Feng Shui for the Lunar New Year

By Susan Levitt https://susanlevitt.com

The year 2022 can be time for sweeping change during this year of the passionate Water Tiger. This is your year to follow your instincts and pounce on new opportunities! But if you did not complete projects or clear clutter in the previous Ox year 2021, then clean up and clear out now before we get too far into Tiger year. Make your home and workplace organized now since the Tiger year will be the time for fast action.

The Element Water Colors Of The Five Elements

Boost energy and start a new cycle by painting a room or two in your home during Tiger year. The energy of the entire house, or any room, can be transformed by adding a coat of fresh paint.

What color for exterior paint? Walk around the block and look at the colors of the neighboring buildings. Paint the color that looks the best with the others. That improves everyone’s property.

On the inside, look at the overall color scheme. If all rooms of your home have white or ivory walls, all white is too much of the element Metal that can lead to arguing. So paint one room with color, or trim a room with color. Don’t know which room to paint? Paint the room most in need of being refreshed.

Each room of your home correlates to the five Taoist elements of Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood and can be harmonized with the correct choice of colors:

This year, 2022, is a Water year. Tiger personality traits are bold, strong, and brave. Therefore, this Tiger year is the time to take risks. And with the element Water, people act on their gut instincts and feelings, not cautious planning. In feng shui, the element Water is yin, quiet, cooling, and soothing. Yin rooms of the home are the bathroom, bedroom, and dining room. Yang rooms are the living room and kitchen that are exciting, dynamic rooms for family interactions and entertainment.

The element Water correlates to the bathroom. This year is time to make your bathroom your personal, healing sanctuary. Create your own peaceful and relaxing home spa to come home to after an exciting and hectic day in Tiger year. Tigers love Water and are excellent swimmers, so make your bathroom a cozy haven.

Fire - Heart - Living Room

In Chinese medicine, the element Fire is represented by the heart. The living room is the heart of the home.

Your living room is best with accents of the bright and lively Fire colors red, purple, orange, and all shades of red. Bright accents stimulate conversation and activity. Strong Fire brings passion, energy, and creativity. Fire is hot and expanding energy. Create Luck

Earth - Stomach - Dining Room

In Chinese medicine, the element earth is the stomach. The dining room is where we eat and digest food. The dining room is best in earthen tones of gold, terra cotta, or other soft yin colors. Red walls (Fire) in a dining area are too stimulating and people eat too fast. Strong Earth brings stability, balance, and patience. Earth energy is grounding. Start at your front door. Clean your entry to welcome all the good luck that will come into your home and place of business. Wash, sweep, or vacuum the front steps, porch, entry hall, lobby — whatever the entry is where you live. Make sure this area is clean, well lit, and inviting. Check the entry’s lighting fixtures, make sure the doorbell works, and paint touch-ups on scuff marks. Add a welcome mat if needed. Wash or replace an old mat if it has worn out its welcome.

Do the same for a business. Make sure that your entry is clean and inviting, and that there is good signage with clear address numbers. A business must be attractive to enter and easy to find. One third of business success is good feng shui at the entrance. If your business is online, then your home page is your entrance.

In this Water year, do not be indulgent. Instead, stop clutter before it builds by maintaining the habit of tidying up before you leave your home or office. Then a peaceful environment awaits when you return. Especially at your place of work, it’s not favorable to leave a mess over the weekend. If still working from home due to Covid, clean up your work space at the end of each work day.

Metal - Lungs - Bedroom

BOOKS BY SUSAN LEVITT

TAOIST FENG SHUI: The Ancient Roots of the Chinese Art of Placement

TEEN FENG SHUI: Design Your Space, Design Your Life

TAOIST ASTROLOGY: A Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition

In Chinese medicine, the element metal is the lungs. The bedroom is where we sleep and breathe deeply while resting. Best bedroom colors are white, cream, and soft pastels. Avoid bright big prints on bedding and drapery, especially in children’s bedrooms. Colorful prints are too yang and not restful. Strong Metal brings logic, clarity, and intelligence. Note that Metal energy can be unyielding.

Water - Kidneys - Bathroom

In Chinese medicine, the element water is the kidneys. In the bathroom, paint this room in a soft, quiet, and calm color for peaceful elimination of waste and for soothing bathing or showering. Light blue is fine. Strong Water brings wisdom, peace, and serenity. Water is cold and free flowing energy.

Wood - Liver - Kitchen

In Chinese medicine, the element wood is the liver. Wood is used in a kitchen to feed the cooking fire. The kitchen must be kept very clean because this is where food is prepared, so white walls are best. But green accents or a plant are recommended to introduce the Wood element into this Wood room. Strong Wood brings enthusiasm and spirituality. Wood energy brings growth.

First Thing Seen

What is the first thing seen when you enter your home? And when you enter each room? Your eye goes somewhere, so direct the eye by organizing each room so that the first thing seen sets a pleasant tone that makes the room inviting to enter. Ideally, the first thing seen in each room is clean, inspiring, and makes sense with the home design. You do not want the first thing seen to be a pile of paperwork or any type of clutter. Stay tidy, especially during this element Water year when people follow their feelings, and very few will feel like cleaning up with so much excitement going on during a Tiger year. Winter 2021 — Page 7