Newsletter Archive

Newsletter - Spring 2010

Happy Spring Equinox, March 20. There are several major celebrations during spring. March 21 is the Persian New Year, “Nowruz”, Jewish Passover, March 30 and for Christians, Easter Sunday, April 4. There is also South African Freedom Day, April 27, Cinco de Mayo and Buddha’s Birthday, Wesak in May. Their themes correlate to the Feng Shui season of Chen – Family and Shun – Wealth. The element is wood.

Chen is the principal feeling that spring evokes: new life, fresh start, begin again, renewal. To activate Chen and Shun in our lives recall the glorious Tree of Life in the movie “Avatar”. Two profound themes in the movie were, “we are all connected” and “everything is energy”. Trees (wood) are connected to and supported by earth. Their growth is dependent on water from winter rains and snow and fire from the energy of the sun. Trees are considered the lungs of the earth. They help the planet breathe by turning carbon dioxide into pure oxygen and keep the planet cool.

Renewal
Consider Haiti as a metaphor for us. The devastating earthquake destroyed an already shaky infrastructure. Combine the spirit and resilience of the Haitian people with the millions of aid dollars, and there is now an opportunity for Chen – new foundations and new beginnings to arise from the rubble. In the past year, many of us have experienced a “Haiti” to some degree in our lives. Job loss, illness, shrinking financial portfolio, death of loved ones or other cracks in our foundation. And now is the time for renewal.

Connection
Reflect on your ancestral connections. What skills, talents, and positive traits have you inherited from them? Perhaps my ability to focus and be fierce in the face of adversity comes both from my martial arts training and from the samurai heritage of my mother’s lineage. The resilience of the Jewish people has been retold for centuries at Passover. This inherited trait is reflected in my husband and his approach to life. We strengthen Chen – Family our foundation, and ability to “begin again” when we take the time to appreciate and feel gratitude for our ancestors.

Shun – Wealth
Shun is our ability to open to abundance and prosperity.
Trees share their life force as they spread their branches and explode with new growth. They become habitat for birds and other animals. Fruit trees offer both visual beauty and tasty fruits.

Consider how many trees provided the wood for the desk or chair you may be sitting on, or the structure of your home or building. There are many ways that trees are a metaphor for prosperity and abundance. In our western culture, it’s easy to get seduced into thinking that our wealth is related just to money. Yet when we look at Nature in her full spring regalia, we can sense that wealth is so much more. “Why are you anxious….consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet King Solomon in all his glory is not arrayed like one of these” (Matthew 6:28)

Count Your Blessings
Are you ever amazed at how the Internet instantly connects us to the international community? Everything we taste, touch, hear, smell connects us to something or someone. In the March issue of Oprah, she interviews Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. He says, “many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive. With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in the moment. It is possible to live happily in the here and now.” To connect with our body, he says, “Practice the exercise of breathing in, I’m aware of my eyes; breathing out, I smile to my eyes and realize that they are still in good condition. There is a paradise of form and colors in the world. And because you have eyes still in good condition, you can get in touch with the paradise. Breathing in, I’m aware of my heart. Breathing out, I smile to my heart and know that my heart still functions normally. I feel grateful for my heart.” Oprah responds, “So it’s about being aware of and grateful for what we have….and not just the material things but the fact that we have our breath.”

In a “Flower Fresh” meditation Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us “humans are born as flowers. Our eyes are like flowers. Our lips can be a beautiful flower, especially when we smile. This is a flower we can offer to anyone, any time. Just breathe in and out, and smile. You have one flower to open. Your eyes can smile too. So when you look at someone and smile with your eyes, you offer two flowers. And when you smile with your mouth, you offer three flowers.”

Practical Tips

1. Another chance to spring clean. If cash flow is slow, pay particular attention to the Shun – Wealth areas. This is the far left area as you enter your property, building, home and room. If you have a garage, shed or closets in this area, pay particular attention to keeping it clean.

2. Purple is the Shun color. Add purple orchids to Shun areas of your home or office OR any images, symbols, art that makes you feel abundant.

3. Give a boost to your existing home or office plants with organic fertilizer or add new green plants, such as jade, lucky bamboo and money plants (philodendron scandens).

4. Green is the Chen color. As it symbolizes growth, green is a good color especially for businesses. Use this color in your home, anytime you want to add spring energy.

5. Add fresh flowers to any space to enhance the energy. And remember to smile and offer the beauty of you, as a bouquet of flowers to yourself and to the world.

Feng Shui and Energy Clearing is about transformation. If you need help in any area of your personal or professional life, please contact me for a life enhancing consultation.

Newsletter - Chinese New Year 2010

Welcome, the Year of the Tiger. Not just any tiger, but the Golden or White Tiger. The reference to “gold” suggests this is an extraordinary, noble, King of the Beasts. It is also associated with the Chinese God of Wealth. Those born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 are said to be vivacious, impulsive, optimistic, restless and geared for action. They are playful, passionate, sentimental, possessive and romantic. They make great sales people as they can sway a crowd.

Grandmaster Lin Yun predicts 2010 will be immensely profitable for those in the East and in the West, marginal for those in the South and North. We will continue to see sporadic natural and manmade disasters throughout the world such as floods, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, etc. Economically he predicts that in the spring of 2010 the economy will show renewed strength. However, the price of oil and gold will continue to rise, leading to inflation.

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays as it carries the spirit of joy and hope for prosperity. From a Feng Shui perspective, engaging in some of the popular Chinese cultural practices, like those listed below, is a great way to give yourself an energy boost and pave the way to a truly prosperous 2010.

CLUTTER CLEARING
Clean and clutter clear the house or business before February 14. This is a tradition to “sweep away any ill fortune and make the way for good luck”. (No cleaning on February 14). In Feng Shui, pay particular attention to the entrance to your front door, a symbol of the mouth or receiver of chi (universal life force). Ensure there is an easy, visible path to the door. For businesses, check that the number – signage of your building is clear, clean and visible.

Remember that clutter is “stuck energy” and that a tendril of energy connects you to everything you own and have in your space. The area that has the most clutter is often a clue, depending on its location, that you may be experiencing challenge in relationships, money, career, health or creativity. I recently tackled my neglected office closet and it was easy to get into overwhelm or become discouraged. What helped me was to focus on “I’m making space for something new to come in.”

Clutter clearing also goes beyond just physical objects. This may be a good time to review your relationship to people and activities. Do you feel depleted or energized after spending time with certain people or an activity? Do you say “yes” out of obligation? Perhaps it’s time to “let go” of energy depleting people and activities that no longer help you feel good.

CELEBRATE
Celebrate with the family, friends and community who enhance your joy. February 14 is also Valentine’s Day that commemorates love. And also a good excuse to eat chocolate! Dark chocolate is high in antioxidant and magnesium. Even better health benefits are derived from raw cacao, which contain anandamide, known as the bliss chemical, a neurotransmitter found in raw cacao. It makes you happier and more joyful! Two outrageously delicious brands to look for at Whole Foods or to order on line: www.sacredchocolate.com and www.coracaoconfections.com I know the owners of both companies and they are highly energetic, passionate young men excited about sharing their products to promote health and planetary well being.

BEAUTY
It’s a custom to wear something new, or the color red on Chinese New Year’s Day. The color red is considered auspicious and said to boost confidence, self-esteem and stamina. Often, elder’s place money in red envelopes and give them to the children to promote happiness. Bowls of tangerine and oranges are good symbols of prosperity. Homes and business are often decorated with plum blossoms (which are beginning to appear on the west coast). A blossom that appears in winter, the plum blossom is a metaphor for strength, resilience, longevity and the ability to overcome adversity.

ENERGY CLEARING
Imagine if you never vacuumed or cleaned your home/business how that would affect your health. Energy clearing addresses the invisible build up of stress from the accumulation of negative emotions such as fear, depression, and worry. Please contact me if you need an Energy Clearing to help you remove invisible clutter and move forward in life, or a Feng Shui tune up to help you anchor positive intentions for the Year of the Tiger. I highly recommend a yearly energy clearing and Feng Shui tune up.