The flowers outside are fading with the light and winter will soon begin. As life retreats into the earth, bring more of it into your home. It’s the perfect moment to introduce flowers and plants inside your home. Take a look around your office and home, esp. in the bedroom, for corners that could use a little life. Peace lilies, for example, are easy to care for, symbolize peace and beauty, and are one of the best air purifiers.
Flowers and plants add joy to your life. And giving them as gifts extend that joy to others.
Most of us get a big charge out of the holidays. Sometimes we feel positive about all of this energy and sometimes we’d like to hide under the holiday tree. Whatever your response there’s no denying that most of us use this time to reconnect with loved ones, to share gifts and ourselves, and to assess the passing of another year: “Do I invite my entire family to dinner?” ”Do I donate time or money in a crisis economy?” “Do I buy eco-friendly gifts, or make my own?” ”What would I like to do with the last month of the year?” Whatever your choices, first impressions are important–our attitude, our appearance, our home. My friend Merritt makes her own wrapping paper, she understands what the jewelry industry has been stressing for decades, pretty things come in pretty packages. From a Feng shui perspective, our front yard and outside façade is the pretty package the world sees. The exterior of your house presents what we reveal to the world. .Ask yourself, what is the impression people get when they arrive at my home? Can they find the door easily? Do you have a doorbell that is easy to locate? Is the landscaping sparse or lush? Is it cheerful and inviting or hidden from the world?
Here are some adjustments you can make between now and the end of the year, including for holiday gatherings:
First, make the outside of your house welcoming, pleasing to the eye and add a personal touch so when your dearest friend arrives she can say I knew this was your house immediately. It could be as simple as adding your favorite flowers or personalizing your mailbox or adding a water feature to your front yard.
To enhance the adjustments to your home, and for personal first impressions, do a good deed for strangers or acquaintances everyday for 30 days. The deeds can be small as long as you do them with intention and compassion. It can be as simple as opening a door, saying good morning to a sad person on the street or offering to help someone with a task. First impressions are important and good deeds encourage others to do the same.
I can’t think of a better place for families to come together then in the kitchen or dining room. It’s important to have a designated place for the family to come together at the end of a day. If your dining table has turned into a work table with laptops, homework, bills and so forth it is time to Feng Shui your eating area:
- First, move paperwork, homework and other non-dining items into another room
- Second, add color to your kitchen and dining table this stimulates one’s appetite (especially important if you have a fussy eater). It could be as simple as adding colorful place mates, napkins or as extensive as painting the room and adding new cushions to the chairs.
- Third, add candles & flowers to the table when you are not using it. This draws your attention to the area.
- Fourth, make it a point to have dinner with your whole family at least a few times a week.
- Lastly, set an example. Even if your toddler refuses to join you at the dinner table you can still set a good example by having the rest of the family sit at the table for meals. It took my toddler 3 months of watching us eat at the table for her to finally join us. Now she loves it, even set the table for me.
I have started planning for the holiday season. This was prompted by my first holiday party invitation of the year, it was a nice reminder that the season has started. I usually bring a bottle of wine or champagne to a hosts house. This year I’ve decided to go green and local. I’ve chosen two special companies, both small and run by mom’s. First one, is a local California pressed olive oil company, she uses organic infusions which only add to the flavor of the fresh olives. BTW, she also used Feng shui principles in designing the oils. http://www.revolutionaryfoodco.com/Home_Page.html ($5-$10) Now, i feel silly just bringing a bottle of oil so i am going to dress it up with another favorite product, Bamboo.
Bambooya is a lovely little company who is on a mission to save the planet. They have many wonderful products, these two are the perfect additions to the olive oil. A lovely bamboo spoon and some yummy japanese sea salt. http://www.bambooya.com/japanese-sea-salt-with-matcha.html and http://www.bambooya.com/bamboo-mixing-spoon.html ($4-22)
If you are looking to give a unique housewarming, dinner party or x-mas gift, check out these sites. And if you are looking to receive these gifts, you may need to invite me to your next party.
cheers cindy
Painting by Mary J Arthur http://www.arthurstudios.com
People often ask me about Feng Shui and art. How does it affect a space, does it affect the chi and so forth. i usually answer with a few questions of my own : how does the art make you feel? How long have you had it and does it still reflect your life? Its easy for most of us to buy new clothes and new peices of furniture but when it comes to art we hit a wall. Its takes some time to commit to a work of art and once its up, its hard for people to switch it out. If you feel like you need a fresh start, color is a great way to add life and move the chi around a room. Perhaps, painting your walls a vibrant color will make the old art look new again. I personally love paintings of nature. My favorite new artist captures this beautifully, see above.
I was in Connie’s amazing yoga class this morning, a wonderful treat each week. Today she talked about responding to a situation vs. reacting to it. What a wonderful way of approaching our lives. We or I spend much of my time reacting to the the world around me. What would it look like if i took three breaths and responded instead. I may still be or say the same thing but at least its a conscious way of being. Another way of being in the present moment. I will give it a try this week… Give it a try and let me know how you do.
Connie’s website: http://www.awakeningself.com/
There are the families we are born into and those we choose. Regardless, it’s easy to get stuck in routines, doing the same, old things or playing ho-hum roles (heroine, Mr. Fixx It, clown, etc.). Traditions are great, but sometimes we need to shake it up a bit. You know, shake an apple–or a nut–from the tree! Instead of the usual Labor Day BBQ, take the family camping (in a Solar Westfalia!) or on a river boat tour, or to volunteer in a soup kitchen. A new level of family bonding can occur when you are engaged and working with a shared objective in mind. And, just for fun, why not try taking on a new role for the day?
Art by Tami Rush
As parents, we spend much of our free time helping our families flourish and thrive in this world. We become dream-weavers and yes-makers. This is natural, especially with young children. However, if we are not careful, this quickly becomes a habit which can transfer into other parts of our life. We start saying yes to everyone which leaves little time to replenish our own chi. If you find it’s easier to say no yourself then to others this adjustment is for you:
Balancing the 5 elements in your home with Feng Shui adjustments is as important as balancing the elements in your body. Nurture the quality of “earth” by doing something nice for yourself. Commit to taking a mini break every day for the next nine days. It can be for three minutes or three hours, as long as it’s fun, fulfilling, or relaxing. This may mean you have to say “no” to a few people. Remember, to effectively support others, you need to regularly replenish your own energy. By doing so, you also give others permission to take care of themselves.
I would love to hear from you. Email questions or stories related to trying any of my Feng Shui suggestions: cindy@kali-design.com
Special thanks to Tami Rush, mother, friend and a true artist who’s work inspires me. http://www.redbubble.com/people/tamirush
Art by Tami Rush
Our endless quest for love takes many shapes. Some find it immediately and passionately, and for others it resembles a chess tournament: The minute you have your partner figured out, the buzzer goes off and he or she moves to the next table.
There are many books and articles written on finding love; my “search” is based on space and chi:
First, Know what you want. Write down the type of person you are going to fall in love with and do this in as much detail as possible. Are they a night person? Do they like the outdoors? Does work send them traveling around the world? Once finished, read it aloud three times. Vocalizing your intention gives it more power.
Second, get rid of old baggage. This includes crappy gifts from awful relationships. And that person who keeps coming in and out of your life when ever they feel like it? Get rid of them, too! This is your chance to signal to the universe that you deserve more and better.
Third, make room for new love by emptying a drawer in your bedroom, even if it’s a small nightstand drawer. Make sure you have two nightstands and two lamps. Don’t laugh! Where is your soon-to-be love going to put down his or her cup of coffee while you lounge in bed reading the New York Times on Sunday morning?
Fourth, replace those paintings of lonely people on your wall with images of happiness and love. You don’t really need lonely depressed people mocking you.
Lastly, go out and engage the world. As my friend Leah use to say, ‘You won’t find a mate sitting on your couch’.
Email me if you get a checkmate – cindy@kali-design.com
The amount of light entering the classroom has been proven to improve test scores. Space, color and sound can effect the way children learn and interact.
Feng Shui in Schools - New York Times Article
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E1D9153DF936A3575BC0A9679C8B63
A school in Redwood City, CA is using feng shui to helps students focus.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_10292560