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.
by llenore | Dec 28, 2015 | Uncategorized
This time of year I’m busy preparing energetically for the New Year. The traditional “goals” have been set.
Window paper-cut is one of the most popular folk arts in China. Most of the contents represent the life of the Chinese farmers. They would include textile work, fishing, shepherding, livestock feeding, tillage, etc. The people display these in their windows during the festivals as symbols of their desired outcomes in life. It is a wish for a “wonderful life!”
Now is the time to “Set the Stage for Success” throughout your office and your home.
A couple of quick tips to remove or rid your environment and energetic connections to the last year are:
- Pay off any and all debts you can before the New Year. This will clear any old energy from last year allowing you to enter the New Year unencumbered by financial indebtedness.
- Clean (vacuum, dust and organize) as much as you can BEFORE New Year’s Day. This will allow you a fresh start – again, unencumbered by this current year’s energy allowing for a clean slate on which to create a strong foundation for next year.
- Clean your bedroom by dusting everything and putting clean, fresh sheets on your bed. Be sure to clean under your bed as well to delete stagnant energy hiding beneath it.
- Clear out all leftovers from your refrigerator BEFORE the New Year. We don’t want to ingest the energies from the past year.
- Get rid of the old staples and purchase new ones for a fresh start. The four staples are flour, rice, sugar and salt. Give old unopened staples to a food bank. Any open items you can give to a friend, neighbor or relative since it will be “new-to them.”
I’ve put in CAPS the word “BEFORE” on a couple of these. The reason for this is two-fold.
- We want to have the energy be new, clean and fresh before the New Year begins.
- We also don’t want to be doing the work on New Year’s Day for it is said that whatever you do on New Year’s Day you will be DOING ALL YEAR LONG! Do you want to be cleaning all year long? I know I don’t.
I like to spend time with family, play in my garden, travel to both old favorites and new places as well as spend time on introspection through mediation and writing. I plan my New Year’s Day to accommodate these.
What kind of things do you want to be doing all year long? Please share your comments.
by llenore | Dec 21, 2015 | Uncategorized
Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, is upon us bringing with it a time to reflect on the past year, to deepen commitments to ourselves and others, to decide on the goals worthy of our attention for the coming year and to count our blessings as we connect to the natural evolution of the seasons through nature.
The centering affect of the fireplace in our home is the perfect focal point for the Winter Solstice. Today is the longest, darkest day of the year. With tomorrow returns the Light. During this time of year we often focus on the things we don’t have or that didn’t come to pass for us. There may be sadness from the loss of a loved one. Remember, tomorrow is the beginning of expanding Light, Love, Hope and Joy!
I haven’t written my blog for months, for which I deeply apologize. I have been writing, just not here.
This last year brought a multitude of exciting changes and delicious possibilities – too many for me to list here. Yet I will say you will be able to read more from me on a regular basis. I’m now a contributing author to a magazine – both print and digital – called Thriving Women in Business.
The opening topic for the first two months of the year is Make It Your Best Year Ever! I already have six articles written in a series for the digital magazine (one each week in January and the first part of February) and one to launch the print magazine. More on this in future blogs.
Mid-year a very dear friend of mine passed away, Robert Fish, PhD. He was instrumental in encouraging me with my spiritually-based presentations. One of the points about life he shared in his last podcast was, “Don’t die with your gift still inside!” Within a couple of days both before his passing and afterwards I had the title for a new book and several dozen chapter titles.
The Universe conspires with us when we are ready to take the journey and do the tasks needed to accomplish our life purpose. In this case there was a writing contest called Transformational Author’s Experience. We were to write the proposal for our book along with the first chapter and a comparative book analysis.
I entered the contest along with 3000 other people from around the world. There were 15 prizes awarded. I recently learned I was the recipient of one of those prizes. The book continues to evolve with great passion within me.
I’ve been asked to do a number of speaking engagements, some of which require written proposals. I’ve also applied to teach these same workshops as CEU classes for several industries.
Just a week ago I learned I have been selected again as a presenter to the prestigious San Francisco Flower and Garden Show 2016 in mid-March. I’m excited for the opportunity plus the book signings to follow it.
My health is improving constantly for which I am eternally grateful. With the torn ligament in my foot two years ago I was unable to do much of the work I love as well as not able to do presentations. I’m so excited to be back on track to share.
In the meantime I started creating online courses to serve the many requests I have for learning Feng Shui from my perspective. Many angels have come into my life to help fulfill this venue with ease.
The health of my love, Hilory, continues to improve. We have enjoyed several trips together, worked more on finishing our home remodel and growing deeper in love each day, if that is possible.
My grandsons live close to me and I am able to spend time with them on a regular basis. This in itself is a joy. Watching them grow, seeing them learn and making decisions about their lives are gifts. This part of my life is all the more precious when you know I had a son who died 30 years ago at the age of 13 years. I try to pay attention to life in order to not let the sacred in the everyday slip through my fingers unnoticed.
I share this photo of my fireplace as a symbol for the Winter Solstice. This fireplace was just a wall with the gas insert a year ago. Now it has a mantle from East Coast reclaimed white oak barn wood, an Ansel Adams’ black and white photo of Half Dome in Yosemite framed above the mantel and Christmas decorations.
I took this photo tonight. It represents the Light of tomorrow showing up in our lives in many ways. Even when things are darkest, there is always Light someplace. We just need to look for it. Hilory and I found the wood for the mantle about 8 years ago. Last year we traveled to Yosemite for our vacation – the first in 12 years – where we purchased the Ansel Adams photo. Several of the Christmas decorations came from Filoli, a place I enjoy and a place that holds special meaning to both Hilory and myself.
I’m truly blessed.
Where are the dark places in your life? What can you do to focus on the Light around you? Today is the longest, darkest 24-hour period of the year. Tomorrow brings with it more Light, Hope and Love!
Bless you!
