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Feng Shui Friday

November 29, 2013

   

 

On this Feng Shui Friday we're only two days away from December.  OMG!!  We are back from a week in Indiana celebrating Thanksgiving in our son's new home. And before we know it, here comes Hanukkah (November 28, I believe), Christmas, and suddenly it's Happy New Year. 


This year you can create the Happy Holidays you envision rather than letting them sweep you away into what I'm calling an 'energy fiasco of fire elements'.  Until the end of the year, Feng Shui Fridays will offer ways to enjoy the season more with tips and suggestions to de-stress, declutter, downsize and simplify your Holidays the feng shui way.  

Feng Shui Tip of the Week

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Start with a Plan. 
Schedule time with your family and/or friends and decide on a plan for how you want this year to feel.  When you get together start with these questions:
What do you want to be different?  Think about what you promised yourself you wouldn't repeat this year.  Maybe you want to keep to a budget, not travel, or give fewer parties that became stressful. Next, what do you want to keep that makes the Holidays special?  Things like meaningful traditions or gatherings or decorations or annual mailings may be the things that make the season enjoyable and fun.  You'll want to keep these and include any you talked about adding this year, like a sleigh ride or skiing the day after Christmas, or heading to a warmer climate for New Years.  Finally, what makes the Holidays feel like 'work'?  Is it too much baking, shopping, card writing and mailing, decorating, obligations, parties?  You decide.  Remember, if it feels good, it's good feng shui (keep fun and enjoyable traditions and activities) and if it feels bad, it's bad feng shui (let go of things that cause you to shudder, feel annoyed, procrastinate to the last minute, or dread having to face).  

 

Ask for help,  Be willing to declutter.  Just because you've "always done it this way" doesn't mean you can't let go or make adjustments.  In her book Simplify Your Christmas: 100 ways to reduce the stress and recapture the joy of the holidays, Elaine St. James tells the story of a woman who went back to work after many years as a stay-at-home mom and no longer had the time to do Christmas in the 'big way' she'd always done it.  Her husband offered to take care of holiday preparations "with one catch: She had to let him run the show and she couldn't complain--not one single word--when he didn't do things exactly the way she would have done them."  She worried how he'd handle the shopping and unexpected guests, just the right paper and ribbons, and setting the table and candles and cleaning.  But she said yes because her travel schedule was crazy.  St. James says, "Let's face it, most guys don't have a clue about these 'rules' of getting ready for the holidays.  But even if they knew what was expected, no guy in his right mind would do it all while holding down a full-time job and taking care of two kids."  She accepted her husband's offer and "all things considered, they had a wonderful holiday." She only returned three gifts, said nothing about the paper plates for "sit-down-take-out pizza dinner".  He did remember the candles, though, and by the end of Christmas day, she had 
"stopped cringing about the dust motes on her kitchen floor.  She figured her mother-in-law was so shocked by the paper napkins she probably didn't notice anyway."   Clutter clearing is also letting go of expectations, perfection, needing to be in charge and in control.  Allow happy surprises this year and get everyone involved.

 

Decorate with intention.  Without intention, as soon as you pull out all those red decorations, pointed stars, and candles--fire elements--you unknowingly set the stage for expansion and spark and heated energy--whether you wanted it or not.  If you're like me, the holidays wouldn't be the same without red decorations, pointed stars and candles.  So instead of haphazardly creating an energy fiasco with all those fire elements, use fewer red and fire element shapes OR change your intention so every time you see the red candle centerpiece you've placed on the dining table you pull the energy of your calmer or specific intention to it. For example: "This red candle's fire energy pulls only my favorite friends and family into our home to share and enjoy time together."  OR when you put the pointed star on the tree, your new intention can be for time to sit and actually enjoy the beauty of your tree.  

 

This week gather with family and friends and talk about your intentions for this year's holidays.  What do you like most and least about the holidays?  How can you keep the things you love and let go of the things you don't?  How do you want the holidays to feel?  Fun and active, relaxed and calmer, or a balanced combination of both?  Make a plan and follow through.  Then decorate the feng shui way to attract all your intentions to you because where intention goes, energy flows.

 

Until Next Week

Wishing you Simplified Interiors

Kathie Seedroff

Conquering Clutter: The First Step to Downsizing

simplify bookcase

Sunday, January 26, 2014

9-10:30 a.m.

St. Andrews Methodist Church

(Registration info available mid-Dec)

Whether you're looking for a simpler lifestyle, downsizing to a smaller home, or determining what keepsakes to hand down, conquering clutter is the first step.  Come learn why conquering clutter is more than just getting rid of stuff; it's about letting go of what no longer serves you--body, heart, mind, and spirit--and making 'room' for inspiration, possibilities, and opportunities.  We'll explore why it's hard to let go, steps to get started, and motivational tools and resources to keep going.  Make this the New Year to get in the spirit and conquer your clutter.

 

2013 snake art class

USING ART THE FENG SHUI WAY:

Year of the Horse
January 26, 2014

2-5pm**

 

** Music starts at 5pm.  Stay and invite friends and family to join you for entertainment, libations, and celebration of the 
Lunar (Chinese) New Year!
Additional food and beverages available for purchase

 

Birgit Whitelaw, art instructor, and I will once again be offering  our annual art workshop for Lunar (Chinese) New Year which begins January 31, 2014.  Come paint with us and learn how to set intentions with art and basic feng shui principles. We will help you create your own unique piece of art designed to fill your feng shui intentions for 2014 using information and characters on what to expect during the Year of the Horse. 

 

Location:  JAVA JAM CAFE

500 E. Hampden, Englewood (directly across the street from Swedish Hospital)

Investment: $49includes instruction - materials - one beverage (wine, beer, or specialty coffee, light snack)

Register Here:  undefined 

Email me for a Gift Certificate

available for Holiday Gift giving
January to December...make 2014 a Feng Shui Year with weekly tips and resources to improve your  life, home and office.  Give a gift to yourself or someone's stocking

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Personalized & Signed 

 

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Now available at Amazon in paperback ($14.95) edition or Kindle ($2.99)

 

 Email Me 

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TIPS 
RESOURCES
and
IDEAS

Check out these links for ideas, tips and resources on clearing clutter, simplifying and organizing your life to create good feng shui.

 

 






An American Dilemma by Howard Mansfield



 

BOOKS: 

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay


Feng Shui for the Soul by Denise Linn

Simplified Interiors Archives

Read or revisit Feng Shui Fridays at

Simplified Interiors Archives 

gold snake

2013 Services
90 minutes $150
  • Feng Shui a room or two
  • Organize your home or office so you can find anything and everything in 30 seconds or less
Call today
303.947.7790 
This book is one of my favorites!
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Simplify Your Christmas
by Elaine St. James
 
Table of Contents Favorites:
1. Remember What you Once Loved About the Holidays  5. Monitor Your Stress Levels: No, It's Not Okay to Drive and Eat Lunch at the Same Time 19. Consider the Origins of Your Traditions 32. Don't Get Wedded to the New Approach 39. Talk to Your Kids About Simplifying the Holidays 74. Remember Less is More  90. Live the Christmas Spirit for a Day
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