Happy New Year – 2014! I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday season. I’m personally looking forward to this year as I’ve been given new opportunities to serve others. My brand new website will be live later this month and I’ll be teaching for an online university on Facebook. Our daughter will graduate high school and start College, too. I have a feeling a lot of us will be experiencing major changes this year. So don’t fight it, go with the flow! Life is beautiful if we stay in the present and savor each moment!
Do you make resolutions for the New Year? If you do, I bet they’re health related. Popular resolutions to stop smoking, lose 10 pounds, quit drinking, go to the gym more often, meditate, pray, etc, are all great but do they work? I think we have noble ideas but we might be getting bored too quickly with the changes. We just haven’t given them enough time to actually alter our behavior. You know the saying, “old habits die hard.” Experts say that it takes 21 days to change a habit.
I know a few Feng Shui changes you can do in 1 day with lasting results for the New Year! Here they are:
- Don’t make resolutions, make intentions instead to change your mind-set
- Clear out the fridge and pantry to remove fattening goodies
- Don’t go on a ‘diet’ instead adopt a healthy lifestyle
- Write affirmations about what you want to manifest and post them everywhere
- Make a list of intentions as if you’ve already accomplished them to create a sense of gratitude. Remember to give thanks
- Remove & donate unused clothing from closets to make room for the new
- Pack away holiday decorations and donate any excess
- De-clutter your home and do some deep cleaning
- Smudge your home while setting new intentions for the year. Leave some windows open to allow the old stagnant energy to escape
- Put YOU on your calendar. Schedule time for self-care to go to the gym, take a new class or meditate and keep the appointment
- Create a Vision Board with pictures and words to represent what you want to accomplish in 2014
- Ask Archangel Raphael, the healing angel, to help you meet new goals
- Repeat all new changes for 21 days to create new habits
Since this is the time of year we seem to be most concerned about improving our health, let’s discuss the Health area of the Bagua energy map. It’s located in the center of your home and all others areas connect with the Health gua. This means that all other areas of your home must be clutter-free and clean as it can negatively impact your health. The primary color of this gua is yellow. It makes me think of the summer sun and vibrant health! You can use items in the colors of tan, beige and shades of brown. The shape is square, flat and rectangle and the element is Earth. Good items to place here, with intention for good health, are plants or flowers (yellow or orange) in terra-cotta pots, ceramic items, marble, pottery and tile. You may be lucky and have a tile floor here, a brick fireplace or a square/rectangle table to display items of this element. If you have a wall here, you can hang up a picture with these colors, a yoga pose or a sport that you enjoy. All of them will represent good health. Get creative and add what represents good health to you!
If you have a closet in this area like I do, keep it organized and neat! If it’s packed with coats and other stuff it can cause confusion or blocks on your road to good health. I have a small picture hanging inside of my closet of a woman standing with her arms wide open with sunlight streaming. It makes me happy to see it when I open the door. No one has to see the actual Feng Shui enhancement for it to work! It’s all about your intention! I also have a small round crystal hung from the closet ceiling by a red cord (for energy). I placed it here with the intention for the energy to circulate in this small area.
Since it’s cold and flu season, make sure everyone gets their proper rest, nutritious food and supplements. It’s also a good idea to diffuse essential oils to cleanse the air and use non-toxic cleaners. An issue which distresses many people at this time of year is SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a form of depression caused by colder temperatures and less sunlight during the winter. Please see your physician if you feel you are affected by this disorder.
Happy Chinese New Year – The Year of the Horse! This Spring Festival feast is celebrated from January 25 – February 14, 2014. This is an important holiday to honor ancestors, family elders and special prayers and rituals are performed for heavenly deities. Parents honor their children by giving them money in a traditional red envelope. The ‘red envelope tradition’ is also observed for accepting consultation fees by most Feng Shui clients and practitioners. Chinese New Year’s Day is January 31 and the Year of the Horse arrives on February 4. Preparations for an auspicious year include thoroughly cleaning your home, paying off debts, purchasing new clothing in red and placing vases of flowers representing abundance (gold chrysanthemum and narcissus). For those celebrating, have an auspicious holiday!
I was born in the ‘Year of the Horse’ according to the Chinese horoscope so this is my year! For everyone, 2014 is a year for greater independence, freedom, adventure, power, passion, high drama and quick thinking! Wow, I’m excited and tired at the same time just reading this! I’m thrilled that the planning of my new website and classes are coming at such an auspicious time. I’m off and running, how about you?
Since we’re talking about the Health area of the Bagua, the appropriate angel is Archangel Raphael. His name means “The Healing Power of God” or “God Heals.” He is an Archangel in Christianity, Judaism and is known as Israfil in Islam. He’s the patron of nurses, doctors, the blind and travelers. He guides healers and teachers and can even connect you with your soul mate. You just need to remember to ask him for help! His aura color appears as green to me and his gemstones are emerald and malachite.
When traveling, call on Archangel Raphael to ensure safety and security. If you’re not feeling well, close your eyes and ask him to wrap you in his emerald green blanket of healing. He will also heal your loved ones and pets too. Ask him to help you release old habits and any negative energy you may be holding in your body. He truly heals mind, body and spirit!
I offer discounts for Bellesprit Magazine readers on the Services page of my website listed below. I’d love to work with you for intuitive life coaching, angel communication, oils, Feng Shui consultations and my new ‘Do-It-Yourself Feng Shui™’ service. As always, feel free to contact me with Feng Shui or angel questions for an upcoming column. I wish you bright blessings for this exciting New Year!
Donna Cantone
www.Phoenixholisticservices.com
donnabellesprit@comcast.net
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