I first discovered feng shui in my teenage years, within the pages of a weird British magazine called something like ‘Sugar’. The article explained that by simply rearranging the things in my bedroom — which I already did on an almost bi-weekly basis — I could experience greater love, luck and happiness. I was hooked! I threw the magazine down and started pushing my bed up against a different wall.

But my knowledge of feng shui is only so deep, and I always think it’s fascinating to learn more from an expert. That’s why I sat down with the truly fabulous Amanda Gibby Peters of Simple Shui to get the lowdown on how feng shui is the ultimate form of practical magic.

1. Tell us who you are and what you do.

I am Amanda Gibby Peters, and I make feng shui simple. I think shui is often overlooked because it feels out-of-reach and complicated. However, stick to the basics, and shui has capacious swagger. I’ve been practicing shui for 10 years now, and this is what I know for sure: It matters. It is the best kind of practical magic. And it changes lives.

2. What was it that drew you to feng shui? What is it that keeps you interested in it?

Funny enough now, I came into feng shui as a non-believer. I couldn’t logically arrange in my mind how home improvements informed life empowerment. So, with a hefty dose of healthy skepticism, I read a book and played with a few “cures.” All sorts of good things started happening. At first blush, I thought it was simply coincidence, but I wasn’t ready to shrug shui yet. So, I threw myself into another round of changes, and the good tidings continued. And that’s when I became hooked – shui seemed bulletproof, and I wanted to know everything.

I stay interested in shui because I LOVE witnessing how it turns on our spiritual house lights. There’s a moment when it all makes perfect sense. Outlooks broaden, and priorities are edited. Shui is like catnip for good energy. And good energy is anything and everything that upgrades our feelings + opportunities + well-being.

3. What’s the first thing you would tell someone who is interested in feng shui?

Getting started has less to do with the arrangement of a room or the clutter – it really has everything to do with LOVE. Which is why I don’t endorse the approaches that deem certain things “bad” – rather, I feel shui is meant to be curative and positive. When we observe love-based practices + rituals daily, we subscribe to high decibel living.

4. Is there a common misconception people have about feng shui? What do people think and what’s your perspective?

People think feng shui is something you choose to do. I believe if you have space + stuff, shui is already happening in front of you. So, the real Q is how well are you doing it? We are connected to everything around us, right? And when you begin looking at your space metaphorically, you can see correlations between your things + what’s happening in your life. And that new awareness delivers a big WHOA! every time.

5. Can you give us one example of a time when feng shui really helped you, or produced amazing results?

When I first began using shui, we had recently moved and so many things were falling apart financially for us. I needed a part-time freelance gig that could cover our gap. I looked online at places I would LOVE working – not knowing if any had openings or freelance opportunities – and decided on three possibilities. I diligently put the affairs of our office in order before sending out these cold emails. Within one week, I had interviews with all three companies. And a few weeks later, I had part-time freelance work I could do from home. It was a feng shui slam dunk!

6. How can feng shui enhance people’s lives?

My mentor and teacher, Terah Kathryn Collins, said it best. “Arranging a home to hold happiness in place is the primary goal of Feng Shui.” Shui, for me, is a conscious use of our power. It’s how we use our energetic space for good. When we carefully consider the choices being made in our space, our homes respond by influencing better thoughts and conversations. This collaboration lifts us to higher ground. All of it transforming our home into sacred space, where we can effortlessly plug into cosmic intelligence and instant LOVE.

7. Do you believe that we create our own destiny and our own luck? How does feng shui play into that?

Yes, but it requires honest participation. I like to say shui won’t work if you don’t. Keep an open mind, and be willing to dive deep. For me, the universe knows how to make better sense of things than we do, but she sometimes thinks differently that we do. So, I encourage clients + readers to surrender the need to know HOW the magic works. Our job is to stay positive and remain neutral. In my experience, when we get this right, the universe over-delivers.

8. What’s the best lesson you’ve learned from practicing feng shui?

The energy we pour into our homes gives attention to whatever we desire. It’s a devotion to possibility; it’s a daily practice in gratitude; it’s adhering to a healthy order of our things; and it’s creating sacred space to honor our spiritual roots and cosmic connection to the whole.

When we live in fear – and that happens in our homes more than we realize – it overrides everything else. Until we overcome fear, self-actualization is impossible. While we have little control beyond our sidewalk, the way we live carries the silent potency to change our lives and the world.

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And here’s a little something I borrowed from Amanda’s blog that I thought was BRILLIANT:

“the front door is where opportunity finds you. what is yours saying?

closets, when cluttered, reflect our inability to deal with unfinished business. clutter is postponed decision making.

when a kitchen is overcome by clutter, it suggests overwhelm for taking care of others. and there is usually resentment simmering just under the surface.

a messy desk can mean feeling overextended with a fear of letting things go.

if a bedside table is a mess, there is a desire to get away. and it’s not uncommon to feel a perpetual roadblock when trying to make changes.

when there is chaos behind the door, it speaks to stifled emotions.

hiding stuff under furniture often means there is a concern over appearances.

overburdened attics tend to create a feeling of additional weight on the shoulders while a burgeoning basement says there is difficulty progressing forward.

and chaos in the garage is synonymous with procrastination — it may even signal urgent matters are turning into crises.

when everything is cloaked in clutter, it is common to feel overwhelmed, angry, and in denial.

there is a chinese proverb that says the person who moves a mountain begins by carrying small stones.

so, instead of de-cluttering an entire house in a weekend, identify the most acute source of frustration. and that space becomes your starting point. the beautiful thing about shui is simply cleaning + rearranging even the smallest space allows refreshments into your life. the vibrational quality of your house shifts + your energy is revitalized. and pretty soon, there is a balanced energy slaloming through your home.

when we hold onto stuff we don’t need, use, or even want, we are really saying we don’t think life will get better. i think you deserve something much better than that — don’t you? start small, reclaim your space + trust your instincts, and i promise, you will fall in love with your life. xo”

Love (and rearranged furniture),

Amanda Gibby Peters is one of the head witches in the Radical Self Love Coven, which opens up in April, and she will be — you guessed it! — teaching a beautiful module all around how to use feng shui to its best possible effect. Put your name down here if you want to be the first to hear about the Coven!