It's Mid' December and you may be feeling anxious for the holidays.
Below are a few Feng Shui tips that I gathered for peace and harmony around that time.
(It's all in the mind)
1. Our ego minds are trained to think that everything has to be perfect. Banish the ideas that holidays have to be perfect in order to be enjoyable. No moment in life will check all the boxes. The idea is not to dwell on what's not working, but to just enjoy these moments for what they are. Holidays are an opportunity to slow down, stop time, and contemplate.
2. Each moment counts. It's the action that counts not the result. Mindfulness teaches us to slow down, and feel sensations around the actions we are performing. So let's say you are baking a cake: try not to get caught up in the end result, but enjoy every single step with your five senses: see the beautiful colors, feel the textures, smell the ingredients, hear the crack of an egg, taste as you go.
3. Keep it fun and the vibration high. Small talk, gossip and ego-mind conversations are a buzz killer. Try to avoid the person who wants to brag, or just step away. If you spend holidays with people you haven't seen in a year, don't waste your time on political, gossipy. wasteful conversations and gravitate towards people who make your heart sing (it could be a toddler or a dog). If you are alone, you could turn on a spiritual podcast to elevate your energy.
4. Play with the 5 elements so that you (and guests, if any) feel welcome and nourished. Try different colors, shapes, smells, textures, light arrangements. My favorite thing is to incorporate nature in table decor: a branch, some rocks, a floating candle, etc., a fire in the fireplace. Keep the decor simple and playful.
5. Smudge your place before a big gathering and after people leave. Start fresh my burning sage or eucalyptus to renew the energy so you can start on a blank canvas. Do it once more after the reunion, to make sure that no negative energy lingers after your guests leave.
6. Avoid gilt by gifting experiences, and not material things. When I was younger, I would feel "nauseous" seeing a sea of wrap paper and unopened gifts everywhere. Today, there are a million things we can gift that are not material things: gift a friend a class to discover a new sport, or gift a weekend away to new parents, buy a gym membership, a massage or an online course.
7. Make something for someone you know or a stranger. Donate to a charity. Use your unique voice to create something. If you don't feel creative or crafty enough to make a gift from scratch, make your own wrapping paper! Elevate the experience of giving by putting something of you in the gift.
8. Place comfort and safety first! This principle is even more important during holidays. Always be attentive to what feels good, before what looks good.
Many many blessings to you,
Marianne