plants do better to the south, others for the west. So certain colors would work better, certain trees also. So for example, we will try to avoid anything that is spiky, like pine trees, holly, yeah, to have close to the door or too close to the building itself because—

No cactuses next to my house like I have now.

Yeah, a little bit more away. Of course, you have to see what is possible in your area, right? You're in Arizona, right? So the more lush, you know, when you come outside of your front door, you know, make sure there is like left and right of your front door, perhaps a plant, but nothing spiky, like lush and round energy. The more spiky, the further you want to bring it from your space. Because I always say, it's like we have our body and we have an energy field around us, right? A house has that too, right? So the more you bring that around you in harmony, and that's what you can feel. Also, for example, water. Can be very good in certain areas of your space and in your landscape, and sometimes they're not such well-placed. Yeah, I always try to say to people, don't bring the pool too close to your house because that's too much an overwhelm of water. The same with like a fire pit. Don't put it too close. At least have a few steps between your house and the pool. So it's like You don't like step in and drown, right? Or step in and burn yourself. So you need to really understand there's a whole, I would say, landscape energy. In the beginning of feng shui, they would first look only at the landscape before they looked on the inside of the house.

Well, I know maybe this is going to sound nutty, but I swear by this. I feel like plants feel it too, and plants will actually lean towards that good energy. And I, that, like, literally that house I was talking about where I could feel it, the plants were leaning towards me. And I was, I started showing my husband, like, different areas. I'm like, like, look how these are leaning away and this is leaning in. And he probably thought I was cuckoo, but that's, I felt that, so I thought the plants are feeling that.

Well, it's like human beings, right? So when we feel somebody is positive for us, we lean in, right? And something is not positive, we're kind of Yeah, away. So the same with plants, you know, and plants that feel lush, it means that the energy of the space feels really positive for them.

Yeah, you know, it's funny because I have always been attracted to feng shui, and years ago, this is before my husband and I got married, kind of a funny story, I got him really into it too. Like, I taught him to be interested in it too, and we, we had actually worked with somebody that did all the details, and we took it very seriously, like where we were going to enter our house and all the things. But then she told us that the day that we were getting married, we can't— it was like the day, literally the day of our wedding, we were getting married and she said, "You can't get married today." And when we both were like, "What? No, we are getting married today. Like, that's happening. We're getting married today." So, it kind of stopped our exploration with feng shui because we were like, "That's so weird." And I mean, we've been fine, but it was such a weird thing. Where does that kind of stuff tie into feng shui? The days and things like that.

So yeah, there is a part of feng shui that they're focusing a little bit more on the Chinese astrology. And based on Chinese astrology, you can actually look for some days that are more productive for you or less productive. But I would never say to somebody, you cannot marry.

I was like, we are getting married. Like, that's happening in an hour.

Like, we're just kind of sometimes going a little bit far. You know, and I, you know, I would always say to people, first of all, you know, your timing is what seems right for you. Right. And there will be sometimes I will say to people, for example, when it's Chinese New Year, that's happening on the 17th of February in a week. I would say that's not the perfect day to like, you know, start a business or cut your hair or do start renovation. Right. Because it's actually like an important day of a new beginning. But I would say the same for the 1st of January, right? It's not the day to go to the hairdresser, right? Celebration. So you can go that far. And sometimes people will ask me and to do these calculations and I can do that. But I always feel like what is more important that you feel happy in your home.

Yeah. That was kind of crossing over to like psychics. I didn't like that. I, but I, but I, the home stuff totally relate to environment. I feel it. The other stuff, I was like, I, I don't know about that.

I mean, there are some calculations possible. I'm not telling that, especially when you move in a home. Like, that date will give me indications about the energy of the space and then how I also need to decorate the space. Yeah. Okay. And what are the lucky and more less lucky areas. But we always can cure things. That's a great thing. It's all about balance.

Makes sense.

So if we, for example, say, well, this area is not according to your moment you moved in, we can calculate that and say like, this area is not so lucky. Well, please don't put too much red there. Do more this kind of colors, do more greens and so on. So we will use that to create harmony in a better way. And there will be certain areas that will say, my God, this is such a lucky area. Put your office here or put like an image of your family here. So in that case, we will use the calculations because it's a very accurate way to look at it. But then to really say to people, you know, move in this— sometimes I'll give certain months, then I really— some really good months for you. But then in that month, you know, you cannot just say to people, this is what you should do.

That makes sense.

It's a little bit too far sometimes.

Yeah. This is fascinating. Thank you so much for this. So her newest book is Your Home is a Vision Board, and I'll link that down below as well. And then her app, you can just find it by searching Marie Diamond, you said. And then I'm going to be doing that today, and it has a compass on it.

I'm excited. I'll give you the link. Oh yes. Yeah. And so there's a free access, and then if you want to go to the next level to go through a whole training, you can do that for a small amount. But you can use it for free for your own home. So it's totally possible.

Amazing. And we'll, if you could give us those links, we'll put it all in the show notes. And then where can people find you on social media?

So the best way is to go to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Marie Diamond Official. That's the best way. And you will see videos there. I think like 2,000 videos already are up. Small little steps that people can do. Very practical. And so I've seen people really change their lives just with sometimes one little step.

Oh, I can't wait. I'm excited to embrace all of this. Thank you so much for being here today.

Thank you so much, Natalie. And thank you for what you bring to the women in midlife. Thank you.