by llenore | Mar 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
Earlier today I was discussing the Year of the Snake when the topic of St. Patrick’s Day came up. I remembered the story about St. Patrick supposedly getting rid of the snakes in Ireland. Since I’m an Irish lass doing Feng Shui, I thought there might be an interesting tie-in. Sure enough there is.
Sometimes in Feng Shui we are trying to get rid of “bad Feng Shui or old energy.” In literature, snakes represent evil. St. Patrick drives the snakes out of Ireland which symbolically means he drove out the old and evil ways, thus bringing in the new age. With Feng Shui we are bringing in new, fresh energy into an environment.
Snake years portend transformation – some of which can be brought about through what seems to be evil forces or bad luck.
The snake also sheds its skin, symbolic of shedding our old ways which leads to transformation. While doing transformative work, we are often very vulnerable. The snake is very vulnerable when it sheds its skin. During this snake year it behooves us to be gentle on ourselves, and others, during these transitional times.
Communication is challenging for many of us in the best of times. During the snake’s shedding of its skin, which is pulled over its head, it can’t open its mouth. Plus it has a “forked tongue” – a symbol of not speaking truthfully.
In order for the snake not to starve during this shedding, it must eat a whole mouse or prey. On the good side of snake years, we associate the plentifulness of food in the house during these years.
Back to the eyes: Now add the term “snake eyes” – a term used when the outcome of rolling the dice in a game and only getting one pip on each die. “The pair of pips resembles a pair of eyes, which is appended to the term ‘snake’ because of the long-standing association of this word with treachery and betrayal.” (Wikipedia)
The term snake eyes also refers to looking one way and passing the ball the other way in some games. We now have blindness, deceit, treachery and betrayal energy for the year of the snake – often thought of as bad luck years.
But wait, there is hope!
Here comes the Irish with their myths of good triumphing over evil. There’s the four-leaf clover for good luck and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Want more good luck? Add a little “blarney” along with a three-leafed shamrock representing the Holy Trinity (Father, Son & Holy Ghost), which were probably spread by well-meaning monks centuries after St. Patrick’s death on 17 March 461.
To find how you can overcome the negative energies occurring during this Year of the Snake and bring “the Luck O’ the Irish” into your life, you can spend a little “green” ($36) for my Year of the Snake MP3 to find your “golden” opportunities within your home and buildings.
And I leave you with an Irish proverb as we approach St. Patrick’s Day:
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
by llenore | Feb 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
Last week I was fortunate to spend time participating in Mardi Gras along with Fat Tuesday with family and friends in Southern California, some of which was celebrated at Disneyland and Downtown Disney. It was a time of festivities, childlike joy, wonder and playfulness as well as acknowledging the true riches of life.
Many years ago I was told I’d never walk again. The world as I had known it came to an end – a transformation I’m blessed to have experienced, especially since today I am able to walk normally without pain. I know I am extremely fortunate having experienced this inability to give me a perspective most people never have. I strive to remember and cherish every moment I live filled with gratitude for my health.
While dancing and singing to the jazz parades during the Mardi Gras celebrations, I realized the three primary colors used as the Mardi Gras colors represent not only the colors of wealth, as in money, but the colors of wealth, as in health.
Green is for the paper money we use in the United States. Green is also the color of growth and vitality. Gold represents the gold bullion. It also is the Golden Light of healing in many cultures. Purple, the hardest color to create in ancient cultures and, henceforth, was the most expensive color making it so only royalty could afford it, brings a richness to our lives. In many religious practices it represents the qualities of spirituality.
So here I was at Disneyland, dancing and signing with my children and grandsons who are growing healthy and strong. I’m watching the Golden Light of their joy fill the air with delight while awakening to a higher level of spiritual consciousness myself.
How, you might ask, does one experience spirituality at Disneyland? Well, it is a location of “magic and make believe” is it not?
I experienced through the wonder of children of all ages. Looking into the eyes of parents and children alike, we see the dreams they hold in their hearts. Little girls and boys dressed in costumes of princesses, pirates and racer car drivers. Moms and dads watching the children they have brought here – either into this world or into the Magic Kingdom – express their inner spiritual essence.
What a rich experience this was! Remembering how at one time I thought I might not be able to walk again and here I was running and playing with my grandsons. Feeling the joy and laughter they held in their hearts when they saw Mickey Mouse or road on the Materhorn bobsled. Seeing the dreams I have held in my heart materialized before my eyes – generations of life unfolding in a Divine plan.
Money is the material we use to purchase things in our society, but the true colors of wealth are health, vitality, Light and spiritual awareness.
by llenore | Feb 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
Entrance to street at Disney’s California Adventure on Chinese New Year, February 10, 2013
A week ago the beginning of the Chinese New Year of the Snake occurred bringing with it the release and shedding of old thoughts and ways of doing life. Some might think this is bad. In reality, it is a wonderful opportunity to move forward instead of being stuck, yet some people don’t like change.
The Year of the Dragon was all about “new” – new jobs, new homes, new relationships, new families, new businesses, new ways of doing what has been done before. A phrase I heard was “reinventing” – something I saw happening in my life most of the year. The symbolism of the dragon is powerful since it is a way to “burn up” old energy and greet the new.
With this coming year being the Year of the Snake, some people are really nervous about what might be ahead for us. “Snake” people often refer to their year as that of the “Little Dragon” to set the tone for a more appealing thought in other’s minds. Using either name is permissible. The word “dragon” brings a sense of power with it.
This coming year is a powerful year of transformation. It might happen gently or abruptly. The Berlin Wall came down during a Year of the Snake. It also was a “Snake” year when the Twin Towers came down. Both of these were powerful statements of change in our world.
When transformation occurs we often are not prepared for it. One of the many things each of us can do is to look at our lives and be grateful for what we have right now – the people in our lives, things we have or do, and our own self-knowledge of who we are. Looking back at the transformations we have gone through – especially how we handled the radical changes in our lives in late 2001 to early 2002 – would be beneficial.
Finances and communication are going to be big issues along with transformation in this coming year. Saving for “rainy days” and being frugal would serve many of us well. Taking interpersonal communication classes or learning to listen rather than talk will benefit us in our personal relationships as well as professionally.
More about the above photo:
Here is the entrance to one of the alley streets at Disney’s California Adventure all decked out in celebratory attire or red and gold with Chinese lanterns, firecrackers, gold coins and of course Mickey Mouse’s head in red and gold. Bringing in the Year of the Snake – Disney style.
This can be a fabulous year for transforming our lives toward our dreams by slowly moving back and forth to gather various viewpoints rather than running “full speed ahead” straight at them.
Earlier today I was discussing the Year of the Snake when the topic of St. Patrick’s Day came up. I remembered the story about St. Patrick supposedly getting rid of the snakes in Ireland. Since I’m an Irish lass doing Feng Shui, I thought there might be an interesting tie-in. Sure enough there is.
