Year of the Rabbit
Feng Shui has long been an interest of mine. Literally meaning 'wind and water,' we are invited to tune into our natural environment and notice our place in it. As practioner Amanda Gibby Peters reminds us, our homes are always talking to us - are we listening? Here's her podcast on loving up your front door.
Beautiful brooms
As the Lunar New Year approaches, there are still several things we can do in preparation to welcome the year of the Rabbit.
- Shui holds that our front door offers opportunity for Chi (engy) to enter, and luck find us. Take some time to clear & bless the entrance or 'Mouth of Chi' by clearing clutter by your front door, sweeping the steps & porch, making sure the door can open, street numbers are visible, & washing the door - or painting it!
- Add a bit of salt and lemon or orange essential oil to the water - or peel from fresh citrus to the water, and wash away troubles experienced in the old year.
- Shake or or replace your mat.
- Take a pinch of cinnamon in your palm, standing outside and blowing cinnamon on the door to welcome good fortune. I put cinnamon essential oil into a spray bottle, and spritz the door.
- Put a few drops of cinnamon oil on the broom bristles, before you sweep, inside or out.
- Paint options my friend Gwynne - 10,0000 Blessings Feng Shui suggests: glossy red for good luck, black for career & money, or green for growth & new beginnings. I chose purple for my door before the last Rabbit year and loved it - and brought the paint along for my new door! Several former neighbors have told me they thought they were in the wrong block now that I've moved, and there's no purple door!
Move things around and clear some clutter!
- Remove 27 things in your home or office that are trash or no longer feel fresh, to make a pathway for something new.
- Do a walk through of your space, noting places that feel cheerful and vibrant, and this that feel a little stale - what will refresh those areas?
- Wherever there are congregations of stuff or unused belongings, snoozing Chi greets opportunities, and might block them! Make space to welcome the new you wish for.
- A clean sweep after clearing helps make way for the new.
Self care and Fresh, welcoming energy:
- Buy (or pick) flowers and put them where you can enjoy them. This is a great weekly self care practice - be sure the water is sparkling and flowers are fresh.
- Is this the year for a healthier you? Place a bowl of fruit (especially citrus) on the counter or table, and enjoy it often!
- Change your linens (and move your bed a bit if you can - even just an inch) to set the scene for the year ahead. Use your favorite sheets and bedcover. Soothing linens are a worthy investment - I recently ordered new linens for my new home!
Note how you and your space feel after any changes, and which made the most difference. New moons are a good time to welcome new energy - some of these tips may become monthly offerings to set the tone in your home.
Welcome, year of the water Rabbit!
Wow, this blog post is such a great reminder of the power of Feng Shui in our homes and lives. As a web designer, I have a lot of clients who are Feng Shui practitioners and it's always fascinating to see the transformative effect it can have on a space. I love the idea of using cinnamon and citrus to bless and clear the entrance of our homes. I'll definitely be incorporating that into my own Lunar New Year preparations. And the idea of painting the front door for good luck is so intriguing, I might have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing your insights and tips, I can't wait to see how the year of the water rabbit unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enormously it - I always love the stories after utilizing Feng Shui!
ReplyDeleteLast summer as I was packing and preparing to move, I cleared the front porch and swept it, and used cinnamon often. I tucked a Red envelope containing money under the front mat before asking a new neighbor if he was intersted in buying my house - and his brother was!
I kept up with the 'Mouth of Chi' care during our negotiations, and it all went very smoothly!
It will be interesting to see how the year inviolable - Gong Hay Fat Choi!
Nadya, what a wonderfully written piece, and what great advice. I used to do Feng Shui consulting, but I am now too busy with healing and coaching. Feng Shui is so important and can create massive positive changes for people. As you say, the doorway energy is so important! It's time for me to get a new mat and to paint my door. Happy New Year, and Gong Hay Fat Choy!
ReplyDeleteThank you! That's so kool, Kebba - I bet you have some wonderful stories! May you enjoy refreshing the Chi of your entrance!
DeleteGong Hay Fat Choi!
While I don't follow Fung Shui, there are so many good tips here that I can do this weekend, especially taking a look at my front door area. Thanks for the reminders!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Angie.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, one doesn't need to follow Feng shui to find its tips inspiring, and sometimes helpful! Enjoy your weekend!
We will be studying Feng Shu in our Homeschool Home Economics Course and I plan on sharing this post with my son. Thank you for sharing your thoughts as part of the #UBC. Have a good day.
ReplyDeleteOh Glenda, that's wonderful! I hope your son enjoys it! If you're in Instagram, check out Amanda Gibby Peters and Bette Steflik- they both often post sweet and easy to implement tips from Feng shui. And mine is Nadya King Artist.
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