Feeding The Hungry Ghosts from a New York Feng Shui Perspective--by Carole Provenzale, Feng Shui Long Island New Yorl
As a Feng Shui Consultant, I work most often in New York City and Long Island. Years ago, here, we heard the occasional story of a "haunted house." Most people assumed there was something wrong with the owners who were imagining things.
Until the story of The Amityville Horror House on Long Island. People came from all over to pass the house of the famous DeFeo murder scene with these poor people shot in their beds at night. Many did believe that house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville on Long Island New York WAS "haunted" because of the horrible ways these people met their deaths.
In my old days of parapsychology instruction at a local college, we were taught that there are certainly ‘spirits' around us, though they are not here to harm us. Some, who, like the DeFeos have met violent deaths (we were taught), do not know they have passed. Oftentimes the sheer grief of others keeps the departed souls nearby because we cannot bear to let them go. It's a struggle. And sometimes people simply stay ‘behind' because here is where they are comfortable....they just don't want to leave.
We were taught to actually tell a loved one that they have passed and further, to give them the peace they need to move on. Not something that is taught in your basic schools these days, although, to me, it made sense. As a Manhattan Feng Shui Consultant I have been called to many of these homes and have seen and experienced some of the things the homeowner does. Lights flickering, strange noises-many of my clients often see something although they cannot quite make out what it is. In only a few cases did my Feng Shui clients feel threatened. They All, however, wanted whatever and whoever was around to be GONE.
I often speak of Predecessor Energy. Let's Talk About Predecessor Energy: A Feng Shui Post from Feng Shui Long Island People do not have to necessarily have to die in a home, there can be bad feelings or negative energy left from previous occupants. It's important to us to rid the home or business of this energy for several reasons: The new occupants need to infuse THEIR energy into a new space and remove any negative energy.
The Chinese and many other cultures have a slightly different perspective and it is called "Feeding the Hungry Ghosts." This is how we were taught in Feng Shui. They believe that spirits stay around because they feel they need something they may feel they are lacking: food, money or anything else in a physical form they feel they may need. 
No matter what the reason for these spirits, Space Clearings and Blessings release negative and predecessor energy (from a Western perspective we were also taught non-denominational blessings so it wouldn't interfere with our client's religion) or a Black Sect version of Blessings that are a little more involved. Feng Shui Consultants cleanse the interior and the exterior of a home or business, not only when it is new but after a life changing event such as a divorce. In very simple terms, it's "Clearing the Air" a phrase we often used though not in this manner.
In distance Feng Shui Consultations, clients are provided with everything they need to do this on their own. It is an important part of a Feng Shui consultation as it also seals our Intentions for everything we want to manifest.
Something to keep in mind whether you're moving into a new home or business and want to start off in the best possible way or when you feel stuck and don't know why. Things beyond what we can see can hold us back---Energy is all around us.
Copyrighted Feeding the Hungry Ghosts from a New York Feng Shui Perspective
**Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since 1997 and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island providing on site Feng Shui Consultations for New York City (Manhattan) and all of Long Island for Homes , Apartments, Businesses, Corporations, Renovations and New Construction. Feng Shui Consultant Laura Cerrano is available for on site Feng Shui Consultations in New York City (Manhattan) and New Paltz New York.
My dear Carole ~ This topic fascinates me! I love the paranormal. In Caribbean culture there is something called "Santeria" or white magic. In this type of case when they move to a place that has had past energy they do what they call a "limpia" literally translates to a cleaning. This is done using different fresh herbs such as albahaca( basil) Romero (rosemary),Eucalipto (eucaliptus) they smoke a cigar as they rub the entire property with the herbs ,the cigar smoke and spitting rum into the entire place. That gets rid of all bad energy.
Carole, I sometimes feel that Feng Shui Consultants are like our Ghost Buster experts with their knowledge of energy.
Very interesting post. The positive energy part makes so much sense.
Carole- I have lived in a lot of different homes and somehow I always felt I could sense whether eachhouse had happy memories or not. I also felt we could improve those that were less than positive by the experiences my family and I had. Your post has significance for me.
Carole,
I am totally in tune with what you say...I often burn sage and do smudging in my own home in order to release any stale or negative energy (like that from an argument)...I'm not sure that I am doing it all in the correct feng shui manner, but I hope that if my intentions are pure, it will work anyway!
I think that my own father was one of those 'reluctant spirits' who did not want to pass...it all happened too quickly and he really fought it. During a recent psychic reading, he came through and I learned that he really doesn't believe that he is dead...I can honestly see how that could well be the case, although I hope that he will eventually move toward the light and find the peace that he seems to be eluding.
Thank you for sharing all of this!
Val
It is so interesting when showing homes that I always "feel" a certain energy. I know if a home is happy or not! I have to be careful because my clients may have a very different experience or not be concerned at all. I find all of this so very fastinating.
Carole: I know I have experienced energy whether positive or negative in homes before. I have gotten the feeling to leave a home as quickly as possible when showing some homes. In contrast, I've also gotten the feeling that a particular home felt special and safe. When one can sense this, it's quite an experience.
Hi Carole,
As others have said, many of us "feel" the energy of the people who have lived in a home and we get a sense of happiness or sadness and sometimes fear. Clearing the air for a new homeowner sure makes sense to me.
I lived in a house like that once in Denver, there were all kinds of strange things that were unexplained. The other tenants hired a professional to come in and they said the same thing, it was just energy in the house.
Fernando, I am not familiar with that but I do know across the world, many of the beliefs are basically the same. Feng Shui is not magic of course, it's the Mindful Art of Placement. Congrats on your anniversary btw :)
Gary, I was just near the place where they filmed Ghostbusters :) It's such a distinctive building, I don't know why I didn't remember it from the movie!
Kim, Just as there can be positive evergy in a space, sometimes it's not. It's a good thing to be aware of since you work in homes so often.
Eloise, I remember a while ago you had a terrific post that was featured but I can't find it. It was about angry or sad homes. You are more then welcome to put the link in if you have it, I would love for people to read that.
Val, It's all different perspectives that come down to the same thing basically. Energy is all around us, WE are energy and we all leave an imprint in our spaces. I have heard that from others as well, that you should tell a loved one they have crossed.
Joan, Some people feel it and are much more sensitive to the Energy of a home, a person, anything...while others just aren't. I don't know where the sensitivity comes from but I do wish I could turn it off sometimes!
Donna, I know those feelings, believe me. Sometimes it is just wonderful and just once, it was too difficult for me to give the consultation first...I did the clearings first--and then found out why; there had been a terrible tragedy in that home.
Cynthia, It makes sense to me as well. And I often can SEE a difference in clients or they will tell me they FEEL better--is that possible? they want to know? It is.
Kevin & Moncia, I am often not sure what is causing the feelings to be overwhelming at times but sometimes the homeowners know the history of the home---and they often relate it to their difficulties. Imprints are left behind.
Hi Carole....I too have sensed negative energy at times when showing homes....I have yet to have a Buyer purchase one where I had felt it!
Joan, That's so interesting. Some people can really feel it while others just are immune to it in some way!
I am familiar with the use of incense (particularly a sage bundle) being walked all around a home to cleanse it of the old energy. Incense are commonly used in many of the world's religions too. I had a close friend of mine have a very adverse reaction while we were visiting a friend at their home. It was the house I was told that had an overwhelmingly strange feeling. As I had spent a lot of time in that house, I was used to its very strong energy.
Rich, Some people are much more sensitive to the energy and it can literally affect them so much they can become ill. I'm not always sure what it is but I will do the clearings first if I feel that I have to. It's not usually the case at ALL, but it has happened.