We are in the middle of a beautiful spring. This is a time when Wood energy is strong, representing renewal and growth. As always, it is good to align with the energy of a natural cycle for some good productive work and growth. Contents
Tom is a CEO of a U.S. branch of an electronics sales company. He had heard that Feng Shui can help to create a supportive environment and bring more success to a business so he hired me two years ago to do a consultation for his entire office. Since then, not only did sales grow, but his branch performed better than most of the others throughout the world. Employees appreciated a nicer, more welcoming and harmonious environment, and clients felt more comfortable when visiting, which is always important in winning sales.
A few months ago, Tom called again and asked me to do a consultation for his home. He said that while the company's revenues grew, he personally did not receive the financial reward that he felt deserving of. In fact, he was experiencing some stagnation in his personal finances in general. So, he wanted me to check that his home supports the growth of wealth and make sure that nothing is blocking it. We did some work to enhance this area and as a result, two big things happened for him soon after. He got recognized for his hard work and was rewarded with a very nice bonus. He also sold a rental property that was on the market for a long time and was draining his finances. I called this a spring story because it is about wealth and growth, and that relates directly to Wood energy which the essence of wealth and growth. I have a feeling that this is just the beginning for Tom. There may be an interesting continuation to this story not too far in the future. Balancing the Yang of the season with Yin activities: some insights from personal experience For the past few years, I have been feeling that I am running out of time. I have been noticing this in my day to day life, and when thinking about the bigger picture. There is a feeling that I want to accomplish much more than can be done in just the next few decades and, as a result, I was trying to fit a lot into every single day. At times this felt great, but at other times I was drained, and once again feeling as if I was running out of time. When I was a child and a yang adult, I remember a wonderful, spacious feeling of "plenty of time”. Thinking about this made me realize that the reason why I had these stressful feelings, was exactly because I was trying to do too much and fit too much into each hour and each day. And then I started to practice slowing down. When I consciously slow down and do only what is important and essential, there is a feeling of more time again and a joy and fullness of life. If you look around, you can hear phrases like "I am too busy…”, "I don't have time…”, "I am so stressed…”, "I have so much to do…”, and so on. Everybody is doing too much; we live our lives in a hurry, jumping from one thing to another. It is important to take time in between, and enjoy the results of what we have done before moving on to the next thing. The truth is that we don't really need to be doing so much at once to feel happy and fulfilled. It is more like a habit. Somewhere down the line, there was time when we really did need to do a lot to establish ourselves, but inertia has a way of keeping things going. It seems that it is actually harder to slow down than to keep moving faster and faster, because our minds and bodies are so used to this. It doesn't make sense to keep doing this until depression or bad health comes along and forces us to take some time off on bad terms.
Spring is a wonderful season when Wood, which is a rising energy, is very strong. Hard work and growth are in sync with this part of nature's cycle, but remember; Wood cannot grow without Water and Water is all about going with the flow and relaxation. If we feel exhausted and stressed, instead of pushing ourselves even harder, we need to slow down, rest and look inward. It is good to get into this habit before we feel overly exhausted. It is wise to keep a balance of Yang and Yin activities. If you work hard and do high energy exercise, meditation and Yoga would be good balancing practices. Yoga is considered to be a Water type of activity, so it will make your Wood (ability to grow in business, produce innovative ideas, make money) stronger. Being balanced helps us feel stronger and happier. Here is what my friend and yoga teacher, Jane Hallowell, has discovered about yoga. Yoga Instead I took up yoga seriously almost five years ago because I couldn't take the chronic neck and shoulder pain I had suffered for 16 years in the business world, not to mention even more years of general stress. I had sampled many styles of yoga in years past, and began teacher training in Svaroopa® yoga, shortly after discovering this style. It resonated with me, so I decided to change my career path. I decided to go with the flow. Not only did I get what I was looking for – pain and stress relief – I discovered so much more. What makes Svaroopa yoga work for me is that poses are held for an extended period of time which allows the deep core tensions to release. Also, to facilitate this release, we sequence poses in a specific order in precise alignments. Students are propped (with blankets and/or blocks) to meet bodily tensions. When muscle tension melts away, aches and pains disappear, and the mind becomes quiet. I have been one of those "Type A” types – constantly doing and achieving and working too hard. Yoga has made me more flexible; not only my body, but my mind as well. I still tend to push, but you probably wouldn't recognize me now. I'm doing so much better. I pace myself. I meditate first thing every morning. I enjoy teaching my yoga students and giving them private yoga therapy sessions. I take time to explore nature with my camera. I eat healthier and have lost weight. Yoga has been a cleansing process that has brought richness and a sense of peace to my life. Jane Hallowell Feng Shui offers Conscious Ecological Design In recent years there has been substantial growth in various fields concerned with environmental and human-friendly building design. Practices such as green architecture, sustainable building, environmental psychology, building biology and feng shui are parts of this general movement that could be called conscious ecological design, the need for which has never been more urgent. Feng shui has always been concerned with ecology and living in harmony with nature so in essence it has been always "green”. And while green architects and builders fill the modern need for more environmentally efficient buildings, feng shui deals with the more human side of creating healthy and supportive environments. Read more. May-20, Feng Shui for Gardens A Feng Shui assessment always starts by analyzing a site because the land itself is what offers the most support for the building and its occupants. In this workshop, you will discover how the landscape around your home affects your wellbeing and luck and how to correct undesirable influences if they exist. You will see numerous examples of garden elements such as water features, paths, walkways, sculptures and garden accessories and learn how to combine them to create the most nurturing and beautiful garden. You will learn how to have a lot of fun in the garden by creating your a "love garden”, "wealth garden” and a meditation and healing garden”. July-15, Intuitive Eng Shui Our homes have an enormous impact on our state of mind. Not only is our environment a reflection of us, but it has the power to mold and shape our lives. In this workshop you will learn the deeper meaning of your home, its different rooms and how different objects, materials and colors can affect you. You will discover how to align the energy of your home with your personal energy to create a nurturing space that will help bring out your inner potential and manifest your life dreams. Aug-19, Creating a Nurturing Space for Your Spiritual Practice Many of us have a strong desire for inner growth and consistent spiritual practice and meditation. The space where you conduct your spiritual practice is a very important component in creating strong and consistent experiences. If a space's energetic vibration is aligned with the vibration of your practice and your goal, it becomes a spiritual template for your growth and your practice will fall in place effortlessly and joyfully. In this workshop you will learn how to create a special sacred space for your spiritual practice that will help you strengthen your practice and amplify your experiences.
Have a very happy spring! Questions? If you have any questions or are interested in a Feng Shui consultation please visit http://www.easternsciences.com or call (978) 392-9089 |
Welcome to my Quarterly Feng Shui Newsletter!
