Tag Archives: summer

Beltane Rituals. Soothe Yourself With Beauty.

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“Ritual is the act of sanctifying action – even ordinary action – so that it has meaning. I can light a candle because I need the light or because the candle represents the light I need.”
– Christina Baldwin
The Yin and Yang are always at work. April taught us lessons, some difficult, some compelling. May teaches us sweetness. It comes to our aid absorbing the pieces into its vast well of beauty that we can tap into all month long.

In diverse cultures around the world, Summer is the midpoint between the vernal equinox and summer solstice. May 1-2 is Beltane (Fire of Bel) or May Day. May 4 in the Chinese lunar calendar is Lixia, (The Inauguration of Summer).

The beginning of each season provides an opportunity to create a fortuitous beginning. In sanctifying the season, we invoke our own potential laying the path for abundance and success. In January I shared Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) rituals. Now, four months later, life begins anew with the imminence of Summer. Its energy potential fertilizes the seeds of intention we plant during this time. This blog will focus on Beltane. The Beltane rituals below are simple and easy to implement. Select what feels right for you.

May your day be blessed, your morning bright, your evenings filled with fae and sprite…. Beltane honors life and new growth. One of the eight solar sabbats celebrated by Wiccan cultures, humans offer their prayers and gratitude to the Earth and human fertility is celebrated with rituals. Traditionally groups come together but you can create a private Beltane ritual in your home or backyard. So ring a bell to scare away bad spirits (yes, we do that in Feng Shui too!) and add candles to your spring altar to welcome the Fire of the Sun. Here are eleven easy  Beltane rituals to celebrate abundance and the promise of prosperity.

• Create a bonfire. Bel is a Celtic Sun God. He is the father/protector/husband of the Mother Goddess, often known as nature/earth. Bonfires are a way to symbolize Bel and his fire, and encourage him to bring life to the earth.

• Leave an offering for the Fae. The veils are thin between the worlds. Fairies are mischievous beings who often cause chaos. Offerings of Rowan branches or hawthorne placed above the windows and doors were a sign of protection. Food is left on the steps for fairies. Leave what is seasonal in your area which can include crystals and little lavender cakes to show your respect.

• Arrange Flowers At Your Front Door. Flowers’ beauty and fragrance represent nature and the fertility of the season. It was common to gather flowers and weave crowns or wreaths from them. Hanging them on doors is a sign of abundance and prosperity. Flowers traditionally associated with Beltane are roses, lilacs, bluebells, primrose, daisies, and marigolds.

• Bathe To Welcome Summer. The element of water is refreshing and rejuvenates our senses. It is believed that if you bathe in the dew gathered before dawn on Beltane morn, your beauty will flourish throughout the year. Draw a bath for yourself and add essential oils of lavender or lilac. Light yellow, green or pink candles. Saying a prayer of appreciation for all that you have is the theme of this day.

• Dress in Green. Emerald or any color of green refreshes your body and spirit. Green is a common color in nature – grass, trees and vegetation – it can help us feel grounded, creative and calm. Green shades have a stress-relieving and rejuvenating effect. In color psychology, colors of shorter wave lengths relax and cool the human body and mind. Green invests you with tranquility. Jade, forest, mint, sage or any variation of green is easy on the eyes and you can look at green for a long time and not experience eye strain. Green equalizes, relaxes and balances painful processes. Need to address an issue? Wrap yourself in a deep sage or an emerald green throw. Quietly sit by candlelight, touch your heart with your hands and breathe.

• Make An Altar. An altar or shrine in your home helps you manifest the abundance and fertility of Beltane. Add lilacs, daffodils, budding branches. Place oats and honey too.

• Stroll In Nature. Connect to your inner child. Explore the woods, run through a field of flowers and absorb the abundance of new life all around you.

• Adorn Your Home. Wreaths, bouquets or garlands of containing yellow flowers celebrate Beltane and the b. Marigold and for wild flowers: Golden Ragwort, Yellow Sorrel, Yellow Goat’s Beard, Dandelion and Coreopsis.

• Walk Your Property. Give thanks and ask for protection for the coming year.

• Decorate A Tree. Use colorful ribbons that represent your wishes for the coming year.

• Take Action On A Project. The planets are lined up to nurture a project(s) that is near to your heart. It will gain traction and meet with success.

Allow me to help you arrange your home where you feel fully supported. I am available for a full consultation service or for an hour telephone conversation. Details are at this link Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

How To Build A Fire Under Your Reputation

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“Let the world know why you are here and do it with passion.”
– Dr. Wayne Dyer

In April I shared with you the creative Power of Wood. Now we have reached the second phase of the Five Elements where we ascend to the fulfilling Power of Fire. In Summer Nature is at its peak and splendor. Spring blossoms are now summer fruit, their ripeness accelerated by the expansive light, warmth and radiance of the sun. It is a time where all of life develops to its fullest potential. Fire, the marrow of summer, is hot, vibrant and voluminous. It is the element that merges with all that comes into its path. In humans it is expressed through intimacy, passion, touch, sentiment, vitality, understanding, communication and community. When we merge our hearts with the hearts of others and realize our humanness, we thrive best.

If you have longed to reach beyond your comfort zone; dreamt to share your vision in a venue the size of Yankee Stadium, improve the rhythm in your heart or find the clarity to finish what you start, these six BSTB Feng Shui cures may enrich your home with the luminous vitality to help you pursue what sets your soul on fire.

Located in the back of the house are three power spots, Wealth, Fame and Partnership. The Fame and Reputation gua is central, nestled in between the Wealth gua to its right when facing the door and Partnership to left when facing the door.

Rejuvenate Your Heart. Not only is Fame/Fire identified by a location in our home, it is represented by the heart that pumps blood through our vessels, instilling our body with mindfulness. In Chinese philosophy our constitution is strengthened through performing virtuous actions. If you need to rejuvenate your heart then build goodwill by doing good deeds among your family members, friends, colleagues and relationships.

Build Your Business. Your business will prosper when you foster interdependent relationships. Make a practice to give and receive support and assistance. You will become illuminated in your community with what you are famous. 

Polish Your Clarity. When the Fame gua is missing in your home it can manifest as a heart attack, insomnia, feeling scattered, burned out, lacking clarity, unable to focus, depression and unfinished projects. To complete the missing area, hang a convex mirror. As you place the mirror visualize the reflection of the house in the mirror and see it move into the missing area, filling it. See the individual tasks to complete your project fall into place. 

Restore Your Reputation. A bathroom in Fame will dampen the Fire element and deplete the gua. The heart may become weakened. We need the warmth of Fire to speak from our heart, to soften cold words, comfort grief from within or succor a loved one. We may also experience damage to our reputation, status and honor. Mount a full length mirror on the outside of the bathroom door and visualize it assumes the image of whatever is in front of it. See the bathroom disappear and your reputation restored.

Guard Your Health. Watch for design details in your home that will cause damage to your heart. Here is a short list: a stairway out the front door (illness along the midline); a kitchen in the center of the house (fire in Health); a bed on the door wall (heart arrhythmia); slanted ceilings (especially if you have low blood pressure); biting doors; a contrary door (where the door opens to the a wall), a blocking wall and any bed, desk or stove out of command.

Enhance Your Fame. Red is the color of Fire. Red is an energy source, a stimulator and a way of expelling bad Ch’i. If your reputation has been maligned, if you want to enhance your fame or if you desire to extend your reach beyond the city in which you work, paint a red wall in the Fame gua and set your intention accordingly.

Have you decided this will be your year? “Boldness has genius”… start with one hour of Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

Feng Shui Miracles

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“Always throw split salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck and fall in love whenever you can.”
– Unknown

Eighteen years ago Feng Shui opened my eyes to a world of energy that lies below our awareness yet has the power to impact our environment, our relationships, our attitude and our future. It also produces miracles when nurtured. How do I know? Barbara’s story tells it best.

Barbara had fallen in love with a craftsman style home here in Portland and wanted to get started right away on aligning the energy with her lifestyle. Before the sale was finalized she requested a Feng Shui consultation. I gave her ideas about her home’s design but before I left we stepped into the backyard. I saw the entangled Ch’i from the previous owner’s neglect: the dark, overgrown vegetation; broken, rotting fence and the presence of hungry ghosts.

Aware of how it looked she wasn’t aware of what it meant and when I shared this, her eyes got very big. Instead of reacting Barbara dug in (literally for ten months) to do what she needed to create the paradise she envisioned. Once she moved she asked me to return to perform space blessings. I brought my ceremonial bowl, rituals, mantras, prayers and she supplied the high proof liquor, the rice, the special powders and the intention to bless her property. Together we made what we call in BTB Feng Shui “sacred food” to feed the “hungry ghosts” because Barbara was determined to start on the right foot.

We walked the property, chanted blessings and offered sacred food all the while asking the spirits to be well fed and leave, or stay and be helpful friends. Pretty uneventful until we stepped into the backyard where I tripped on “air”, the bowl flipped out of my hands and the rice went flying. A trickster hungry ghost had no intention of leaving. Fortunately we retrieved most of the rice, I got my composure back and we persevered. It nearly happened a second time. This was definitely a tenacious spirit. After we completed the ceremonies, I suggested that Barbara perform this same one over the next two days to strengthen the work we had done.

Before I continue I believe it’s important to share a synchronous moment prior to my arrival. As I was driving to Barbara’s home a crow flew alongside my car at my head height for a good distance. After I left the consultation, I consulted the I-Ching and shared with Barbara what I had received: Hexagram 27, what Willhelm Baynes calls“The Corners of the Mouth” (Toltec I-Ching calls it “Trusting Intuition”)
The Judgement explained:
The corners of the mouth.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
Pay heed to the providing of nourishment.
And to what a man seeks
To fill his own mouth with. 

Crows are shape shifters, their presence helped us shape shift the land. Barbara replied. “There was a really big energy shift right after I finished the last ceremony yesterday and in the morning crows were in in my front yard eating the rice! I got the sense they were taking it to another dimension, helping to shift and transform the energies.”

Over the months Barbara and her husband nourished the land with blessing ceremonies, cleared gnarly areas, removed invasive species, installed a new fence, met with the neighbors and planted their dream garden. Throughout they resolved to keep their hearts in the right place, be good stewards and be a positive influence for the neighborhood. 

And it worked!
Ten months later here are a few of what Barbara calls her “miracles”and what Feng Shui  would call “good fortune”. “We felt a huge shift once we put the plants in the area where the blueberries are. We met the owner of the apartments and it turns out we have a lot in common and he’s very much on board for cleaning up. During the time we were out of town, he removed the trees along the fence line and cleared out the brambly mess. He thought he might put up a storage shed but also mentioned selling the property. He told us it was his health that has kept him working on it. Another miracle: is before we moved here I wished that a yoga studio would be walking distance from my house. A new yoga studio opened nearby! And so far, I’ve liked every teacher. And it’s a few minutes walk from my house!”

I never underestimate the power of Nature to communicate and that all we need to do is open our hearts to Ch’i and listen with my eyes to discover miracles.

Happy Summer Solstice! May summer hold miracles for you.

Have you decided this will be your year? “Boldness has genius”.. start with one hour of Feng Shui A La Carte. Think of it as a fairy godmother for your house.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

Feng Shui Solutions To Create Summer Magic!

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“Pick up your wand and carry on.”

We’re in the height of Wizard* season. Summer. Sun. Radiant. Transformative. Fire. It’s a don’t wait energy. It’s a build your momentum, be bold and feel inspired kind of zeal. Pull a Harry Potter movie off the shelf, pick up your wand and strap on the mantle of your imagination. When you commit to suspending your belief about the reality of your current circumstances, the moment you let go, magic enters. Begin now.

Hold That Thought!
“You must find the feeling of abundance before abundance can be yours. You must talk about how it will feel when you are living it. You must talk about why you want it and what it will feel like to live it. When you think a thought for 17 seconds, that thought has enough momentum that another thought like it will join it. And as you maintain that thought for another 17 seconds and another and another…then pretty soon you have 68 seconds of like thoughts. And then you have momentum that begins the realization process. And what happens then is thoughts will rendezvous with you. Ideas will come. Inspiration will happen and you will have fun, not just achieving manifested reality but imagining it and that is really a lot of fun.”
–Abraham Hicks

Set The Path of Least Resistance!
“The path around your home is also the path of awakening.”
–Thich Nhat Hanh

You hold the wand. You know your rockets of desire will manifest through focus and clarity (17 seconds +). Begin with a strategy to harmonize your home by removing distracting energy. Make a list of design details that affect your physical and emotional well being. Then start the transformation! Here are a few general Feng Shui solutions to create summer magic. Soften blocking walls with beautiful art work; diffuse a poison arrow with a radiant crystal; uplift your stairs with a wind chime and turn your thoughts around with a mirror at the stove. Remove mental chatter by donating furnishings that have emotional ties and drain your energy. Refresh your surroundings with luminous color and sparkling light. A wizard knows a unifying pattern creates a sense of ease, a welcoming ambiance and will train your vibration to move upward allowing the space for you to rendezvous with ideas, inspiration and fun.

Expand Your Thinking About Abundance! 
Abundance is more than money Ch’i coming from the wealth corner or your career. There are six more guas that create the alchemy of abundance. Impulses can come as innovative ideas that support you (adjust Family or Knowledge). Foster relationships that build your business to a prosperous status (activate Partnership gua). Generate an ample sense of well being that provides the stamina to push on (build the Center). Develop strong ties with mentors, benefactors and clients who aid you when your luck is down (tune up Helpful People). And I am excited to share one of H.H. “Professor” Lin’s secrets that will give the Feng Shui in your home tensile strength. There are eight guas which creates four pairs. When you place an adjustment in one of the pairs, it profoundly activates its partner. Here is how they pair up: Wealth/Helpful People; Fame/Career; Knowledge/Partnership; Children/Family. If you have plans for home improvement and you are including Feng Shui, you will want to add this. And please let me know how it works for you. I’d love to hear about your process.

Recently a client shared she could best describe her Feng Shui journey as, “Fun!” She told me how she loved searching for a colorful dragon for her office. It engaged her senses and sense of play. It was her excitement about the possibility of positive change, her engagement with the process and finally transforming her space with the sacred objects she created through her heart and intention that helped her realign with her desires. “If you are are in tune with what you want, you feel enthusiasm, peaceful and satisfied with your desires. The Law of Attraction responds to this.” (AH) Indeed!

*The Five Element Archetypes: Wood – The Pioneer, Fire – The Wizard, Earth – The Peacemaker, Metal – The Alchemist, Water – The Philosopher
– Between Heaven And Earth, A Guide To Chinese Medicine

Feng Shui touches on every aspect of life. I invite you to try Feng Shui A La Carte.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.

 

Hot And Juicy Feng Shui Garden Tips For Living Easy.

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“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine, it’s summertime.”

When temperatures soar the place to enjoy cooling off is the backyard! You can make summer more fun with these hot and juicy Feng Shui garden tips. I believe you’ll toast to the ambience, enjoy the smiles and entertain with the confidence that you made safe, smart, design decisions.

Love to grill? Measure the back of the house and find the center. Place the barbie there (make sure you have adequate ventilation). As a Fire element it will create a connection to the Fame gua (also a Fire element) of the house. With proper intention the two strengthen Fame and will bring recognition to your career.

Laying down pavers for the back patio? The most auspicious shape is an oval. But also natural curves are auspicious and much better than straight lines and protruding angular shapes. The Chinese discovered thousands of years ago that negative Ch’i travels in a straight line.

Where to put Fido’s dog house. The Helpful People gua (front right corner of your yard). Your dog is a helpful person to you and the family. Give him the recognition he deserves by placing his shelter in the gua that serves you both.

Yearning for a gazebo? If you are looking to transform your backyard and want to know the best placement for a gazebo, remember detached buildings can be tricky. If the gazebo is enclosed and in the far left corner of the lot, money will be hidden by a family member. If it is in the far right corner of the lot, you may find your partner eating in someone else’s kitchen. An open (no walls) gazebo in Wealth and Partnership are OK. But consider an open gazebo in Fame. This will increase your visibility at work and in your career.

Digging up the backyard for a pool? Placement is of the utmost importance. If an angle of a pool is pointing at a door or window into the house, the occupants will have:

  • The occurrence of an illness in the head.
  • Ocular diseases, especially if pointing at a window.
  • Gynecological diseases if pointing at a sliding door, especially to the bedroom.
  • Strange illnesses.

To cure: place nine potted plants between the corner of the pool and the door or window.

If you need helpful people in your life…try adding a round (vase-shaped) tree in Helpful People in the garden.

How to make your pond Feng Shui perfect. A pond should have a visible entry of water, as well as an exit, to avoid the impression of stagnation.

Need money for all of this? You earned this bonus item after buying a new grill, upgrading Fido’s dog house, splurging on the gazebo, excavating the backyard for a pool and adding a pond with koi. To cure: in keeping with the hot and juicy garden Feng Shui cures, place something associated with a wind mill into wealth. The movement will spin away any stagnant Ch’i. Remember to visualize your intention and choose an auspicious day.

Want design help with the rest of the house? Try Feng Shui A La Carte. 

If you feel you’ve benefited from any of the Feng Shui garden or any of the cures I share, please send a red envelope. Email me for details.

What I have discovered about our homes is that creating a heart healthy space leads to peace and contentment. The bedroom is where it begins. Start with my complimentary pdf: 27 Bedroom Concepts To Maximize Your Health, Happiness and Peace of Mind. Design your space to your best advantage. Subscribe to my blog and special offers. You’ll receive this valuable Feng Shui Guide as a thank you gift.