Feng Shui Remedies for Christmas - Seven Top Tips!
Feng Shui Remedy No 1 - avoid other people's stress Christmas may result in your home being bombarded with long lost relatives, friends you haven't seen in ages and a whole host of other visitors. Whilst this may be fun, you'll want to protect your home and your family from other people's Christmas stress. Let's face it Christmas can be an emotional time!
The best way to do this is to burn incense sticks before your guests arrive. Smoke has always been a great purifier which is why you'll see large urns full of incense at the entrance of a Buddhist temple. People will stop to breathe in the smoke as a way of purifying their souls before entering the temple.
Similarly, if you burn incense or smudge sticks (the natural and not synthetic kind) you'll alter the energy of your home and the individual who enters. It is a signal to your guests that they are they are now leaving the outside world and entering a new and harmonious space.
I always remember my Feng Shui master smudging me with sage when I entered her home. At the time I did not fully understand the process or particularly enjoy it. However, I do remember how much calmer I felt afterwards. I appreciate that you may not want to wave burning sage in front of your guests but there's nothing to stop you burning a small bowl of herbs in the corner.
The most common and effective herbs for this purpose include sage, sweet grass or cedar.
Feng Shui Remedy No 2 - clear the clutter Yes, it's that ole clutter issue again. Christmas can bring with it a whole new opportunity for clutter to surreptiously enter your home. It comes in the guise of gift paper, cards, party invites, decorations, candles, unwanted gifts and the list goes on and on.
Try to keep a handle on what enters your home so that you avoid living in Santa's grotto and feeling totally overwhelmed by the experience. To ensure Feng Shui harmony in the home, work towards a clutter free environment - a welcome haven from the hectic outside world.
Feng Shui Remedy No 3 - use the color purple Color plays an important role in determining your general mood and state of mind. Long, winter nights and reduced sunlight can generally dampen spirits. So, think about introducing strong Yang colors such as purple to create Feng Shui harmony in the home.
Purple is a very powerful color which is closely associated with the color red and the fire element. It is ideal for stimulating chi flow and bringing vibrancy into your home. If your home lacks warmth or intimacy, purple will create a sumptuous, sophisticated and glowing atmosphere for Christmas.
Purple can be used effectively in the (nine) Fame and Aspiration area of the ba gua to enhance social recognition and reinforce your personal goals.
Equally, it can bring about passion and romance in the (two) Relationship area of the ba gua (situated in the top RHS corner of the room when you enter it from the main entrance or doorway).
If you feel purple is too bold a color try violet. Violet shades are great for meditation, healing and reconnecting with your spiritual side (which can often be overlooked during the festive season).
Please note that I'm not suggesting you totally redecorate whole rooms in purple or violet for Christmas. Just add a hint of purple vibrancy here and there and you'll feel the difference immediately.
Feng Shui Remedy No 4 - indulge your senses Since we've talked about color it may be worth mentioning the other four senses (sound, smell, taste & touch). Think about how these senses can be incorporated into your home at Christmas. Here are a few of my personal Feng Shui remedies for the senses:
Sound: Christmas carols & various songs such as Jona Lewie's 'Stop the Calvary' or the 'The Pogue's Greatest Hits' album Smell: Fresh pine needles on the Christmas tree Touch: A soft, wool sofa Taste: Mulled wine with cinnamon and, of course, chocolate! What are your favorite Feng Shui remedies for the senses and how can you make full use of them to create your ideal Christmas home?
Feng Shui Remedy No 5 - the ideal Christmas tree location Last week I received a mail asking "where should I place my Christmas tree?"
Christmas is a time when families come together so to reinforce strong family ties and home harmony I suggest placing your tree in the (three) Family and Ancestors area of the ba gua.
Family and Ancestors is also governed by the element wood and the color green so it's the perfect spot for your tree and any other Christmas greenery.
You may also be interested to note that a pine tree is a traditional Chinese symbol of longevity!
Feng Shui Remedy No 6 - promote Feng Shui harmony in the home To ensure Feng Shui harmony in the home this festive season there's a few Feng Shui remedies you may want to implement:
* Remove sharp knives from being on show in the kitchen. By placing them out of sight you symbolically diminish the scope for irritability and family arguments
* Use an oval or round shaped dining table as opposed to a rectangle table. A circular shape is symbolic of eternal unity plus no one family member is required to sit facing the sharp edge of a table or 'cutting chi'
* Place sofas and seating in your living room in a circular or octagonal shape which is conducive to easy communication. Try to avoid L-shaped arrangements that may cause imbalance or one family member to feel cut off from the rest.
* Avoid placing a large coffee table in the center of your living room. Keep the center clear so that family members have a focal point where they may gather. By keeping the center clear you are freeing up chi flow.
Feng Shui Remedy No 7 - look after your inner chi If you're like me, Christmas can result in a plethora of rich food, alcohol, minimal exercise, office parties and a frantic rush against time to buy those all important presents. What tends to happen is that my inner chi becomes stagnant or clogged resulting in colds or flu.
The way to overcome this (which I don't always implement) is to create sacred space or what I call 'guarded time'. Don't be afraid to say no to the odd party or two. You'll be giving your system a much needed break and reducing the chances of your inner chi becoming stagnant or clogged.
Treat yourself to a relaxing evening at home. Turn all mobile phones off and surround yourself with candles. Indulge some of those senses we talked about earlier. In short, give yourself chance to recharge your batteries and regenerate mind, body and spirit.
On that note, I think I'll slip into a much needed bath right now! All that remains is for me to wish you a very happy Christmas and I look forward to sharing more Feng Shui news with you in the New Year!
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