At My SachaJi wellness ecolodge it is impossible to miss the sense of balance and flow of energy around the grounds. While that is due, in part, to the beautiful surroundings and tranquil, supportive atmosphere created by our team, the effect is no accident: the entire hotel, from the bedrooms to the organic orchard, was designed with feng shui values in mind.

What is feng shui?

Feng shui is the management of energy within a space. A combination of ritual, science and art, feng shui was developed in China some 3,000 years ago, and has become a set of guiding principles of how to balance energies in a space to ensure good fortune in health, career, and overall happiness.
The mystic practice subscribes to the Taoist idea that the earth is a living being, filled with Chi, or energy. The name itself comes from the natural: feng meaning “wind” and shui meaning “water,” and far more than a mere aesthetic exercise, it is a powerful tool in improving your wellbeing, from your creativity to your love life.

How does feng shui work at My SachaJi

There are a number of ways in which feng shui is at work at our Otavalo hotel, always operating in harmony with the natural surroundings.

My SachaJi was designed with five core feng shui elements:

• Fire – the bonfire where we gather at night to listen to folktales and enjoy infusions of fresh herbs from our organic garden
• Water – the Jacuzzi overlooking the San Pablo where you will find the ying-yang, a symbol that signifies the balance of darkness and light and that can also represent union
• Earth – the organic vegetable and herb garden is designed in five circles that symbolize the body in tantric numerology
• Wind – the ribbons tied to trees, dancing in the breeze
• Mandala – a symbol that represents the universe

Constructions are rounded or curved to encourage the flow of energy, preventing it from being blocked in a certain place. This formation also promotes balance in case of earthquakes, a trait that is also helped by the floors made of recycled tires for thermic and seismic insulation.

Meanwhile, the sacred geometric figure of the flower of life, paved in stone in the entrance to the reception, is a graphical expression of the connections between all living beings and with the life force itself.

Feng shui guides that the cleaner the room the more the mind may rest, meaning that decorations are modest within the room. Two llamas help to clear the grass, and by spitting clean the energy.

There are several powerful energetic spaces on the site, where it is possible to feel the flow of energy in the form of a slight heat. One of these was revealed a few years ago by the teacher Guru Dev during the inauguration of the ecolodge. The guru said that the energy radiating from the Imbabura volcano was so powerful that some of it needed to be returned. By placing a triangular mirror at the spot where the energy converges, some of this is reflected back.

The second, and central energetic point is the seat of the patron of My SachaJi, where the guardian of the hillside resides. Once again, the concentration of energy increases the heat at this point,and we honour itby laying milk and flowers.

In the living room we sustain the balance with photos that represent gods from different religions, while the yoga room, a place of meditation and relaxation, continuously plays mantras to promote peace, equilibrium, and invigoration.
A further principle of fengshui dictates where metal and wood should be placed as symbols of protection or prosperity, while the colours of flowers correspond to the chakras, beginning with red and finishing in purple or blue, all which can be spotted around the hotel.