Personal Empowerment – Feng Shui and Spirit
Lilith
19 October 2009
“Working in my kitchen empowers me.”
This week we are going to be discussing Feng Shui and Spirit. In Chinese, Feng Shui means wind and water. The basic premise of Feng Shui is that chi, the life energy that surrounds us all, can be worked with so that our environment – our homes, our workplace, and our yards/gardens, nourish and support us.
What are the benefits of Feng Shui? They go directly to the soul, to Spirit. The chaos, confusion – and yes, clutter – around us is cleared up. This allows us to experience clarity of thought, balance and harmony in our lives. We move about freely, with joy, experiencing each day in the most positive manner.
Feng Shui can be used at any time (in fact, it is advised to “freshen” the physical environment on an annual basis), but it is especially beneficial during time of stress, times of change, when undergoing a physical move, or when designing or building a new home/office.
I am going to take a look at some of the things that we can do with Feng Shui, beginning with the kitchen. The kitchen is what many consider to be the soul of a house. In Feng Shui, it is considered a symbol of wealth. It is advised not to have the kitchen too close to the main door, or to the back door, because energy could easily escape.
The kitchen should be clean and bright, with several levels of lighting. The counters should be clear – not covered with too many implements, or too much clutter. It is good to remember the purpose of the kitchen, which is to prepare the meals that nourish you and your family. The kitchen area should be harmonious, well organized, and clean. From a Feng Shui perspective, we are looking for yang energies in the kitchen, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The yin balance comes in through the use of accessories – curtains or shades, dish towels, pretty baskets plant holders.
Cooking in the kitchen should be a joyous experience. The energy of the individual preparing the meals goes into the meal itself – this energy should be calm, balanced and positive. A bowl of fruit, a vase of flowers, or a living plant add good chi (energy) to a kitchen. You might want to think about growing herbs in your kitchen so that you have fresh herbs for cooking. Houseplants, aside from being a visual plus add oxygen to the environment. They can also be used to slow the flow of energy between two doors that are opposite each other.
Storage space is also important so that appliances do not clutter the available counter space. The stove and oven, if possible, should be away from the sink, refrigerator and freezer. (This is done to separate the elements of fire and water.)
Do the common sense things:
- Throw out anything that is outdated – oils, sauces, packaged goods and cans.
- Recycle newspapers, bottles and cartons, rather than allowing them to build up.
- Empty the garbage daily.
- Clean old food out of the refrigerator and freezer. (If you are like me, there is more “mystery food” in my refrigerator than I care to admit!)
Go into your kitchen and look around. Is it clean? Is it neat? Do you really like to prepare meals there? If your kitchen is a catch-all for anything and everything, then I would recommend taking a weekend (or several weekends) to do a major turn-around.
First, look at your storage area. Is it adequate? If not, what is needed? What would it take to get those countertops cleared off? An investment in storage containers pays big dividends in creating a more welcoming kitchen, and one that is easier to work in.
Go through your refrigerator and freezer, wipe them down, and throw out any food that has been there too long. Go through your cupboards, and do the same for spices, flavorings, and food products.
Go through your kitchen drawers, throw out what you no longer need, and organize the rest. We all have a catch-all drawer that has a tendency to catch things that we just don’t know what to do with. If you can’t decide whether to throw something away or not, place it in a box, and put the box in another area, where it can be gone through at a later date.
Go through your cupboards, wipe them out, and organize them. Make sure that what you need is easy to get to (I am short, so nothing that is necessary goes above the second shelf!).
Take a look at your kitchen curtains, dish towels and wash rags. What kind of a feeling do you get from them? If they are a mish mash of colors, and do not create a very welcoming atmosphere, replace them. For a spot of color, add a plant in a pretty container, or set out a bowl of fruit.
Step back and look at your work. Once everything has been gone through, updated and organized, you may well find that your kitchen is a room that you now enjoy spending time in! It is the heart of your house, and speaks to the heart of your soul.
Each week, we are going to hear from the voice of one of our oracle allies. In keeping with this week’s theme, we are going to be speaking with the Feng Shui Card System (Mae Chin Williams). The card that wishes to speak is Landscaping. The message that this card carries is using landscaping to cultivate positive energy. In this instance, the landscaping that is referred to is the landscaping of our lives. The advice that we are being given is to have healthy, manicured trees and bushes around us. When they are not maintained – i.e. not nourished, or allowed to become overgrown, then negative energy prevails. What in your life have you allowed to become overgrown? What have you allowed to waste away? What are you not nourishing? Look at your relationships, and at your physical environment (both home and office). If you don’t pay attention to the landscaping of your life, your life becomes out of control.
Next week we will be talking about relationships – familial, business, and personal. Stay tuned!
May your week be filled with joy and peace.
Best Wishes,
Lilith
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