by llenore | Feb 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
Feng Shui in the Year of the Fire Monkey is going to take on a whole new intensity. Recent years have been flowing and growing slowly since these are the qualities of the elements of metal, water and wood – the elements of the last six years.
Golden Opportunities in the Year of the Monkey
This year is the beginning of two years of “fire” energy and with it the qualities of fire become predominate. A few “fire” qualities are explosiveness, fast acting, burnout, burn-up, jumping boundaries and starting new from smoldering embers.
In the real estate industry these can be very challenging aspects. It is already an industry filled with explosive possibilities and explosive tempers. There is so much to oversee, one can easily become overwhelmed and burn out. It’s also easy to feel the need to swing from one branch or focus to another without missing a beat.
Leran more about how the Year of the Fire Monkey will impact the real estate industry at the talk at SILVAR on Wednesday, February 17 at 2 pm.
Location: 19400 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 100, Cupertino, CA.
RSVP at: ims.silvar.org or (408) 200-0100
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Linda
FengShuiChinaUpdateFeb2016-REVISE
by llenore | Feb 8, 2016 | Uncategorized
Gung Hay Fat Choy! –
Prosperous Chinese New Year of the Fire Monkey
Feng Shui has brought many cultural traditions and ceremonies I love with one of my favorites being the celebration of the Chinese New Year, especially the distinctions between the animals and the elements associated with each year. Today is the beginning of the Year of the Fire Monkey (February 8, 2016) and with it certain characteristics the monkey possesses.
Each year I research what the year might bring and share with my clients through my yearly teleseminar what to expect in as positive a way as possible in spite of the sometimes “dome and gloom” predicted by some. This year is no different, except I wanted to twist it around to make it exciting and encouraging.
Positive Qualities of the Monkey
As a spiritual coach as well as a Feng Shui Master, I’ve learned our future is determined by our mental outlook. As an entrepreneur I look at the potential to create in each year – what are the qualities most supportive for growth in my business during the year.
Celebrate the Beginning of the Chinese New Year , February 8, 2016
Here are some of the equalities associated with Monkey Years that can easily be utilized by business people and other professions for creative endeavors: Innovation, revolution, risking it all, health, grooming, exercise, environments, fitness and trickery. I include trickery in the form of fun and mischievous. Just be on the lookout for “get-rich-quick” schemes.
Qualities of Fire
There are five elements in the Asian tradition used in things like acupuncture and Feng Shui. They are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These elements rotate through the Yearly Animals of which there are 12 to form a 60 year cycle (12 years x 5 elements = 60 different possible combinations).
Some of the characteristics of fire are fast moving, able to jump from one area to the next, smolders then explodes, igniting spark, warming and fuel to cook. Hence, these two properties – fire and monkey come together to create an interesting mix of risk-taking, innovation, revolution and ADD.
How these work together
Be prepared for wonderful opportunities to come, yet leave just as quickly if you don’t act on them. Have a plan mapped out that you would like to take, and what risks you are willing to take, in order to achieve this outcome. Know that you probably won’t be taking that road, but since you have thought it through, you can act on opportunities that might move you closer to your goal.
Fire consumes paper. If you have clutter, definetely get rid of it so you don’t get caught in the flames or get burned by it. It is possible to have more burnout during “fire” years since there is more drive associated with this element than the others.
Clutter – A Must to Remove Or You Can Get Caught in the Fire!
Clutter can trap you in a blazing inferno. Remove all possibilities of this occurring by de-cluttering and organizing your home and office.
Let the fire in your heart (passion),
Light the path you are to take this year.
by llenore | Feb 3, 2016 | Uncategorized
Several years ago I started incorporating special rituals on Groundhog Day when I realized many significant milestones had happened on that date. Prior to this realization, it was just a fun thing to watch on the news.
Like the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, poke your head out to see your shadow or find the Light.
Groundhog Day is February 2. As most of you know the story goes that if the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, does not see his shadow on this day it will be an early spring. Well, folks, it is to be an early spring in 2016 since there was no shadow.
Fun stuff! Apparently Punxsutawney Phil has predicted 108 winters and 18 early springs in his 130-year history of predicting the weather. (I know, it doesn’t add up to 130. They don’t have records for the missing years.)
For me, the first time I realized a significant event in my life had occurred on this day was when I filed for divorce. The second was when I purchased my first house on my own, signing the offer and filling out the forms for a loan on February 2. Those are rather major life experiences.
Last year I celebrated the 25th anniversary as a single woman owning a home. I decided to throw a party for the realtors who have been avid supporters of my Feng Shui work allowing me to be able to afford my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I called it Groundhog Day Delight! We had a blast!
This year I couldn’t get a room on Groundhog Day, so I’m doing it a few days later. But what I was able to do on February 2 was a teleseminar. It is on the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Monkey.
My point here is to remember significant dates. Celebrate important accomplishments! Do something special to honor those life-changing events in your life!
How do you do this, you might ask? Go to a specialty coffee shop for your morning brew. Purchase an orchid for you home or office. Take a walk on the beach or a favorite trail. Prepare a favorite meal or bring home Chinese take-out, whichever is not the norm. Find some way to mark the date that is a “secret anniversary of the heart!”
Like a peacock spreading his feathers exposing the iridescent colors and his own uniqueness, celebrate the special events and “secret anniversary of the heart” with color, flare and joy as you expand your horizons by emerging from the dark tunnels of your soul and shining your Light for the world to see.
Your whole body remembers these dates even though you don’t think it does. I have friends in specialized fields who have documentation on this phenomenon. When not acknowledged, people become sick on those dates. When remembered and respected, wonderful life experiences occur.
Discovering special dates in your life feeds body, mind and spirit. Mark them down on your calendar. Find ways to honor them. Create rituals with meaning for the occasion at hand.
For me, Groundhog Day is a time for me to check on my shadow side and bring it to Light. It’s a time to celebrate taking action to care for myself. It’s about honoring my ability to think smart, plan for my future, be a responsible adult and home owner as well as acknowledging my personal and professional growth the past 26 years. It’s a time to thank those who have helped me along the way – to tell them how special they are in my life.
This is a ritual I will continue each year as a “thank you” to my friends and Higher Power for the many blessings bestowed on me in life.
by llenore | Feb 2, 2016 | Uncategorized
Feng Shui is an ancient art, science and philosophy from Asia that observes and evaluates environments minimizing negative energies while enhancing and optimizing positive energies.
The Chinese symbols for Feng Shui is WindWater. The words Feng Shui refer to Wind (Feng) and Water (Shui) respectively. We need wind to provide circulation, cooling our buildings during the hot months and distributing the seeds from plants to grow in more areas. We also need air to breath. We need water to drink, irrigate our food-baring plants, grow vegetation for shade and to be able to cleanse ourselves. These are probably the two most essential elements we need to live on this planet.
It creates buildings that are healthy, happy and harmonious for the occupants.
Confusion arises when a person discovers potential challenges and remedies from conflicting schools. There are about a dozen different schools with only a few common qualities between them, yet the ultimate goal is to create balance, good energy, prosperity, loving relationships, interesting careers and vitality.
Here is a quick guide to some of the schools:
Landform School – The original form of Feng Shui where the land formation was most important. Generally, we want the tallest mountain behind us, two shorter mountains on either side of us and a clear view over the valley toward water like an ocean or lake. We want protection from the elements with those mountains. We also want to have a view of commerce – the train station, airport or cargo ships.
Compass Direction – Based on the geographic region, the front door should face the best direction for view, climate protection and usage. In much of China it would be a house with the front door facing South.
Flying Stars – This school looks at the date when a house was completed. That will be the “birth date” of the house. This school also breaks the years into 20-year cycles. We are currently in Period 8, which started in February 2004 and ends the day before Chinese New Year in 2024.
Four Pillars – A person’s birthdate is used in this school to determine the best colors, elements, directions and shapes to have in their bedroom and office.
Chinese Zodiac Animal – There are twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac cycle. Most of 2015 was the Year of the Sheep/Goat/Ram. On February 8, 2016, we start the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Monkey. The characteristics of the animal play a large role in the type of year we’ll have. Some monkey qualities are: agile, mischievous, playful and easily distracted.
I’ll share more details about each of these schools and the Year of the Monkey in future posts.
by llenore | Dec 30, 2015 | Uncategorized
Last New Year’s Eve I started a tradition by doing a Home Blessing in my own home.
Create a Sacred Space on a table or counter about 3’x5′ in size using a special cloth or placemat.
I’m always so busy helping others clean the negative energy from their homes and set the correct energetics for their desired life outcomes, I sometimes find myself too tired to do my own home.
It’s like “the cobbler’s children have no shoes” in that the Feng Shui Home Blessing Master has a less-than-desireable-energy house. Not any more! I stay on top of the situation now!
Clear the Home of Negative Energy
Hence, this week you would find me cleaning the house by dusting and vacuuming (even under the beds and behind the heavy pieces of furniture), sorting through things, ridding my house of all things broken or no longer used, rearranging and organizing each room, using up leftovers and cleaning the refrigerator and clearing the home of unwanted, old and negative energy. (For more on this, check the previous post and future posts for the Chinese New Year.)
I’m lucky I have specific tools to use to clear the unwanted, old and negative energies. I call them Land Clearing Tools. I’ve gathered them from around the world during my training to be Masters of Feng Shui and Space Clearing. These are powerful tools used to shake loose, move and disperse energy. Even with these tools it takes several hours to move and change the energy.
Home Blessing Tips
Use colorful cloths, bells, chimes, water and salt as part of the sacred setting.
If you want to do a Home Blessing yourself, here are some guidelines:
- Go through your home and office with a discerning eye. Remove ALL objects you don’t love. Remove everything that is broken or in need of repair.
- Locate and create a “Sacred Space” on a table or counter. Place a special cloth, placemat or table cloth on table or counter large enough to create an altar about three feet wide by four or five feet long. This will depend on how much space you can on the counter and how large your home is. Typically I need about five feet for a 10-14 room home.
Prepare plates with flowers and candles on them in order to place them in rooms within the home.
- Place on this cloth or around it any bells or chimes you might have. Add any essential oils in spray bottles you would like to use to freshen and infuse the air. Have about 4-6 small dishes of salt you can place throughout the home for a few days. Gather small plates – one for each room in the home. Place a tea candle in a metal shell in the center. Place flower heads around the candle, but not touching it since it could catch fire and burn.
- Find any sacred objects you would like to decorate or add to the altar.
- When everything is on the altar, light the candles.
- Methodically go through your home with each item one-at-a-time. For instance, go through the house with just a bell. Then go through the house with just an essential oil. Then go through the home with the chime. Then place one of the plates with the lit candle in each room. If the candle goes out when you are transporting it, just relight it.
- Continue this process until you either feel the energy shift or you feel you want to end the ceremony. If you can, leave the plates with the candles in place until the candles burn themselves out.
- Be sure to give thanks and think loving thoughts the whole time you are doing this process.
If you’d like me to help you, contact me.
Please share your personal experiences in Home Blessings in the comment section below.
