August is closely associated with the Earth element. One of the qualities of this element is sweetness. In addition to our sense of taste, sweetness relates to savoring the sweetness of life. This special kind of sweetness lifts our spirits and helps us to increase our experience of love and well-being.
This sweetness fills our life when the Earth element is in balance–both personally and in the Feng Shui of our homes and other surroundings. When it’s present, there is a natural flow of peace, joy, love, and abundance in our lives. We feel nurtured and supported by our activities, relationships, and the space around us. Creativity and joy are abundant.
Each of us has our own elemental blueprint. This means that, although individually we are composed of all of the elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, & Water), we each have a unique balance. Today we’ll explore Earth at the personal level.
Indications that your personal Earth element is
particularly strong OR out-of-balance
• If you’re very down-to-earth, stable, dependable, and nurturing, this is a sign of strong, balanced Earth.
People who have an abundance of Earth are more drawn to earthy activities in both the physical and mental planes.
They generally love to shop and collect things. They will often have beautiful, well-organized and well- maintained possessions that people with less dominant Earth will drool over.
Whether your personal Earth element is high or not, if clutter–or hoarding–is a problem, this is a sure sign that your Earth is out of balance. (see section on addiction below)
• If you have an eating disorder, it’s likely that Earth is out of balance. If weight is a problem or you crave sweets or other foods with high sugar content excessively, these are Earth issues. Even if you’re too thin (not eating enough), this is another form of an Earth imbalance.
• Addictions. Often an addiction can be related to the need for more comfort, which is related to Earth. Addictions can include shopping, TV, alcohol, smoking, drugs, food, sex, etc. Screen addiction (i.e. excessive time spent on your computer, cell phone, etc.) is a relatively new, but rapidly growing addiction. (Be sure to seek appropriate medical advice, if addiction is a problem.)
• People with strong Earth find it difficult to maintain their personal boundaries with loved ones and friends. Often they are just too nice!
During Feng Shui consultations, I sometimes find that these earthy folks will store large amounts of stuff for others beyond a reasonable time or otherwise allow their personal boundaries to be violated by people close to them.
Enhancements for Earth element imbalances
to use personally or in your home:
• Set clear boundaries and stick to them.
• If clutter is an issue, make it a priority to start the clearing process. If it’s difficult to get started, commit to releasing at least 9 things each day (or week or month).
Over the years I’ve seen many clients who have what I call “organized clutter.” Just because you have room for something doesn’t mean that you should keep it.
• Add the Metal element to areas in your home where there’s too much Earth.
• In the event that your home is lacking Earth, add an earthy object–like a ceramic sculpture–or something related to the Fire element such as candles or a red accessory. (Be sure to only add items that you love and fit into your space. Otherwise, you’re creating clutter.)
• Learn to ground yourself. Place a rock or picture of a mountain in your Knowledge area or in an area where you spend large amounts of time as a reminder to ground. Also, simply putting your feet flat on the ground or walking outside barefoot can help with this.
May the sweetness of Earth fill your heart!
Suzanne
© 8/2/17 •Suzanne Metzger • Feng Shui Consulting Services
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August is closely associated with the Earth element. One of the qualities of this element is sweetness. In addition to our sense of taste, sweetness relates to savoring the sweetness of life. This special kind of sweetness lifts our spirits and helps us to increase our experience of love and well-being.
This sweetness fills our life when the Earth element is in balance–both personally and in the Feng Shui of our homes and other surroundings. When it’s present