Actually I am not. Having just visited beautiful but cold and grey Paris to finally meet dear friends, I am so happy to be back in the South with a blue sky, the sea and the old walls surrounding our town with promises of a moderate holiday season. Our town Christmas lights are up and ready to be switched on this week. European decorations are being launched in a time that needs light and glitter in various colours and styles and Paris’ famous Bon Marché was full of white icicles, snow and silver bells. It is magical but interesting to view via the Feng Shui cycle.
Water
Is all about a gentle flow for money and emotion. Too much water ends up either creating mud with earth or putting out positive energy with fire. It is why fountains, aquariums and water art work need to be carefully placed. With black being the associated colour, it is unlikely to see seasonal decorations with this as the dominant colour but I have seen it partnered with purple and turquoise in a masquerade ball style; it produces a heavy Chi to a room in the months where colour and light illuminate. Look for deep blues to add a softer tone. Don’t forget that glass is seen as water in Feng Shui so balance those opaque decorations with other elements as below.
Wood
A classic element for Christmas decor. Wood aligns with growth and new beginnings and a sense of life and this can be seen in symbols of forests or carvings with shades of green offering a comforting ambience during colder months. Too much wood can over-feed the fire element creating tensions and potential arguments. Balance it carefully with equal use of red as the classic partnering colour. Walking in to winter cabins can feel overwhelming as if being hemmed in with wood ceilings, panels and floors. Balance it out with other elements and avoid pine cones and dried flowers or branches as they symbolise death.
Fire
The first thought is warmth and energy which is precisely what it offers. Who hasn’t felt renewed by sitting next to a glowing fireplace? Red is obviously the colour for this element but don’t go overboard. Be careful partnering with wood as fire burns the growth energy of wood and can create potential arguments. Metal is melted by fire so balance the use of metal decor with red as metal’s clarity can be reduced. Be cautious in over using candles both for adding too much heat energy but also for common sense with potential accidents.
Metal
Images of silver, gold and the colour white, come to mind. The metal energy is all about clarity and truth but too much metal energy can lead to bluntness and a coldness. Metal also cuts down wood’s growth element and is melted by fire’s energy. Avoid sharp and pointed decorations, go for round baubles and softer shapes. Often metal pointed stars are a key symbol of this time of year but ensure the sharp points are not at the same level as sofas or chairs as this is a poisoned arrow towards a person. Check out other posts on what a ‘poisoned arrow’ is.
Earth
And finally, earth, the grounding and safety element. Think ceramics, clay, stone and shades of yellow, orange and terracotta. In our lovely town, there are the famous minature figures called santons, (little saints), that represent village characters. Mostly brightly coloured, we have four in biscuit terracotta and white glaze as a nod to our hometown. Fire becomes earth so is a positive result in the cycle and earth polishes metal – think in terms of sand and stone for cutting. On a negative note, wood weakens the earth element taking out nutrients and draining water.
How Do I Decorate Then!
Look at each part of your home and decorate according to the Bagua map. As stated in previous posts, our dining room and working space is in the Wealth and Family sectors, with the Fame area placed in the middle corner of a wall. Rich greens and gold will be used but balanced with our wooden dining table to combine the elements and a touch of red will be placed in the middle corner to active the Fame sector. Our living room is in the Relationship corner, so use twos or equal numbers of everything. Soft rose baubles and white will be used but with some wood to soften the elements. It is all about a sense of harmony and offering a feeling of life, light, ambience and comfort in colder climates; light and energy in warmer places. As many countries are facing various lockdowns in our colder months, look to light, love and laughter to create inner harmony.
