Calendar
| March 30th | Mercury went retrograde challenging communications for the next three weeks. |
| April 3rd | New moon – new beginnings |
| 17th | Full Moon – finish something |
| 19th | Passover begins |
| 22nd | Earth Day – plant a tree, a shrub, or a bush |
| 23rd | Mercury goes direct – communications gradually improve |
| 24th | Easter |
FENG SHUI IN ART
Feng shui has several important functions in the art we place in our homes and businesses. We can use our artwork, pictures and photographs in several ways.
Use art:
- To create a focal point to direct where your eye goes. This helps direct the flow of energy (chi) in the way you want it to go. Send your eye to see what you want it to see and distracts you from less desirable views (of toilets, clutter, basement stairways or areas having no focus).
- To open up a space. In an entrance or hallway where you walk into a room and face a blank “brick” wall, put something wonderful to look at. A picture with depth and perspective — like a nature scene or path can help you feel as if you could continue to walk straight ahead, but of course you won’t. This relieves the tense feeling as you unconsciously prepare to bump into a wall.
- As a substitute for a mirror. The reflection in the glass that may cover artwork opens up a space, lets you see behind you and adds depth.
- To bring color into a space. This art can have a color from the five elements that you have been told during your feng shui consultation that you need to in a certain area. Any of the five element colors in an harmonious sequence can be very balancing — water (blues) wood (greens) fire (reds).
- To express your personality and interests.
In going into homes all these years, I’ve noticed how people gravitate to certain topics in their artwork. Two examples,
- A client’s house was full of scenery — mountains and water with trees in the landscape in almost every room and she didn’t realize it. These mountains portray the earth element — a stabilizer — something she was seeking in her life in the city.
- Another home had white (metal) or pale watercolor art — mostly snow scenes. He seems surprised when I ask if his favorite time of the year was winter. ( It was.)
Go check out your own art and see what element or color, what style, what subject dominates your home.
Then ask yourself:
- Is this art supporting my life?
- Have I outgrown the need for this?
- Does this piece remind me of something, someone, some event, some travel or destination that I want to keep fresh in my mind?
- What is the topic of this picture?
- Is it a couple or two similar objects? (Could be put in the relationship area of the house or bedroom?)
- Is it a solitary object or person? This would give support to independence or being alone. (However, it is not as helpful if you are looking for a relationship.)
- Is this a happy piece or something depressing? I recall going to a famous estate where the first thing you see in the foyer is a “priceless” picture of people waiting to be executed in the French Revolution. The only family to live in this home had several tragedies and left the place. It later became a museum.
- What can I put up to look at that will stimulate my goals? (Asian culture often suggests using waterfalls to symbolize wealth and encourage financial success. They put it in the wealth area of the home or office.)
- What area of the bagua is this art in? Is it wealth, partnership, health?? Is the art appropriate for this area?
If you don’t find a reoccurring theme in what you put on your walls, you are one who has many interests and/or hobbies. You may even be one of us who frequently rotates artwork either seasonally or whenever you find a new interest, goal or new piece you can’t resist.
ALSO ART:
Rugs, tapestry, quilts and other soft works are good in stairwells or overhead places where there is a possibility of something falling — when a door slams, etc …
Remember that just because you have a blank wall and know a picture should go somewhere, you don’t have to run out and buy the first thing that fits on that wall. You can put a calendar, a temporary picture or photo to hold the spot until you find the perfect piece that speaks to you. Things acquired with intention are the most special and meaningful.
PLANTS bring nature into a building in the home or office. They have valuable energy that shows life and brings joy to most people.
- Plants fill in dead space and empty corners.
- Plants soften sharp right angles that jet out into a room.
- In using cut flowers, remember to change the water every few days. This act can be considered a wealth accumulating ritual.
- Dried flowers are considered somewhat undesirable because they were once alive and are now dead.
The Chinese masters avoided contact with dead, dying, sick or things not at their optimum when at all possible. This means even taking a route to avoid a cemetery, hospital or funeral home. I grew up near a hospital, lived for ten years near a cemetery and have feng shuied funeral homes. We can’t always avoid these surroundings and we don’t need to, but we can certainly remove dead plants or dying flowers.
April showers bring May flowers
