by llenore | Mar 25, 2015 | Uncategorized
Spring has officially started and with that there are several things we can do to create fresh energy in our homes, thus moving the desired energy we want to fill our lives using Feng Shui principles. I’ve shared some of these with you as part of the Chinese New Year celebration. If you haven’t read those, please click here.
Paper cut red lantern
In Northern California, where I live, we have had gorgeous, warm weather for several months. (Yes, we are concerned about the drought). Spending time outdoors, there is a tendency to ignore the needs of the home inside. But knowing the house is a symbolic model for our body, cleansing is a good thing to do this time of year.
Here’s a list of 5 things to do to change the old energy and improve your life.
- Clean around all the doors. They are the main location where energy enters the home. Sweep up the leaves. Pull the weeds from around the walkways leading up to the doors. Wash off the door and polish the handles. Oil the hinges.
- Windows may be the eyes to the soul and in Feng Shui they are literally our eyes. It’s time to clean the windows to let the sun shine in. Washing off the screen will allow FRESH air to enter more easily. It also improves the visibility. I can’t tell you how much more light enters my rooms after cleaning mine! We’ve done a lot of remodeling, so the construction dust has clogged the screens. It’s extremely freeing and uplifts the home with the crisper views and fresh air.
- Get rid of any catalogs you have left from the holiday shopping frenzy. This is LAST YEAR’S ENERGY! We don’t want to keep any more of the Year of the Horse energy around. It is too wild and scattered. We are creating a year of comfort, compassion and peace for our families. Shopping is not an integral part of this Sheep year’s energy.
Fresh Roses
- According to this year’s Yearly Animal Feng Shui, several locations receive tremendous benefits from fresh flowers. And who doesn’t enjoy fresh flowers? Here’s the Year of the Sheep link to find out more for only $36 instead of the website price of $97.
- Spring cleaning is something most of us do just because it feels so much better. In Feng Shui, there is additional meaning behind many of the tasks we perform. Cleaning bathrooms supports our health. Vacuum under the beds to get a good night’s sleep (and please don’t store anything under the bed). Remove clutter from the center part of the house to reduce stress, improve heart function and bring more love into the home, infusing family members with this heart-felt energy.
This might take a little while to do. Yet every little change you make will exponentially improve the quality and vitality of your home and your life!
by llenore | Mar 1, 2015 | Uncategorized
Sharing Sacred Spaces Sunday with you is very special to me. I often go through life so focused on the “To Do” list, which always keeps growing, I forget to be grateful for all that I have and all that surrounds me. Today, I’m taking time to share one area of my home on which I focused and created a sacred space today.
Sacred Space Sunday Buffet
Here is a buffet we have in our living room. Last year at this time it was stacked to overflowing with papers. During one of my summer “Clutter Buster” programs last year I directed my attention to clearing it. It has been clean ever since. It had the usual holiday decorations on it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then I changed everything to have a “clean start” for the Western New Year.
Today I put fresh flowers on the right side of the buffet. I had purchased them for one of my client’s Space Clearings, which was rescheduled. So I get to benefit from these lovely flowers instead.
On the left side of the buffet are some long cut branches just starting to flower. Most are branches from pruning my plum tree, but there are a couple of pear branches I cut today in there as well. I’ve tried to do this every year for about 4 years without success, but this year both the branches in bloom and I were in sync. PLUS, having the clean buffet allowed me a place to put them, which is one reason I haven’t had them the last couple of years.
Other items on the buffet are a beautiful blue vase, an ammonite, eagle and bear stone carving from my first Feng Shui class in Toronto, Canada in 1998, a hand-painted ceramic plate from Italy, star candle holders, carved-wood words of “HAPPY” and “PEACE” and finally a wooden wishing well hand-made by my 12-year-old son, Jeff a year before he died.
I haven’t had a place to display several of these items since we started a remodel nearly 13 years ago.
Do you have a SACRED SPACE? What do you have put away that you could bring out to create a special place for nurturing your soul? What brings joy to your heart and fills you with happiness and peace?
Find a place today – even if it is a small area – to create a beautiful, heart-centered, positive energy altar.
For me, THIS is truly a SACRED SPACE on this most magnificent SUNDAY!
by llenore | Feb 19, 2015 | Uncategorized
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Among other things, Feng Shui taught me to celebrate the seasons, moon cycles, cultural heritage, rituals and ceremonies. Let’s welcome the 2015 Chinese New Year – the Year of the Goat, Ram or Sheep. Most people I know are glad to see the end of last year and the beginning of a new year.
2015 Chinese New Year
As the Lunar New Year starts there is a shift in energy from the qualities of the previous animal to the qualities of the new animal. Last year was a “horse” year with all the energies associated. Some of my new clients – those who had not worked with me, hence they didn’t balance the energies within their homes and businesses – said the past year was like “wild horses running amok” and there wasn’t any way I could control them. Many people were working hard as horse and carrying heavy burdens as horses can do. And there was a hesitation to jump over hurdles even when a person could see the “grass was greener on the other side of the fence.”
Do any of those statements sound like the energy of the past year to you? If so, you may want to consider learning more about the energies in and around your environments in order to balance them and take advantage of the great qualities this next year has in store for us.
“Kids” cutting loose! Relax and Let Go of all that no longer serves you. Have Fun!
The Year of the Sheep is very much about communication and hearing all that is being said including that which is being withheld. It was during preceding “sheep” years that “peace talks” and nuclear weapons treaties have been signed.
Another quality about sheep or goats is their ability to climb rocky cliffs as they get to better pastures. But in order to climb those cliffs, they can’t be carrying heavy loads. Our goal this year is one to release all that is weighing us down, whether that be items, negative people, limiting beliefs or anything else that is a heavy burden. It is a year of “Letting Go!”
Goats grazing in pasture
There are greener pastures where we can graze with the others in our herd. Another way to put this is “family, friends and your tribe” are an area of comfort and contentment for the year. Plus, we are not to be worrying about everyone else. This is a year to “TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST!”
Relax and Nurture Yourself During the Year!
Sheep and goats are symbols of nurturing. Goats can give us milk, which makes wonderful cheese as some of you saw me post over the weekend. Sheep provide wool, a natural material that insulates very well – keeping the hot or cold from reaching us.
If last year you felt fractured, lost track of our vision, or worse yet, lost who you are at your core, this year can be a much better year for you. Just remember to let go of that which no longer serves you, climb to a higher ground where you can see your vision and then gently – without carrying the weight of others with you – make you way to the pastures where you can contentedly wander with kindred spirits grazing on the fruits of the land while a Higher Power watches over you.
Again, Gung Hay Fat Choy – HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
