Happy Chinese New Year – The Year of Water dragon

The Water dragon year is a yang year.  Yang is the expansive male energy and gives us things this year in a bigger, louder, more public way.  The Water will bring forth emotions that could run deep and be hidden, be careful of what isn’t being said or uncovered in this election year.  Water also brings with it the opportunity of exerting your will and willing that which you would like to see happen.  My mantra for this year is “Carpe Diem”, seize the day.

 The Dragon the only mystical animal of all the 12 animals, earth branches, of Chinese astrology.  Dragons are very predominant in the Chinese culture and traditions and have been for centuries…walk anywhere in China and you will see this amazing creature.  Thought of as power and protection the year of the Dragon is the most popular year for births in China.  Being the sign that represents nobility you can understand why. 

Dragons are very direct and make good leaders but can be abrupt at times.  Commanding, but always doing something the Dragon hates taking orders from others as it wants to be in charge and make the rules.  Dragons usually always succeed and take on big responsibilities but need to be careful of not getting in their own way.  Dragons get a long great and make good friends or mates with their buddies the Monkey and the Rat but prefer to stay away from Dogs.

Famous people born in the year of a Dragon are Joan of Arc, Faye Dunnaway and Paul Getty to name a few.  If you were born in the year of Dragon this New Year you must be cautious of being your own worst enemy…don’t be so hard on yourself!

 This is a year not to be over optimistic but a hopeful realist.  Connect with others as this is a great time to unite on positive thoughts and solutions.  Come together to make change.  The year of 6, the house of heaven in the I Ching, and the highest house of power…it’s an opportune year to take charge of your affairs and direct things the way you want to make them happen.  Success this year depends on taking one step at a time but taking the step to build on your dreams and plans. 

May all your wishes come true this year and may prosperity abound.

For more information on how you can get a personal Chinese Astrology chart please go to http://jafengshui.com/chinese-astrology-readings-by-jacqui/

 ‘Tis the season to Go With the Flow, 1+ weeks ‘til Thanksgiving, the holidays are here.  November 8^th officially kicked off the Season of Winter in the Chinese calendar, which for elements is the season of water.  This season will continue to on or about 2/4 most years but in this year it will end earlier on 1/23/12.  This water season is poignant because it’s the beginning of the cycles called “generating” of the elements used in Feng Shui & Chinese medicine.  The five elements that make up the seasons for the Chinese calendar are Water, which feeds Wood, Wood which brings rise to Fire, Fire which helps the Earth, Earth which has minerals grow forth from it in the form of metals and Water which is the dew off the metal. 

Feng Shui literally translated means “Wind & Water” so you can see how Water is a very important element in the field of Feng Shui…it’s even in the name.  The season of water/winter comes a little earlier in the Chinese calendar than in the west.  None the less we are starting to see the changes begin around us in the way of daylight getting shorter and the universe’s shifting energy.  Go With the Flow this season , the time that is darkest before the light and we can see that in this unsteady time with the economy, war all around our world, global warming and more it makes sense to take advantage of this water/yin season by going inward and reflecting on the year that is coming to a close.  This is a time of preparation and concentrating on the changes you would like to see come about for the next season of wood which will start towards the end of January. This is a time when we will start to feel a renewed sense of hope, more daylight and a sense of growth and a poignant time to make our New Year’s resolutions after looking back on what it is we’d like to see shift/change in our energies and our lives.

 Water is connected to many things in feng shui such as colors, shapes, seasons, time of day, directions in space, parts of the body and so much more.  To start, if you were born in the season of Water, approximately November 7^th to February 4^th of each year, you may have a deep emotional aspect to your personality and although you may be outgoing you could keep certain things about your inner self concealed to the outside world.  Unlike your counter element of people born under the season of Fire, who may be gregarious, outgoing, and need to surround themselves with people all the time, being born under the season of Water tends to be more secretive and a time to enjoy solitude and privacy.  The positive states of a person born under the season of Water are intelligence, wisdom, reflection, willpower and ambition.  The negative states are coldness & fear.  Be careful of these aspects when you are in a state of imbalance.

 Water flows freely, moves along the path of least resistance and finds its way to the ocean where it comes and it will Go With the Flow & ebbs of the tides.  Water cleanses, refreshes and restores all life. The colors associated to the element of Water in Feng Shui are navy and/or black.  The best advice is to not use these colors in areas of space where Water is predominant such as the bathroom.  Better suggestions are elements of Wood and the colors associated to that element such as greens and light blues.  This gives the already existing Water element in those areas of space “something to do” since Water feeds Wood in the generating cycle.  Water is also connected to the undulating shape like the figure eight or infinity sign and much like a body of water in nature such as a pond. 

 Water in Feng Shui, one of the many aspects of Chinese medicine & preventative care, is also associated with vital systems such as; kidney diseases, adrenals, the bladder, sexual debility, infertility, high or low blood pressure, hypertension, blood poisoning, lymph system as well as tooth decay, arthritis, swollen joints, depression and lethargy.  During this potentially stressful holiday season be watchful for imbalances of these vital systems which may be susceptible to injury at this time and take care of yourself by remembering that health comes first. Remember Go With the Flow.

 In the midst of this water season it is a great time to stop, slow down and reflect on the past year and make corrections for the New Year coming.  Individually and as a nation this is something we should all consider for the betterment of ourselves and our planet.  Take these next few months to take positive steps forward both personally and in the arrangement of space at home or in the office. 

 Here are four easy steps to do so:

 1.)   Clean out the clutter:  Figuratively and literally, and make room for the new.  Go through drawers and closets and if it doesn’t fit or you didn’t wear it this season give it away to charity.  For every new piece of clothing or item you bring into your home an old one has to go.  Out with the old and in with the new.

 2.)   Get Rid of Negative Energy:  Look around your home/office and make sure you are not holding onto objects that bring negative energy into your space such as old pictures of past relationships, marriages that didn’t work, files from deals that went south and more.  Remove it from your space.  Everything holds vibrations and energy so be careful of holding onto things that you should of let go of long ago.

 3.)   Find the Yin to your Yang:  Decide how & what you want to surround yourself with, including people, in your space and environment.  Take your lifestyle into consideration.  If you are always on the go and live a hectic life make sure you come home to a peaceful & yin (calm) home.  If you are shy and introverted create a stimulating and thriving environment w/big bold statement pieces and bright and invigorating colors.

 4.)   Allow for Change:  Remember that all things change, nothing remains the same.  Not in life, not in Feng Shui, everything must change.  This means your goals in life, your space, children, etc.   If we want new things to come into our life we must let go of the old to create room for the new.

 Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy and balanced New Year.

 Jacqueline Albert Pepper – Consultant and Teacher in the arts of Feng Shui www.jafengshui.com – jafengshui4u@aol.com – 941-378-0413

Basics of Feng Shui

Mostly these apply to everyone but the GREAT thing about Classical Feng Shui is that we treat the patient not the illness therefore everything is specific to you personally.  But these are some things that can apply to everyone in Feng Shui.

The Basics of Feng Shui dictate that you never sit with your back to an open window or door. 

- When possible position your bed, desk and chair with your back to mountain energy – a solid structure like a wall.

- Try not to have sharp pointy objects such as corners, facing you or your back.  When possible soften sharp edges with plants, fabric, crystals and anything you can think to defuse the sharp point.

- BASICS OF FENG SHUI…NO CLUTTER ANYWHERE IN YOUR SPACE.  This stagnates the chi and doesn’t allow the proper flow of energy.  Especially in corners.

- Never have a stove and a fridge right next to each other…the idea is that fire, stove, fights water, fridge and creates an imbalance.  The correction here is something of wood energy to mitigate the two elements like a green area rug.

- The center of the home is very important to keep open and flowing when possible since this is reflective of the stomach and digestive system in your body.  Keep this area free from clutter at all times.

- Peonies flowers are the flower of love in Chinese.  These are great for your relationship corner. As are pairs of things like Mandrin ducks who pick a mate for life.

BASICS OF FENG SHUI – Do not place a mirror directly upon entering a space.  The idea is that guests could be frighten of image immediately upon entering and that the good chi will get bounced right back out of the space.

- You should not sleep with a reflection of yourself laying down.  This disturbs restful sleep.  When at all possible keep mirrors to a minimum in bedrooms.

- Most people feel that pointing your head to the north direction is good when sleeping.  This creates the most restful sleep because of the vibrational patterns of the earth (magnetically) but be cautious of this position if you sleep too much.

- Wind chimes should always go outside.  These are for fending off spirits.  5 Chimes is always a good number because it represents the 5 elements.