I first met Dana Claudat a few years ago through a mutual mentor. Dana is a feng-shui and wellness expert. It sounds a bit silly, but Dana’s warmth, calm and energy makes you feel relaxed and welcome as soon as you meet her. Dana’s passionate about transforming spaces to help fuel personal transformation. At its core, Dana teaches how to thrive and overcome obstacles that repeatedly get in the way in order to move you closer to a happier, stress-free and empowered existence. It’s pretty powerful stuff. Here’s what she had to say about all things love, sex and dating – and here’s what she had to say about clearing out the junk after a breakup!
What do you do and why do you do it?
I’m a very modern feng shui master & wellness expert. I help people create more space and beauty and intention in their homes and lives. I do what I do because I realized that every single person has so much to bring to the world and many many struggle to overcome obstacles, feel empowered, peaceful and confident. It’s not the easiest world to navigate without tools, and it’s my joy to share as much as I can to help people design their own best ways of living, loving and thriving.
What’s the best gift you ever got?
A tiny, valuable, beautiful sculpture of an egg.
What’s the worst gift you ever got?
A book from a guy on a first date that was basically pornography.
What’s your advice for all things love, sex and dating?
While nothing’s perfect, we all need to be able to be ourselves and feel safe and at ease in love.
From a feng shui perspective, clear space makes such a difference. When your life is clear of baggage, when you’re free of your own traumas, when you’re clear about what you want, when you have your life in a state of order… it’s so much easier to bring someone clear.
What’s your go to pick me up?
I go to my Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist temple and chant till I feel like I’m floating…!
Tell us about your first heartbreak…
Oh…my first hearbreak was too sad. I was super-shunned, bullied and found myself the hapless target of very mean, jealous girls who wanted to date my very first boyfriend. It was so bad and I wasn’t tough enough to stand up for myself almost every day so I left New Jersey and moved to a new school in California. I always wondered what would have happened if I stayed. I felt like it was this unfair twist of fate, and even though I lost that relationship, it prompted me to learn to hold my own and avoid all mean girls! He came to my house all the time when I was gone… he wanted to pick me up from the airport on his motorcycle when I moved back… I was only 13. It was all very romantic, overwhelming and heartbreaking. I think he actually married his next girlfriend.
Tell us about a time you Bounced Back better than ever
I had a very very very shocking breakup a few years ago and I sort of flipped out. It was one of those “rug pulled out from under me” times.
I tried everything from homeopathic pellets to healers to days on the beach crying… and it all made me feel much better, but not really ever wanting to date another person again, ever!
Forgiveness was the start. Lots of grieving. It took about a month, but the day I decided to take all my energy and all this work I do and share it wider- to create video courses, online camps, events and create and create and create- I set something in motion that healed me, freed me and became so much bigger than I ever imagined. Helping people in a bigger way and getting into big creative challenges woke up my whole life in a way that I needed to wake up. That very shocking breakup set me on the most positive, productive, exciting and awesome track….. And… The man that came next was very different, in a very great way!
