Thanks to Lotus Haus (www.lotushaus.typepad.com) for turning me onto this gorgeous tree...
“Martha Stewart Living's Kevin Sharkey created this enchanting roost using an artificial bonsai.
Spray-painted gold and accented with glitter, it rises out of a traditional pot topped with moss and snow. Japanese-lantern ornaments provide a pleasing change of scale, but the crowning glories of this tree are the birds -- coated in glitter and grouped in flocks of like colors.”
1. Before you begin decorating and hosting parties, make certain you’ve cleared clutter and given the home a deep clean. Only keep the decorations that you truly love and let go of anything broken or that holds bad memories. Don’t over-decorate as that can block the flow of good chi for you and your family. Make physical and metaphoric space for the new! If you tend to get overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed or unable to focus, you might want to consider streamlining and having just a few decorations out.
2. Twinkling lights are an incredible way to bring vibrant energies and great happiness to you, your home and business. The opposing yet complementary energies of yin (winter, dark) and yang (bright lights) make for very powerful fortunate energy and generate goodwill. If you have a store front or restaurant, this is a great way to increase business as sparkling colored lights are very attractive to customers with their twinkling happy chi!
3. Use auspicious Feng Shui symbols and colors for your decorating to enhance the aspirations of the Bagua. Place your Christmas Tree, Solstice Tree or Tree of Life in the area of your life you wish to enhance. Now add the corresponding colors in candles, decorations, ornaments and electric lights to amplify the energy.
For example, place a live green tree in the prosperity corner of your living room and decorate with purple; green; and/or gold lights and glass balls. You could also add some ornaments representing prosperity such as gold fish or coins. Remember to hang your ornaments and lights with strong and heart-felt intentions for the transformation you wish to invite!
Some other ideas to enhance the areas of the Bagua:
· Helpful People Area: glittery, gold or silver candles and baubles; angels; gold or clear crystals; metal bells
· Fortunate Blessings and Prosperity Area: presents (the ones you’re giving and ones you received); chocolate Hanukkah gelt (money); purple, red, green and gold crystals, lights and glass balls; coins on red ribbon
· Spirituality and Wisdom Area: Three Wise Men; religious figures; blue crystals; burning frankincense and myrrh incense
· Fame and Reputation Area: stars, menorahs, candles; red crystals; Christmas tree with red lights
· Health Area: plants; bowls of fruits; wu lou ornaments
· Children and Creativity Area: dreidel; toys; bowls of ornaments; metal bells
· Relationship Area: pair of red poinsettas; sweet things; pink candles
· Family Area: Christmas tree; green ornaments; wooden nativity scenes
2. Give auspicious gifts of Good Fortune such as
· Feng Shui services
· Wish-fulfilling jewels
· Deities
· Objects with auspicious symbols
· Purses, wallets and billfolds with real money inside
3. Bring elements of nature inside your home such as having real log fires, burning fir and evergreen scented candles, a living tree that can later be planted, scented flowers, fresh citrus and so on.
4. Create sacred space for your deepest spiritual beliefs by creating a very special Holy Days altar where you’ll see it often and bring daily offerings. Having lit candles, lanterns or electric lights symbolizes the Light offered to peoples’ Gods or deities in this season.
Don’t miss part one of this article!
1. Consider contributing to ‘peace on earth and goodwill towards all’ with performing one act of loving kindness each day. You might also wish to offer cash donations to charities, spiritual teachers or organizations inside a red envelope (any style).
2. Balance the yin and yang of you and your environment.
If you tend to get exhausted, burnt out or stressed during the holidays, then make sure you get a lot of restorative and quiet time by doing less (not more!); taking naps; avoiding blinking or hot colored lights (go for the cooling blues); reducing the amount of décor you put out; and emerging in warm, aromatherapy baths before sleep and going to bed early.
However, if you tend towards winter melancholy or lack of the holiday cheer, bring in some yang chi by playing uplifting music; accepting invitations to be with friends; hosting your own parties; lighting fires; and using bright red blinking lights in your decor.
3. During the Holy Days, the amplifying of the physical light is a shining metaphor of welcoming the spiritual light. Physically, you can welcome the light in your home by having sparkling clean windows, shining mirrors, lit candles and fires, and having shiny lights and ornaments everywhere. Swarovski faceted crystal spheres (clear or colored) offer amazing light! I use lots of them during the holidays and love to sprinkle them on our dining table and altars along with mirrors and flickering candles—it’s incredible!
4. Reduce family and relationship stress by giving your home and business a good clearing of clutter and deep clean before you decorate. Then remove all sharp things pointed towards your body (“poison arrows”) such as sharp carving knives at the table or furniture with sharp edges too close together. Play beautiful sacred music, peel lots of fresh oranges and tangerines, meditate and be careful of too much fire energy. You can have bowls of water with floating blossoms or blue fairy lights to help cool things down.
5. Create a beautiful and abundant dining table. Ideally, your table should be oval or round or, if not, cover sharp corners with a tablecloth. When setting the table, use sparkling cutlery, china and glassware as well as lots of candles and crystals (on top of mirrors) for even more shine. If possible, place a mirror across from your table to ‘double’ the abundance of your feast (but don’t do this if it reflects and “doubles” your kitchen).
Don't miss Part Two!
If you wish to create a Feng Shui holiday tree, fill it with twinkling lights and symbolic ornaments of good fortune,and the family's zodiac animal signs, and place in the area of the Bagua you wish to enhance.
Twinkling colored lights are fantastic for generating yang chi, happiness, goodwill and business. Please use lots of light outside and inside this year to help generate poitive energy and good fortune!
I found this image over at www.hostessblog.com and it reminded me of the Feng Shui attributes of a peacock: activating Fame and Rcognition luck; and it's presence as a love potion for beauty and romance. Just sayin'.
A Feng Shui tip for your holiday tables--create the most beautiful, abundant, glittering table you can to pull in good chi for you and your guests! Think crystals, mirrors, jewel tone colors, fruits, metals and candlelight. Don't forget prayers of gratitude--the best Feng Shui of all is a wide-open heart!
Feng Shui firecrackers are symbolic talismans used for expelling or ‘blasting’ away harmful or negative energy (called “shar” or “sha” chi); protecting a home or business; and inviting an ‘explosion’ or a ‘sparking’ in an area of your life that wants enhancing.
Traditionally in China real firecrackers are used for the Chinese New Year, weddings, grand openings and for rituals in temples.
There is a secret transcendental ritual to create the “Five Buddha Firecrackers” which are an arrowhead grouping of 5 or 9 symbolic gold and red foil firecrackers used in your home and business.
They can be placed atop the frame of your front door or bedroom door to safeguard the home and prevent burglary or accidents. They are also very powerful for promoting your career, fame and wealth by placing in the respective trigrams of the Bagua of your business as you visualize your career taking off or your fame sky-rocketing.
Please contact me (info@10KBlessingsFengShui.com) if you wish to purchase these and learn the ritual for placement.
Welcome the energy of 2009 with open arms, great joy, beauty and festivity as you would a beloved friend and honored guest.
Chi rides the wind so bring in a gentle breeze of precious new life force by OPENING ALL THE DOORS AND WINDOWS at least ten minutes every day. Keep ringing bells, playing uplifting music, sacred music or nature sounds every day, too. Burn sandalwood incense daily.
FILL YOUR PANTRY AND FRIDGE full of healthy, vibrant and delicious foods.
Add lots and lots of SPARKLING LIGHTS and lit candles.
Send out invites for a special meal or CELEBRATION to occur during the two-week Lunar New year as joy and laughter are most excellent Feng Shui. Have a noisy, uplifting and happy party with an abundance of food, music and laughter!
Hang beautiful Swarovski round faceted CRYSTAL spheres in windows to life the chi and create gorgeous rainbows.
Hang a brass temple bell WIND-CHIME outside and to the side of your front entrance to ring in opportunities.
Bring in lots of GREEN HEALTHY PLANTS--you can make a path with nine of them from the front door to your bedroom.
Treat yourself to a BRAND NEW PURSE AND WALLET (red!) and fill with lots of cash (brand new, if possible). Add money from a rich person, three coins on a red ribbon and a lucky dollar.
Put fresh NEW CLEAN SHEETS on all the beds and replace the towels (or buy new ones).
Ladies, you'll like this one--buy a NEW RED OUTFIT for the New year celebrations! Also, get a hair cut or a new hair style.
FEED THE BIRDS as these sweet creatures symbolize the brining of good news and they lift the happiness chi around a home or business.
It's so close now to the Solar New Year and about a month until the Lunar New Year--it's time to prepare to make it your BEST YEAR EVER!
First, make physical and metaphoric space for FRESH CHI AND GOOD FORTUNE to come into your home, office and life. Time to clear all of the old stagnant chi and anything that depresses your life-force.
CLEAR OUT any and all of your clutter--just DO it! Please don't forget your purse, wallet, computer, paper files, emails, voicemails, the fridge and pantry. Make sure you clear underneath your bed, the front entrance, hallways and stairs. Toss all chipped, cracked or broken crockery.
Make space in your file drawers if you want MORE JOBS AND CLIENTS.
DEEP-CLEAN your house and office with aromatherapy cleaners and as you do so, imagine you are sweeping away all illness, obstacles, bad luck, negative attitudes, and everything causing grief, stress, anxiety or frustration to members of your household or office. Make sure to do your stove and desk. The entire space should be SPARKLING! And make sure all of the trash and recyling are emptied on New Years Eve.
Do a very simple BLESSING by opening all the windows and walking through each of your clean rooms in a clock-wise manner three times striking bells or singing bowls with sandalwood incense. If you wish, you can say prayers or mantras of your choice.
INCREASE THE LIGHT in your environment. Dust all of your light bulbs and replace with higher wattage and new lamp-shades, if needed. Clean your windows.
Deep clean your CAR inside and out--this is the vehicle that takes you forward in your life and career.
Move your FURNITURE placement, even if just three inches.
Pay off as many of your debts as possible and pay all of your current bills in full to set the intention of being DEBT FREE in 2009.
Refresh your "MOUTH OF CHI" (aka your front entrance) at your home and business. Clear anything blocking your entrance; give a coat of fresh paint to your front door in a bright color; and treat yourself to a new door mat.
Take care of your FENG SHUI CURES! Deep-clean your aquarium and water features and then fill with sparkling purified water. Put your crystal spheres overnight in salt water and wash under strong cold water in the morning. Refresh any weary red ribbons or strings on your cures.
MAKE AMMENDS with anyone with whom you've had a row or falling out.
And last, but definitely not least, please make a list of your ENERGY DRAINS: every thing, person, situation, habit, pattern, thought that drains and depletes your life force and happiness. Clear as many as you possibly can before the New Year and carry on with this until you're done. It's an incredibly potent and loving thing to do for yourself.
This year, give an auspicious Gift of Good Fortune such as a gift certificate for Feng Shui services or cures (see www.10KBlessingsFengShui.com/products )! You can also give the gift of deities, objects with auspicious symbols on them or purses and billfolds with real money (and a set of 3 Coins on Red Ribbon next to the cash) inside.
Today is the 15th day of the 1st Lunar Month and so ends the Festival of the Lunar New Year. It's origins come from celestial spirits flying around the first full moon and people would search for spirits by torches and later by lantern light. Round dumplings will be eaten symbolizing the first full moon in a night full of dragon dances, firecrackers and lantern parades.
Tonight is also called "Chap Goh Meh" which is like a Valentine's Day where single women throw mandarin oranges into the sea or river in hopes of finding a good husband.
Check out the wee video I made (over on the side bar of the blog) of photographs from different Lantern Festivals--enjoy!
One should be very mindful of how you spend New Years Day as it portends the rest of the year.
I had a fantastic day and did many of my favorite things (in no particular order):slept in; had an aromatherapy bath; spent time at my altars and in meditation; had a walk; received a massage; had a pedicure; had lunch at Pho Van; did some Feng Shui cures; wrote out a letter to myself dated Lunar New Year 2009 looking back on the year I had; had a late dinner with Gregory at Pok Pok and then a lovely date night!
Well,I hope you all had a fantastic Lunar New Year! I had a fabulous time and took some days off for a proper, full-out celebration and did every sigle custom and ritual ever known!
By 11pm on Chinese New Year's Eve, the house was clean and all the knives and brooms put away; my red wallet filled with cash; the bills paid; the Fook symbol hung upside down on the front door; red lanterns hung; offerings of red candles, spring flowers, incense, tea, sweets, gold ingots and oranges placed on all the altars.
Then Gregory and I began the rituals. First, "The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell" out in the windy and rainy (very Feng Shui, that wind and water!).
At Midnight, opened all the doors and windows to invite the New Year to come in (and say good-bye to last year), kept the red candles and incense burning and rang bells joyfully (since we didn't have fire-crackers nor did we think our town home neighbors would appreciate the banging on pots and pans).
Back outside for the "Welcoming the Wealth Gods" ritual and then inviting them in for tea and offerings.
We finished with "Changing the Chi of the Residence" and much to the relief of our Beloved Cat Buddha, went to bed around 2am weary and happy!
Now, now my dear friends is the time to finish up your preparations for the Lunar New Year--you still have five days left to clear out all that old chi from Year of the Pig and make way for the new zodiac sign (Rat) to arrive with fresh, auspicious beginnings: 1. Deep clean, clear clutter (and don't forget your car!) 2. Pay off as may of your debts as possible and pay all of your current bills in full to set the intention of being debt-free in 2008. 3.Treat yourself to a new purse or wallet (go red!) and fill it with cash 4. Fill up your (clean!) fridge with lots of food 5. If you keep a rice urn, put a new red envelope with currency in the bottom of the urn and fill to the brim with rice 6. Buy nine large oranges and place in center of dining table 7. Cut your hair 8. Buy new red clothes 9. Resolve any quarrels 10. Decorate with fresh spring blossoms and blooming plants to symbolize re-birth 11. Put Spring Couplets outside your front door your home 12. Hang red lanterns 13. Feed the birds 14. Store away all brooms and mops (so you don't sweep away your luck) and make sure sharp knives and scissors (which could cut your thread of fate) are hidden away You'll hear from me again for the New Year's Eve and Day tips...
Today is the 15th day of the 8th lunar month where people all over the world celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
This festival of gratitude for the summer harvest is remembered with Full Moon gazing (looking for Chang Er, the Chinese Moon Goddess), lighting incense, carrying brightly-lit lanterns and most happily of all, eating moon cakes (a yummy, rich pastry filled with sweet fillings of bean, melon or lotus-seed paste, dates, nuts and sometimes, cooked duck egg yolks) often with thirteen piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a complete year.
May your remembering of your thanksgivings be full and joyful!
