Feng Shui Homework: Attend to Details

On February 10, we have the new moon and the Chinese New Year. Welcome to 2013, the year of the Black Snake!

Depending on your own animal sign (click here to find out), the Year of the Snake will treat you differently. However, in general, it offers steady progress and the need to keep attention to the details. Having discipline and keeping focus this year will help you reach your goals.

Here are a few feng shui comments about this new year period.

• In the beginning of the year, you may not feel so grounded, because movement is on its way. It’s OK, just work with it.

• Again, keep your eye on details. Make sure to read all the fine print before signing documents. And keep up with details in your living space.

• Use the Snake’s sneaky energy to work on your behalf. When necessary, look for loopholes.

• Wearing the color black more often through the year, can help honor the Snake.

• If you're doing any construction or renovations around the house, it's best not to start a project in the South East part of your home. If it's must, however, then start work in the North West.

• Take a look at the center of your home and the center of each of your rooms. Keep them clear, organized, and clutter-free - especially for this year.

Your Feng Shui Homework

On the actual day of the New Year, February 10, you may want to wear something red, eat oranges, write down your intentions for the upcoming year, and have fun. So, for your homework this month, I'd like you to enjoy the transition!

Until next month,

Be well, 

Franca

Franca is a Feng Shui Student Advisor and Instructor at Sheffield School; visit her website for more information. If you're interested in learning more about feng shui and interior design, then we encourage you to explore the Sheffield School, New York, NY. Sheffield began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

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2013 Chinese New Year

(Water Snake)

CHINESE NEW YEAR for 2013 is the Year of the Black Water Snake and lands on the new moon of February 10 in the U.S. The Chinese New Year is a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity and to eliminate negative chi from the past. It is said a snake is silent and still and may lie coiled and motionless for a very long time. But when it is ready, it strikes.

The Year of the Snake is a time of powerful undercurrents and far reaching efforts. At this time, dramatic history-altering events can happen. The last time the year of the snake occurred, the attack on the NY World Trade Center and Pentagon happened. It is likely in 2013 that powerful forces will emerge and some who are repressed will rise up against authority.

Landmark agreements can also occur, like when Nelson Mandela met President Botha, which led to the end of white rule in South Africa. Snake years also favor innovation. It was the year when Apple introduced the Ipod.

The snake year is when DNA was discovered. There will be considerable emphasis on humanitarian and environmental issues. The arts and culture will thrive and major events and exhibitions will make various art forms more accessible.

For the individual, the snake year offers a lot of potential. It favors learning and personal growth and taking up new skills. It is a year of action and many of us will be happy with the actions we take. The Chinese have the saying, “If you have foresight you are blessed, but if you have insight, you are a thousand times blessed.”

Legend of Chinese New Year: The phrase “Kung Hei Fat Choi,” which roughly translates as “blessings for wealth,” is a common greeting for this day in particular. No one is quite sure exactly when or where the Chinese New Year festival originated. Legend has it that once upon a time, there was a monster called Nian that attacked Chinese villages every spring, eating anything that came its way – people, animals, plants and the odd building. One spring, villagers hung red paper on their doors and threw bamboo on a fire when Nian arrived. The monster was so startled by the bright colors and loud crackling noise of the burning bamboo that it turned and fled. Today the word “nian” is the Chinese word for year.

Since that day, Chinese people hang red paper signs and lanterns outside their homes and enjoy making loud noises on New Year’s Eve. Firecrackers replaced bamboo after gunpowder was invented and the main idea today is the louder and bigger, the better.

In the days leading up to the Festival, every household gets a thorough cleanse since sweeping on New Year’s Day itself might sweep away the year’s good fortune. Breaking dishes or using sharp objects is also seen as potentially unlucky. Bad luck, or huigi has a tendency to build up in the corners. Old huigi can really bring down the party. Plus, only when the house is spic and span can the ancestors and deities be properly honored. Three days before the big celebration, families bust out the brooms and dustpans and give their homes a thorough cleaning.

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