Feng Shui Newsletters

Rabbits are calm, loving, quick witted and gentle animals. Rabbit people are those born in any of the following years: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 and 2011. Babies born this year will also be Rabbit people. To find out more about what it means to be a Rabbit person, or the other zodiac animals associated with the Chinese New Year, click here.

Each year, most people make New Year’s resolutions and as the days turn into weeks and subsequent months,  we find that we falter in our resolve. For this reason, I feel it is best to prioritize and simplify what you want to accomplish this year. Everything does not need to be done all at once!

What can you feasibly accomplish if your surroundings are full of clutter? My first, foremost and absolute #1 recommendation for everyone at the beginning of the New Year is to declutter! This does not have to be an overwhelming burden, although many people find it to be so.

Of course, you wouldn’t eat an elephant and if you’re going to take that literally, I’m afraid you’ll be missing the point! Decluttering can be a daunting task – huge, like an elephant. But when you bring things down to bite-size bits (metaphorically!) it is much more manageable. Decluttering is not a punishment, it is an avenue to open up pathways for positivity to enter your surroundings and your life.

When you don’t know where to begin, Feng Shui recommends you start decluttering the primary bedroom of your home.  Aim for neat and orderly, with everything in its place and nothing under the bed. Allowing energy to flow freely is essential to overall wellbeing, especially when sleeping. (One caveat: if you are currently pregnant or trying to conceive, there are some specific Feng Shui recommendations to follow regarding cleaning under your bed. When embarking on a decluttering mission, do not disturb what’s under your bed. Keep everything the way it is, don’t vacuum  under your bed, and then give me a call for further recommendations.)

After you declutter, grab your gear and get cleaning! Think of the areas that have been overlooked for a while – baseboards, on top of the refrigerator, door handles, etc. Open windows. Remember that by cleaning and airing out, you are freshening your space, dispersing built up (negative) energy and allowing for clean, renewing energy to enter. You can actually feel the difference when you’re done!

Take a look outside your front door. You probably need to sweep and tidy up, especially if you’ve done some entertaining during the holidays. Even if you haven’t used your front door in a while, take the time to sweep and straighten up your front stoop. You’ll be ridding the space of old energy when you do.

Many Feng Shui consultants replace their current welcome mat with a new one each new year. I find this to be a great suggestion – if your welcome mat is tattered or worn out. If yours is looking good, I recommend a good cleaning by sweeping or hosing it off. Welcome mats can be expensive and I want to avoid being wasteful, especially if what you have is in good condition. The point is to be rid of old energy and welcoming in new and fresh energy. This can be accomplished with cleaning (with intention), so with this suggestion, you decide. A new one if the old one is tattered, or clean up what you have. The point is to allow the fresh and new to enter, in honor of a new year.

If you live in an apartment building, the threshold of your home is the door of your apartment, not the apartment building. So when it comes to cleaning the front stoop, a good vacuuming outside your apartment door where a welcome mat would be placed would accomplish the same thing. 

There are many ways you can do a space clearing.  It can be as simple as burning sage, ringing a bell or clapping your hands. Space clearing is recommended for many different situations, not just for ringing in the new year. Space clearing is good to perform after an illness, a negative event, or even just when the space feels stagnant. Space clearing is always done in a clean room, so remember to take care of that first.  You can clear your space yourself, but if you would like a more in-depth space clearing, that is a service that I offer (more information here) and I am always happy to help you with that.

The new year is a fresh start and it is a good time to think in those terms. Set your intention(s) for the new year. What are your goals? It is a good time to be rid of negative energy, to think in terms of letting  go of the old, stale and negative and letting in the fresh and new. It takes some effort, but the feeling of your home and surroundings takes on a new and uplifting energy.

The holidays are over, winter has set in and hopefully you’re focusing more on making your home cozy, fresh and supportive. Winter can be a challenge with the short days and cold temperatures, but it is also a beautiful time of year. As the days get longer, my hope is that you notice the beauty around you as you declutter, clean, clear your space and set your intentions. I have made some suggestions with this month’s newsletter, but there are others you can do in the new year to help get you where you want to go. When these things are accomplished, you sleep better, enjoy your space more and can more easily recognize the people and things you are grateful for. I am here to help, so feel free to call me at 585-410-0662 or email  me at [email protected].

Happy New Year to you all and I wish each of you much Peace, Balance and Abundance!