Art News
Inspired by Chinese New Year: Living Feng Shui
The year of the Monkey is upon us—and not just any monkey—2016 is the year of the Red Fire Monkey! People born under this sign are of great intellect and skill with many opportunities in business.
Traditionally Chinese New Year is a time for spring cleaning, for connecting with family, and an excuse to eat a lot of delicious (and, greasy) food. As the most important holiday of the year, folks (particularly in China and Hong Kong) have 10 days to 2 weeks off from work to enjoy it and visit the homes of family and friends.
Since it’s the perfect time for spring cleaning, what better time than now to introduce the concept of Feng Shui to help with this cleansing and necessary annual task. Feng Shui is based on the ancient Taoist concept of energetic polarity. Recall the noted Yin & Yang symbol, which emphasized the concept of dual yet complimentary energy states in the Universe. Yin typically embodies negative electrical energy, whereas Yang is characterized by positive electrical charge. With this in mind, here are some tips on how to accomplish an energy balance using the basic principles of Feng Shui:
Declutter your bedroom! Your bedroom should be located in the quietest and least trafficked area of your home, usually distinguished in the Feng Shui meter as the northern & western areas of your home. Creating a peaceful place for rest is of the utmost importance. Here’s how:
- Remove all clutter. Make sure the environment (including decorative items and even wall color) is soothing and relaxing.
- Attempt to soundproof the room or wear earplugs for sleeping. This ensures full 8 hours of REM sleep.
- The lighting should be dim. Refrain from fluorescent lighting!
- Decor should be minimal – eliminate bills or work related materials in your bedroom, as well as anything stimulating such as a TV, digital devices, video game consoles, etc. These devices generate electromagnetic field and positive ions that can induce irritability and agitation.
- Choose colors in the realm of blues, greens, soft tones or grays.
- Minimize or preferably don’t have pets or plants in the bedroom. At night, plants consume oxygen and give off carbon dioxide, depleting the O2 levels in the air you breathe. And pets, unless it lends emotional support, can often cause restless sleep.
Fill your entire home with positive vibes. Place red and gold items everywhere. The red color is always associated with happiness and good fortune. It’s symbolic of fire and wards off evil spirits. People often wear red and place red fruits and other decorative elements all around the home.
In celebration of Chinese New Year in all its glory, I’ve put together a Red & Fiery Collection for delightful, artful additions to your home!
TAKE 10% OFF these original works by using code, “LUCK” at checkout.
Happy Chinese New Year to you & your loved ones.
