If you have been affected or are currently affected by the fires in LA, my heart goes out to you. So much devastation and despair.
Powerlessly watching homes become engulfed in unstoppable fires has made me ponder the meaning of “home” especially homes settled in nature. Normally, Angelenos are fortunate to have access to the unbelievable beauty of the mountains and that of the ocean, and to have a bustling city at their fingertips. From your home in LA, you can look outside your window and see busy hummingbirds going about their day, but you can also drive on the endless freeways to join the vibrant energy of the city.
When the right conditions were met, it was as if Angelenos had understood how to reach the modern balance between Heaven and Earth; the balance between Man-made and God/Nature-made.
As I watched the winds (Shui) sparking one fire after another, and saw man-made structures failing to withstand the flames, I witnessed the consequences of human actions. It became clear to me that we have long surpassed the tipping point of environmental collapse. Through the use of fossil fuels, fracking, water and air pollution, and the acceleration of global warming, humanity has irreversibly disturbed the delicate balance with nature in most places on Earth. We are no longer dancing with nature; instead, we are impacting it in ways that it can no longer sustain us. The imbalance is undeniable. Despite attempts by some to deny climate change and its role in fueling the escalating natural disasters, the evidence is irrefutable.
Both as an environmental activist and as a Feng Shui consultant, I have been watching this disaster and pondering the meaning of “Home”. "Home as a physical space—a structure where we sleep and store our belongings; Home as an emotional shield in which we seek protection from the external world. Home as a nurturing place, where we have close relationships with our loved ones. Home as an energy center, where our memories are stored. Home as the soil on which our house is built, Home surrounded by specific trees that we know and that know us; Home as Earth where humans were supposed to prosper and derive their sustenance from.
It might be time to wake up. Especially now. With the advent of toxic masculinity (negative Yang energy) fearing for their future, we have to do our part to convince our loved ones to start living in harmony with nature and with one another (Yin energy), so we don’t all collectively lose our Home-Earth. The imbalance between Yin (receptive energy) and Yang (action-oriented energy) is so blatant, that we have lost our way. The traditional masculine (toxic Yang) has created problems that they are artificially trying to fix by more actions (more Yang), more doing, when in reality we need to stop doing, start being more intuitive (Yin) in order to rebalance the Chi on Earth. Action is important, but it can lead us astray. Right action (when it’s time) is what we need.
We will all perish if we don’t convince our brothers (and sisters) that birth rates are not the problem. That not living in harmony with nature is the problem. We have to show the doers and relentless achievers in our lives that toxic productivity will drive civilization into a wall and that women will not want to bear kids if they don’t feel that their Home-Earth can provide.
With this, I wish you a peaceful new year. In my next newsletter, I will talk about the Yin Wood Snake year we are about to enter and how to prepare.
Peace and healing.
Marianne