Whether you chat with one God or twelve gods, lack faith in a god or worship an ever-present god, rely on evil eye trickery or respect the divinity within yourself and others—religious or spiritual relics are most likely adorned (or tucked away) somewhere in your nest. Why are we draw to them and why do we enjoy collecting such memorabilia? Do we crave a sense of belonging or do we feel more secure that some higher power is watching over us?

My grandmother cherished her cloister of Byzantine icons on her dresser. They infused her with pleasure and ignited her with conversations about her faith, but somehow the biblical fables always tied to her past experiences of her younger years in her village. I adored the stories she recited and I can still imagine her animated arms and dancing feet as if she is narrating her legends in front of me now.

One day I received a package and was deliriously surprised when I opened it to discover all her gilded icons cushioned in styrofoam peanuts to endure their cross-country journey. Truly honored that they were bestowed onto me, they are displayed collage style on a wall where I view them every morning and every night, reminding me of her pathos. 

I also have a few Buddhas, fertility goddesses, Hindu deities, rice goddesses, crystals, elephants (symbol of wisdom, luck and loyalty) and dragons (representing the universe, life, existence, and growth.) They are sprinkled about my nest and welcome positive energy and strengthen my spiritual, physical and mental space for new experiences to enter my life. 

Collections of theme items, relics, or keepsakes are wonderful if they make you happy but beware of invading your space with them. Maintain your artifacts in a special location or thoughtfully arrange them in various rooms that won’t overcrowd or block energy inside of your nest so that all areas of your life may flourish.

Attract and strengthen the energy of symbols that you are familiar with— symbols that you emotionally respond to. The stronger your connection with these symbols the better their feng shui application in your space. The energy you direct can be expressed in endless ways and it is up to you to choose the most powerful feng shui energy items. Always choose what you bring into your nest wisely and remember to allow your space to evolve and be an expression of who you are in the moment.