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!
