Joy-filled Holiday Greetings!
Winter is the season of stillness. The I Ching, which Feng Shui is partially based on, advises us that this is a time to turn inward. And, I know that for many of you, the truth is that this is a time of high activity. However, as we move toward the Winter Solstice, which in the U.S. falls on the evening of the 21st this year, think about turning inward—at least for a part of each day.
To be in tune with Nature’s flow, try to do your decorating by mid-December. This is the time when the Water element becomes dominant.
You’ll be pleased to know that much of the décor that we traditionally place this time of year helps to lessen the dominance of Water. Holiday trees, most plants, and garlands all represent the Wood element and help to balance the over-abundance of Water.
We can also work with traditional holiday colors to balance the Water element: red to bring in the Fire element, green to add Wood, and gold to increase the Earth element. Each of these colors will help to lessen the influence of Water.
Concentrate on the front entrance of your home. Add bright lights, festive colors, and inviting winter scents such as pine and cinnamon on both the inside and outside of your main door.
Place bells or a windchime near your entrance and put bright lights along the pathway leading to your door to help draw energy into your home.
Make sure the area around your front door is clutter-free. If your foyer is narrow, have another designated area for coats and shoes away from the door, so that it isn’t blocked.
A good Feng Shui rule for any season is to be sure that there is enough room for people to move easily from one area to another.
Finally, changing your décor during the holidays provides an opportunity for you to set an intention to enhance your life. Since your home is a reflection of who you are and what’s happening in your life, whenever you move furniture or shift items around, significant changes can happen for you personally!
It’s well-known in Feng Shui circles that moving either 9 or 27 items either temporarily or permanently can start a cycle of movement and change in your life. So, besides decorating for the holidays, this time can be an occasion for personal growth and moving forward in your life!
Have a magical & joyful holiday season!
Suzanne
©12/2/15 • Suzanne Metzger • Feng Shui Consulting Services
Q & A
Question: I’ve been trying to use the Bagua for individual rooms and small spaces like my desk, countertops, and the way I arrange horizontal spaces in cabinets and closets, but don’t know how to use it for vertical spaces like decorating walls and bookcase shelves as they rise. What do you advise?
Answer: Thank you for your interesting question. An important principle of Feng Shui is simplicity. So I usually don’t apply the Bagua to individual rooms and recommend sticking with the colors and meanings represented by the layout of your home’s Bagua that individual rooms fall within.
There are exceptions, of course, like whenever an area of the Bagua is missing or for some reason can’t be adjusted appropriately. Then I will apply the Bagua to one of the main rooms—like the master bedroom or living room. Sometimes, I also work with a desk or a piece of furniture that is strongly symbolic of an issue needs to be resolved.
I also always consider the master bedroom, no matter where it is in the Bagua, to be a Relationship area, while also considering the area it occupies within the main Bagua.
Also, keep in mind that there are other Feng Shui remedies not covered by the Bagua that can be used to cure or enhance certain problems.