(Feng Shui principles and basics for the beginner and professional alike. Many helpful hints to let you Feng Shui your own space.)
All articles written by Vikki Anderson unless otherwise noted.
In Feng Shui, one does things at work or at home in short times or by doing small chores. With us all having all this time to stay home with the Corvid-19 virus, you may want to try some of these suggestions:
Plan your day and what chores you want to accomplish and the time you will assign to them, such as: cleaning the microwave, fridge, ceiling fans, stove, etc. You may want to do one of these each day or tackle them together. It’s up to you.
Go onto your next task.
Making several meals in one day is a time saver and you can freeze all but today’s meal.
If you haven’t had time to bake, try making a treat for dinner.
Read your mail and sort it. Pay bills or read your magazines and catalogs.
Clean bookcase shelves one or two at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed with the chore and become sloppy with the rest of the shelves’ contents.
Run a virus protection program on your computer, defrag and delete unwanted emails, articles or pictures that you may no longer need which can take up space on the hard drive.
Go through your contact list from your computer and see who you can delete. Certainly, the people you don’t write to any longer do not need to be in your contact list. Update duplicate names and addresses.
Remember to delete your trash mailbox. Usually, there are thousands of emails taking up valuable space on your computer.
If you have a hobby or interest, perhaps now is the time to dedicate one hour or two to it a few times per week to balance the work with pleasure.
Clean out a few drawers of your bedroom dresser each day until they are all neat. Also, clean out clothes that you will never fit into again and put it in a bag for a charity or church. Keep similar colors of clothing together so you can pick an item out with ease when you know the color you want.
Go through your closet the same way. One day you can work on organizing or getting rid of purses and shoes that don’t fit or that you don’t like. Another day you can then work on clothes, and yet the next day you can organize the shelves above. In Feng Shui, the shelves above the area of the closet where you store your clothes and accessories are YOUR FUTURE. If the shelves are jammed packed with stuff, your future looks glum with no positive opportunities available to you because there is no room for them to come to you.
What you should do is clear out and organize all the things in your house that represent your future; such as tops of bookcases, hutches, the shelves above each closet in your home, and leave a special cleared-out space for yourself. It will just be your space. Place a basket or wooden box there with all the things you would like for your future. You may wish to find another job, so put your resume in the box. You may want to remain happy in your marriage, so place a happy picture of you and your spouse. You may wish to get married, so put magazine brides or pictures of people you know so the energy can be brought to you. Money is always needed so put money into the box that you won’t need as it gives the indication that you would like more money in your future. If you put a few dollars in the box, you will get a few dollars back in return. Start with a $20 bill if you can and add a few dollars every time you think about it. Most importantly, you can put your wish list in there for the future…FOR THE GOOD OF ALL, I NEED: and then list what you truly need (good health, abundance in all things, happiness, good job, etc. We are here to get what we want and it should not be on the list.
Clean out under the sink cabinets in the bathrooms and kitchen one each day.
Try writing, emailing or calling friends and family you haven’t been in touch with for some time. It’s a good time to catch up on each other’s lives.
If this is a time to redecorate, handle one room or item at a time. Do not overwhelm yourself. That is the whole point of this article. Things can get done even if you work on them for a short period of time each day. One day, it will be completed.
You can decide how many items you wish to put on your list in one day, but make the list short. The purpose is to get to things you never had time for and then have time left over for leisure activities with family and friends.
This is not the whole list. Only you know what to put on your list, but don’t make it too long so that you feel defeated if you didn’t complete everything you wanted to. I personally have 3-4 extra things on my daily list before I can play on the computer, Ipad or watch my TV shows. Give yourself 15 minutes, half an hour or hour dedicated to each task. If you don’t finish the item on your list, it will go on your list for tomorrow. It gives you an incentive to do the jobs quickly and efficiently so that you will have that extra time for some well-deserved leisure. However, you will also have a feeling of accomplishment by the end of the week or month when you see all you have completed.
WHAT IS FENG SHUI?
(The Bagua)
Feng Shui literally means wind and water. In essence, this practice works with the chi or energy of the land or buildings and how it interacts with individuals. Feng Shui is believed by many to promote prosperity, good health and stronger relationships which benefit everyone involved in the process.
We use a Bagua (eight Tri-grams from the I Ching) which is like a map in Feng Shui to determine which areas of a building are best for particular people or activities. It can also be used to determine which areas of the space you may want to enhance or balance. The optimum objective is that the Chi moves and circulates freely in each area before leaving the space.
The eight areas of the Bagua are Career, Knowledge, Family, Wealth, Fame, Partnership, Children and Helpful People. These areas are broken into many sub-areas, but these are the main topics of the Bagua. The Bagua is then superimposed over a floor plan or your space in your home, room, desk or office and then the areas that need to be corrected or cured can be determined.
There are many creative tools or cures to use to help circulate, raise or alter the chi in an area. They are crystals, mirrors, plants, flowers, wind chimes, screens, fountains, ponds, flutes, electrical equipment, lighting, colors and artwork. It is important to note that additional preparation is needed before hanging a mirror or crystal.
A de-cluttering of your space will enhance and benefit the area you wish to improve. General de-cluttering, by getting rid of things you no longer need, want or like, will bring positive opportunities and more free flowing chi into your space. With the good flowing chi comes better mental health, logic, happiness, more financial security, opportunities and stronger relationships/partnerships.
It is also very important to use good intention when placing new cures into your space. This is where a Feng Shui professional can help you.
FENG SHUI FOR SPRING
Spring is a wonderful time to start cleaning out the yard, opening up the windows and letting the new fresh air of spring inside of your home and life.
With the new energy of the season, it is important to clear out the old stale energy from the winter and breathe new life into your environment.
Here are a few ways to bring in positive energy into your yard and home.
Put up a small bird bath or water fountain near the front entrance to attract prosperity into your home.
Hang beautiful chimes from trees, your deck or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you.
Hang up whirl-i-gigs to promote positive chi to circulate around your property and remove any stagnant areas of dead or dying chi.
Plant bulbs, annuals, perennials in bright colors. A good idea is to follow the above bagua for the color arrangement OR you may throw them into a bucket and mix up the bulbs, Then you may plant different colored flowers throughout your garden. (Remember, all colors should be in all areas of the home and garden even if they are just an accessory and not the dominant color of the area.)
Burn white sage throughout your home, closets, bathroom, cellar, attic and around the house to ensure negative energy or negative chi is removed while keeping your windows in your home open to allow the negativity to escape from your surroundings.
Place 60 MM aurora borealis crystals in windows that get the morning sun so that rainbows will dance on your ceiling and walls. Each room should have many colors in it for balanced energy.
Get rid of things you no longer need, want or like, so that you will have a clutter free space to enjoy and come home to each evening without feeling overwhelmed by clutter.
A fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your space and your mood. Choose the proper color for the area of the bagua you are painting; if you can’t, add a few decorative touches like pillows, books, candleholders, statues or paintings with the required colors in them.
Let the light into your home. Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and feel re-energized.
Welcome the new energy into your home by opening the windows and getting rid of the stale winter energy locked within each room.
Also, run water through your garden hose so that the stale water that has been stuck in it throughout the winter, can be refreshed which will add new opportunities to you and your family. (Remember, water presents money, so let's keep it flowing and clean.)
FENG SHUI FOR SUMMER
Summer is a great time of the year to move positive chi around your home and garden. It’s a time when you can leave the windows wide open so that fresh air will circulate the chi (energy) throughout your home. It’s a time when you should enjoy the outdoors, family and friends and travel to all those destinations you’ve always dreamed about. But to do that, you should handle a few things ahead of time so that you can be ready to have fun at a moment’s notice.
Here are a few ways to bring in positive energy into your home and yard.
Keep the house clean so you can leave at a moment’s notice without feeling guilty. Have your family pick up after themselves so you have less work to do. Iron, do wash or chores while you are watching TV, preparing meals, etc. You will be surprised at how many things you can do during commercials, while you are waiting for your meal to cook or play with your dog outside as you walk around the yard to pick up broken branches or leaves.
Keep a small overnight bag packed for you and your family and place it in your car’s trunk. If an unplanned getaway or you get an overnight invitation for your kids (or an emergency arises), you will have all essentials already in the car and ready to go.
Use paper plates when appropriate so you don’t have to do dishes every night!
Have a night when you order take out so you give yourself a break from cooking and you can spend more time with the children or actually do something for yourself.
Hang bells on your architectural front door to bring in positive energy every time you open it. If you don’t use your front door, make it a habit of going out the front door to get the mail or the newspaper, etc. so that your door is used.
Clean the bath tub or shower while you are in the shower.
Bring that pile of magazines you haven’t gotten to outside on the deck or patio so that when you are relaxing or enjoying the sun, you can get through them quickly and either give them away or recycle them. Or ask friends if they would like these magazines, bring them to a hospital waiting room or nursing home. Many of the smaller medical facilities will be happy to have the reading material for their patients.
Keep lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand that are locally grown. Not only are you supporting the local farmers, but you also have healthier food and snacks to nourish you and your family.
Buy or wear light and no wrinkle outfits for easy traveling and last minute plans. Wash and wear clothes are best so you can wash them, let them dry and be off again to another adventure without lugging an iron with you. Steamers also work well.
Let the light into your home. Put up sheer curtains or pleated shades that can be opened from the top or bottom so you can maximize the sunlight and immediately feel re-energized. If appropriate, just put up valances on some windows for maximum sunlight.
Check BBQ to be sure that the propane tank is filled and that all parts are in good working order. You don’t want to be surprised when you are entertaining guests.
Get citronella candles for nighttime outdoor meals or parties to keep pests away from your gathering. Make sure you also have appropriate lighting.
Ask family or friends to help with a home or yard project and then have a BBQ to thank them later that day. What a great way to end a hard day’s work.
Hang beautiful chimes from your deck, trees or house gutters for a melodious sound to relax and calm you. Always have a book on hand that you’ve always wanted to read and didn’t have time. The sound of the chimes will de-stress you and you will be learning from or enjoying a good book at the same time.
Have a landscaper take care of your lawn and garden so you can be free to enjoy your family and the good weather. If you can’t afford one, mow your lawn early in the morning so you can have the rest of the day free.
Weed your garden for five minutes each day so that the weeds don’t overpower your beautiful flowers and you won’t feel overwhelmed when you decide to weed on the weekend.
Take care of outdoor furniture by hosing it down throughout the summer. Cover it if you are going away so that it will not get dirty. When furniture gets muddy or dirty, no one wants to sit on it. Let everyone feel comfortable with clean furniture.
Have a garage sale to get rid of the things you no longer want, need or like, but make some money from these items which can be used for a fun filled day with family or friends. If you don’t want to have a garage sale, donate to a local charity and get a tax donation form. You will be able to deduct the amount on your income taxes and you are decluttering your space making the space more positive.
Make sure all outdoor furniture is in good condition or replace it for safety reasons.
Check pool supplies and equipment to be sure everything is in perfect working condition so no one gets disappointed at the last minute. Be sure children’s flotation devices are safe.
Trim any hedges or trees that might be dangerous or unsightly. For your family’s safety, shrubs should only be hip height at the front of your home. At that height, you will never be surprised by intruders.
Keep outdoor lighting clean and in repair so that you can see where you are going in the evening and what is going on outside of your home at all times.
Take a refreshing walk through a local park or your neighborhood. Everyone is outside now so you may meet new friends or neighbors or can catch up with a friend’s life if you walk together and get exercise at the same time! You can also listen to a learning CD or a CD you had just purchased. The trick is to do several things at the same time to save time and energy.
Go to flea markets or yard sales and pick up things you need at a discount; however, be sure you get rid of three things for every new thing you bring into the house so that you are keeping on top of the clutter. You don’t need more junk in your home so be sure you need the item you purchase.
Have your home and deck power washed. Then you can seal your deck for many hours of fun without damaging it.
There are many other things you can do around your home to make it a stress free and fun summer. Make your lists now and try to do a few things each and every day. Before you know it, summer will be here and you will be enjoying yourself without care or worry.
Vikki Anderson is a certified BTB Feng Shui consultant and does private Feng Shui consultations. Call 570-215-4223 for an appointment or more information.
FENG SHUI FOR AUTUMN
Autumn is a wonderful time to clean out your house of all the things you no longer need, want or like. Many garages or yard sales are going on in local neighborhoods and you can make some extra cash by getting rid of your “treasures.” You never know what people are looking for and you may just have that odd piece of furniture, kitchen accessory/appliance or accent piece they have been looking for. This is also a great time to make room in your home, garage, basement, and attic for the upcoming holidays. Remember, with the weather getting cooler and eventually colder with snow, your family needs room to relax, read a book or magazine, write out the bills, enjoy each other, watch TV or play video games, and do homework. They need a comfortable and organized living space.
With the new energy of the season, it is important to clear out the summer energy and have a more relaxed and calming environment. Many people rearrange furniture, change bed linens to glorious fall colors and change curtains in every room. Any alterations bring a change of energy with them so be sure that you feel comfortable, happy, relaxed and stress-free after you redecorate or update your room’s look. If you are tired of the same old curtains or comforters, change them. If the same worn-out throw pillows are a sight for sore eyes, perhaps going to flea markets, garage sales or local stores who are having sales would be a good alternative. It will make you feel re-energized as you bring in energy of the item and the color into your home.
Be sure to have your wooden deck or porch power washed and water sealed before the heavy snow of winter. Snow can easily erode wooden decks. Be prepared to have a new, fresh-looking deck in the spring. Many people have asked if I had built a new deck after I do this every two years. It looks that good.
Check and double-check all outdoor sensor lights. Make sure they are where you want them for the winter keeping in mind that you may have to shovel a driveway or walkway and pile the snow high on the lights. They may even be broken when shoveling as you can’t always see them in the high snowdrifts. Make sure you place them where your guests and family members can see the driveway and walkway clearly in the dead of winter.
Put all outdoor furniture away in the garage or basement. If this is not an option, be sure to buy covers or tarps and wrap up all the tables, chairs, BBQ and other equipment if they are going to be exposed to the upcoming harsh weather.
Start raking the fallen leaves a little every weekend. If you are lucky to be home (retired, work from home, etc.), you can rake the leaves or use your mower with the leaf attachment any time you wish. Do this at least once a week so you don’t get behind on this boring task.
Get all the fall/winter curtains, bedspreads, blankets, and afghans dry cleaned or washed so that they will be ready when the cold winter nights are upon us. With everything fresh and clean, you are free to change the linens and curtains whenever you are ready.
Steam clean wall-to-wall carpeting so that as the crazy holidays approach, this is one less thing you have to do. (Some people actually steam clean their rugs after the holidays so that it stays fresh and clean right through spring! That’s a thought!).
Give your home a good “fall” cleaning and get rid of items you no longer need, like or want. Declutter. Organize.
Have a garage sale and make some money with all of the “treasures” you no longer need OR bring your items to a charity and get a tax write off.
Check all of your Christmas (or holiday) supplies and decorations. This could be Christmas tags, wrapping paper, tape, money holder cards, tins for your cookies, tissue paper for your gifts, gift bags, etc. All decorations and Christmas lights should be looked at and be sure they are in good condition. Check your Christmas lights so that you won’t be disappointed after stringing them on the tree and finding out many lights no longer work.
Get everyone’s holiday list and find out when and where major holiday sales will take place. You will have your holiday shopping done in no time and you’ll save money too.
Don’t go out on Black Friday. The stress level of that day is not worth it. By now, you will have had purchased many of your presents. If you still have shopping to do, try to order online and have it delivered to your door. No-fuss or waste of time, energy and gasoline.
Talk to the family and find out who will be hosting which holidays so there is no confusion.
Organize lists for food shopping, guest lists, invitations, and/or phone calls. Delegate responsibility so that everyone has a chance to help with the holiday festivities.
Be sure to bring all of your plants in pots indoors. This can be in the basement or garage or in a sunny window. Read about what your particular plant needs and try to accommodate that plant. Many plants can be ready for the springtime and bloom again. Saving money by not having to buy other plants to replace them is a good thing.
This is a lovely time to clean out and organize the attic as well. The temperature is still moderate or slightly chilly, but pleasant to work in. Keep or toss Christmas decorations while decluttering your attic. (Your attic represents “the future” in Feng Shui, so be sure it is organized with limited amounts of junk or unnecessary clutter. You wouldn’t want your future filled with junk or unnecessary things, would you?). Items that should be in your attic are holiday decorations, luggage, seasonal clothing and bedding/curtains. Always box other items that you truly feel you need to store. A better place for a lot of items is in your basement since the basement is “your past” so anything in the basement cannot hurt you in the future. Be aware of flooding. I personally put wedding albums in my basement and when Super Storm Sandi hit, the Rubbermaid bins floated, rolled over on its side and opened. I lost a lot of stuff; however, I realized I was supposed to let go of the past and it didn’t bother me. Be careful how you store things in the basement.
In regards to color, bold color brings in more vibrant and dynamic energy. The pastels bring in the energy in a softer, more harmonious plane. Remember that these colors also work if you are wearing them as clothing or accessories.
The bold color brings in more vibrant and dynamic energy and you could change your environment or space around quickly. The pastel color brings in the positive energy in a softer, more compromising and yet harmonious level but it is very soft energy which means it will take a concerted effort to move towards your goal of changing your surroundings. Remember that these colors also work if you are wearing them as clothing or accessories. If a particular color touches your skin, they are absorbed into your auric or energetic field for the day and you would be surrounded by that color and influence for the entire day. Be careful of the color of clothing you purchase and wear.
The easiest way to get colors into a particular gua (or area) is by placing artwork into that area. Flowers, gardens, an outdoor café lined with colorful umbrellas, a meadow scene with lots of wildflowers all can bring many colors into a particular space. The ultimate idea is to bring all colors into every part of your house, apartment, condo, townhouse or room. It does not have to be so blatant that everyone knows that this is the black or red area, but be discreet by putting pillowcases, linens, curtains, sheets, tablecloths, napkins, dinnerware, etc. with a hint of these needed colors.
Of course, scatter rugs or entry runners may also add color into the area as well as wall color, curtains or shades.
FENG SHUI FOR WINTER
Winter is a time when the earth is in hibernation. The chi rests. Plants rest, trees rest and of course we rest and try to take it easy. The weather gets colder and snow blankets the earth and all looks peaceful and beautiful from the inside of our home. It’s a lovely time of the year.
We may have time to read that book that has been sitting on the shelf for a few months because we were so busy with our autumn yard clean up, etc., and never got around to doing what we wanted to do. It’s a time to sit home and watch TV or have fun with the family. Adult education classes are over until February, so this is a time to decorate the house, enjoy your family, read, play board games, write holiday shopping lists, battle the crowds in the stores for holiday shopping and generally enjoying the indoors.
As winter progresses, it’s a time to make sure your car is in good working condition as well as your tires. You want to be safe in the snow and ice filled streets. Be sure to get that oil change to make sure the engine runs smoothly too.
Here are a few ways to bring in positive (chi) energy into your yard and home for the holidays.
Be sure the furnace is in perfect operating condition so your heating bills will be reasonable and your family will be safe.
If you have a fireplace, be sure to have enough wood stored in a dry space so it can be used whenever you need a fire. Be sure the fireplace has been cleaned, if needed. Every other year would be a good starting point to know when you should have it checked.
Put light timers on in several rooms so that they come on automatically when you are not home. The darkness of night comes quickly in the winter time, so make sure it looks as if someone is home.
Place your heat on a timer too so that you are not wasting precious fuel when it is not needed. There are many thermostats with timersbuilt inand if you don’t have one, they are not outrageously priced.
Are all the window and door seals tight so that you don’t lose precious heating in the winter?
Is your roof in need of repair? It would be worse if your roof was in need of repair and you found out while ice was melting and found its way through your attic and into one of your room’s ceilings.
Keep an extra entrance way runner handy so that excess mud, water or snow can be wiped off easily from shoes or boots before coming into your home.
If it works for you, do shopping in bulk so that you have fewer trips to the store and have plenty of items on hand in case of an unexpected snow storm. I live alone and shop in bulk. I give half of the quantity of the items in each package to my parents that I purchase and keep the rest for myself. I even buy cat and dog food in bulk and never run out, especially in inclement weather. With gas prices, it’s yet another way of saving a few more dollars each month.
This is a great time to clean out attics and basements during the bad weather. Until the weather breaks, you might as well be productive.
Clean out closets and/or draws one a day until you are finished.
Go through your clothes, towels, bed linens and tablecloths and see which ones you no longer need, like or use.
You can put them in a big bag or box for a springtime garage sale or you can simply donate them to your church or synagogue. My local animal shelter recently advertised that they needed these items for bedding for their animals so I brought bags of things I would no longer use to them.
Clean out your makeup drawer! If you haven’t used something in a year, toss it or give it to someone who may want or need it, if it is still good. Once mascara is opened, it can only be used for three months until bacteria forms inside the tube. If creams smell bad, toss them. There is a certain shelf life on cosmetics, so check them carefully. Otherwise, you are storing items that are unusable or bad.
When putting away holiday decorations, do one area of your home at a time. Pack things carefully so you won’t find them broken next year. Put tree decorations together, the manger and figurines in another box and all of your window and room decorations in another. Label each box with a big black magic marker or Sharpie pen. Rubbermaid makes lovely large containers which seal out moisture, so perhaps investing in a few of them will help make the storing of your decorations easier. You can color code the boxes for certain items.
Read; there is no time like winter to curl up in front of a fireplace or in a cozy chair and read. You can see TV all year long. At this time, there are mostly holiday specials on or repeats. Holiday specials are great, but they tend to play them over and over again.
Spend more time with family and friends. Have a few cocktail parties or get-togethers with finger foods. I was recently introduced to a fun game called “Apples to Apples.” I don’t like games but my sister-in-law said, “You don’t have to know anything or do anything that is hard,” so I gave it a try. We played for hours and had fun – both with the kids and adults. It also got us talking a lot more to each other and laughing way too much!
Catch up on recorded shows that you didn’t have time to see.
Catch up on sewing, crocheting or knitting projects while watching TV or listening to the radio or CD.
Sell your old treasures on eBay. There is nothing like the winter months to get you looking through your stuff to see that you don’t need a lot of things any longer. Get some money for them by selling them. It’s easy to sell on eBay if you have never done so before. Just read through the site and you will see how easy it truly is. If I can do it, so can you.
These are some of the suggestions I have for the winter season.
Good luck and enjoy the snow!
HOLIDAY FENG SHUI TIPS:
Have holiday lights on if it is appropriate to your holiday. Nothing brings guests better than a light display during the holidays. Put lights on timers so that you don’t have to be home to have your lights come on. This also lets others think you are home when you may be off holiday shopping or visiting family, friends or neighbors. (As an aside, I also have motion lights on my house to cover the whole yard, driveway and front walkway for the same reason).
If you are a baker, bake all the great cookies and breads you usually do for the holidays. Nothing invites family, friends and neighbors in general to come into your home more than freshly baked items with those wonderful aromas filling your home and seeping through your doors or windows. Do you need to bake so many cookies? How many can we eat? After the holidays, I get to throw a good deal of them out to my squirrels which live on my property and they say thank you.
Have all of your shopping and wrapping done early. You can buy presents all year long and wait until after Thanksgiving for larger items or items that you want to make sure you can return.
Decorate the house at different times. You can put up the tree one night and then put up window and yard decorations over the next few days. Be sure the children are home, so that they can assist in making your home look beautiful for the holidays. Even though I’m sure they’ll complain at having to work and do something as lame as put up Christmas or holiday decorations, it will be good to show the children that these holidays are for families and families work together.
Write holiday cards when you have a few spare minutes throughout the fall. Many people put names and addresses on computer labels and I must admit I did that for many years. I have learned that they are very impersonal and it’s just like you are saying that you wanted to get that chore out of the way as quickly as possible and had no regard for the person it was being sent to. I hand write all my envelopes and messages inside each card rather than writing a longer typed Christmas-gram. It’s more personal and it’s very rare, so your card will stand out. I have received many comments on my original notes and how refreshing they were.
When getting ready to have a holiday party at your home, here are some tips: clean the house one day, set up the tables and cooking/serving dishes and glasses you will need another day (pop them in the dishwasher if they haven’t been used since the last big holiday), do the food shopping and preparing what you can ahead of time and on the day of the party, you can relax, get ready in a stress free environment and have fun! Clean up can be done tomorrow or after your guests have gone. Some people actually pitch in and clean up as they go. If this is all right with you, by all means, accept the help. You’ve worked hard!
Or throw a load of dishes and glasses in the dishwasher, go to bed and rest so you can face the mess ahead of you in the light of day with a strong cup of coffee or tea in your hand!
Do simple things to help your party run smoother. Prepare the coffee ahead of time so that when it is time for your guests to have coffee (or tea), all you have to do is plug the pot in.
Put your milk pitcher in the refrigerator filled with cold water so it will be kept colder for a longer period of time after serving.
Make sure your table linens are clean. Check them at least a week before your party and clean what needs to be washed or sent to the dry cleaners.
Have holiday music playing in the background, but be sure it is calming music and not blaring to disturb your guests. The idea is to let everyone enjoy themselves which includes chatting to one another to catch up on their lives with soft music playing in the background so you can hear one another.
Be careful about mistletoe. Many guests are shy so if they do not kiss the person they find under it, you may kid them about it once, but then let it go.
If this is a pot luck dinner, prepare a menu so you can tell everyone what they could bring to your home. If it’s not a pot luck dinner but others ask what they may bring, you can always suggest gourmet dips, crackers, breads, wine, sparkling apple cider, eggnog, a bottle of liquor or any dessert a dessert of their choice. Tell them how many guests you are expecting.
You do not need to put out every holiday decoration you have. As the children leave the nest, you can put up a modest yet tasteful display of decorations. The holidays are for us to relax and enjoy the season, not stress over all the decorations, where to move the furniture until after the holidays and rush out to buy the biggest live Christmas tree you can find. I find live trees dangerous, messy (I found pine needles the next July stuck in my rug and eventually my feet!). They need constant water and they seem to dry up quickly. Be careful.
Is an artificial tree out of the question? There are so many kinds of artificial trees that are pre-lit (a gift from Heaven) and in so many shapes and sizes, do we really have to spend a lot of money year after year and have yet another beautiful part of nature being cut down, destroyed and then burned when they are not sold? An artificial tree can be purchased after the holidays for very reasonable prices and they look good for at least ten years if cared for properly.
FENG SHUI QUICK TIPS
What Inspires You To Feng Shui Your Home?
I was approached by a columnist to talk about Feng Shui and what could possibly inspire one to, say, redecorate a house. She asked, "Can you be inspired by a photograph, a color, a picture, furniture or lighting fixtures?" I thought about her question for a moment and decided that these are not the mundane things that inspire me to fine tune Feng Shui in my home.
I told her, "No. I think people should be inspired by wanting to better their relationships with their partner or family members. Perhaps they would be inspired by needing to fix their wealth area so that they can make more money on the job, or work smarter and not harder. If health is an issue, I would imagine people would like to fix their health area so that their health would improve easily and stay stable."
Thinking about her statement and my response was interesting. I am not sure she got it. Inspiration can be received by doing many things. In my field, I think inspiration comes by wanting to help those who need assistance in a particular area(s) of life.
The nine areas that I work with which are listed from top to bottom in the bagua are as follows:
Wealth area - far left corner of your space from the architectural front door. Keep blues, purples and reds in this area to keep your wealth in good shape. This area need rectangular shapes. It also represents the hip and bones in the human body. This area's number is 4.
Fame/Good Luck area - this area is the middle wall of the back of the house as you enter the architectural front door. This is a red or fire element area. Candles or pointed sculpture, pictures, etc. should be in this space (butterflies, stars, snowflakes, etc.). It represents eyes and heart in the human body and can many times also encompass the joy in your life. This area's number is 9.
Relationships/Marriage - this area is the right hand corner of the back wall as you enter the architectural front door. This is a pink area which also needs square shapes and is an earth element. It represents the abdomen and organs in a human body. This area's number is 2.
Ancestors/Family - this area is to the left middle of your space as you enter the architectural front door. This is a green and wood area which also represents the feet, throat and buttocks in the human body. It does also represent kindness (given and received). This area's number is 3.
Health/Well Being - this area is in the absolute center of your space and can sometimes be parts of two rooms. It is a yellow/earth tones area and is represented by a square shape - also an earth element. It also represents the stomach and spleen in the human body. It does also represent calmness. This area's number is 5.
Creativity/Children - this area is to the right middle of your space as you enter the architectural front door. This is a white and metal area. The shape needed in this qua is round or a circle. It also represents the mouth, head and lungs and does also represent courage. This area's number is 7.
Knowledge/Education - this area is to the immediate left of the architectural front door and may sometimes be behind the front door as it is open. This is a black, blue, green area and is represented by earth and a square shape. It represents the hands in the human body. This area's number is 8.
Career/Business Success - this area is as soon as you open the architectural front door if your door is in the middle of the outside wall. The colors needed here are black and dark tones. It is a water area and the shape is abstract, wavy or unusual; a shape that is not represented within the other guas. This gua also represents the ears, blood and kidneys in the bagua and also correlates to gentility. This area's number is 1.
Helpful People/Travel - this area is to the immediate right of the architectural front door. This is a white, gray and black area and represents the head in the human body. The shape for this area is circular and the element is metal. This area's number is 6.
If you are having a particular problem with your job, family, career, or whatever, you should determine which of the guas need your immediate attention. Get rid of clutter. Organize the space. Keep it clean and neat. Make sure it is well lit and a 60 mm round faceted leaded crystal hanging from the ceiling (especially if you have a ceiling fan which cuts up health, wealth and happiness) would be auspicious. If you would like to hang a crystal in at least one window in every room of your house, you will be inviting all the colors to be represented in every room, which is your goal. With each color comes the energy of that color to help balance your space.
Inspiration for Feng Shui? How about better health? How about a stable and secure job? How about improving family, friends or colleague relationships or if you don't have a relationship, how about inviting one into your life and how about just wanting your life to be stress free and more conducive to your being constructive, happy and allowing all the positive opportunities to find you? That's the true inspiration, isn't it? Let's make our lives much better - not by being inspired by a piece of art or a possession, but by ideals and ideas of happiness, family, love and intelligence and a stable financial future in which we could all flourish and grow.
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Vikki Anderson is a BTB Advanced Certified Feng Shui Consultant and is available to help you make your home, work or yard a sacred space. 570-215-4223.
