MAY THE ROAD RISE UP TO MEET YOU...

We had to say good-bye last week to one of our favorite places, Carried Away Consignment Shop in Greenfield, MA. The store closed on November 27, after three years at 10 Miles Street, just up the hill from Greenfield’s Energy Park.

I have found so many nifty, fun, unusual items at Carried Away over the years – from a vintage egg beater in pristine condition, to glassware from the old Sweetheart Restaurant on the Mohawk Trail, to a solid rock maple sideboard just perfect for storing Feng Shui supplies.

One of the key concepts in Feng Shui is transformation – the idea that something dull, stagnant, unwanted can become lustrous, alive, and nourishing. The proprietor of Carried Away, Mona Minor, had a special gift both for attracting consignors with good “stuff”, and for knowing just how to place those items, so that they became interesting and attractive. I usually had to visit the store at least once a month just to see what was new on the shelves. For me, it was always a refreshing experience, with the promise of fun and surprises around the corner.

There was a sign next to the front door, a quote from Karen Kingston, the godmother of the Clutter Clearing revolution:

“Life is constant change. So when something comes into your life, use it, enjoy it well, and when it is time, let it go.”

We’ve enjoyed our visits to Carried Away; and, even though it’s sad to see the doors close, we want to say Thank You, Mona, for a wonderful and magical three years!

NO TIME TO SAY GOODBYE...

I learned of Ted Andrews’ Animal Speak several years ago, and have referred to it often to add layers of depth and understanding to the moments when the representatives of the animal kingdom touch my own life in some way. I’ve recently thought that it would be great to take a workshop with Mr. Andrews; and when I went to his website to see what his upcoming schedule might be, I read that he had passed away last year on October 24, 2009.

Truly a man of many talents and interests, Ted Andrews was a bestselling author of over forty books which have been translated into more than two dozen languages. Some of his interests included hypnosis and acupressure; healing with sound, music, and voice; study and use of herbs; past life analysis; dreams interpretation; and auras. But he was best known for his work with animals. Mr. Andrews was a long time volunteer at the Brukner Nature Center in Troy, Ohio; and held state and federal permits to work with birds of prey, regularly performing wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. He was a champion of animal rights, conducting animal education and storytelling programs accompanied by his own animals in school classrooms.

One of my most memorable and moving experiences with the animal kingdom was in 2003 when I received word that my cherished position as librarian in a children’s hospital was to be cut in half due to the economic downturn. My assistant’s job was to be eliminated completely. Later that afternoon, upset and angry, I decided to take a walk to a nearby park to clear my head. As I walked along the sun-dappled path watching the leaves of autumn flutter through the air, I was startled by a huge movement just behind me. I turned to see a great swooping of wings not more that five feet away, and then she lifted off – a beautiful and powerful red-tailed hawk! I was shaken but inspired, and felt that there was a message for me in the encounter. Later, when I looked up red-tailed hawk in Animal Speak, I learned that this bird helps us discover our true purpose in life; and shows up to remind us that there is always a bigger picture to consider when things are not going well.

It was certainly no coincidence that only a week before the hospital layoffs, I had completed the final phases of my Feng Shui training, and received my certification. In the intervening years, I have continued to walk this path – learning, growing, and savoring as I visit the homes and businesses of fellow “journeyers”. I often think of that moment in the park as the closing of one door, and the opening of another – with red-tailed hawk showing the way.

A MANY-SPLENDORED THING...

My current favorite writer, Jane Smiley, defines love as “ever-renewed desire to see someone and a constantly flowing pleasure in their presence…” This is as good a description as I’ve ever read of a quality of experience that most of us would wish to enjoy in our lives. If our relationships don’t quite measure up to this index, it might be worthwhile to take a look at an area of our living space that refers to our closest relationships, according to Feng Shui principles.

Feng Shui uses a tool called the Bagua map to divide a space into nine sectors that correspond to major life issues. This imaginary grid, which looks like a tic-tac-toe board, is oriented to the front door of any home, business, building, or room – and adjusts to the shape of the space. As you are standing in the doorway of the space and looking in towards the interior, the square that in the far right corner in the back is called Earth, and is all about the quality of our relationships.

I once did a consultation for a couple who told me that they had lost some of their old pzazz, and were having difficulty relating to each other in an intimate way. Their relationship seemed to revolve mostly around money, paying bills, and other business issues. I suggested that we take a look at their Relationship area, and what we found was an eye-opener for them. Here in their most precious corner was a four-drawer steel file cabinet loaded with receipts, work-related papers, and unpaid bills. They “got” it, and moved the file to another place, added something that expressed the two of them in a positive way – and their relationship improved almost immediately.

Feng Shui is effective because it grounds our intentions in the physical world. By making changes to our physical space, we also change the energy behind the scene, and create something that is more in line with what we want in our lives. In that way, as author Smiley describes, we find ourselves looking at the faces of our loved ones – even if they are crabby or unpleasant – and smiling in spite of ourselves at how charming they are.

SHE'LL BE COMING 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN...

Most people I meet while doing this work tell me that they have a problem with their “stuff.” I’ll let you in on a secret – we all do! And I do believe that we will have to deal with “stuff” – the physical residue of the activities of our daily lives – as long as we are alive. Most people are overwhelmed by the task of keeping clutter under control, and Feng Shui can offer some helpful advice.

Feng Shui uses a tool called the Bagua map to divide a space into nine sectors that correspond to major life issues. This imaginary grid, which looks like a tic-tac-toe board, is oriented to the front door of any home, business, building, or room – and adjusts to the shape of the space. As you are standing in the doorway of the space and looking in towards the interior, the bottom left-hand corner of the Bagua is known as the Mountain area. Mountain is all about finding your center amidst the stresses of everyday living. It reminds us that there is always a bigger picture; it is here that we find knowledge and a new vision of our lives.

When you feel overwhelmed, look to the Mountain area of your home, office, desk, or within any room. If you don’t know where to start clutter-clearing – start here! You will soon feel a sense of relief – and gain a new perspective.

LOVELIER THOUGHTS, MICHAEL...

In the timeless children’s musical of the 1950’s Mary Martin as Peter Pan entreats the Darling children to “think lovely thoughts”. When the children are able to uplift their thinking sufficiently -- they can fly!

It is a Feng Shui maxim that energy follows thought. Our thoughts, the focus of our mental and emotional activity, are a creative force that is working for us – for good or not-so-good. These images and impulses are essentially forming containers into which the universe pours a response. We don’t have to struggle, scheme, or pray to make this happen: it just does. When we have conflicting thoughts or emotions, we are actually creating an energetic container of static and disharmony – and, unfortunately, that is what we receive.

The solution? A few minutes spent each day in a clear place of gratitude, happiness, joy, playfulness, beauty – either in meditation or in our daily life – can begin to tip the balance in a better direction for ourselves and those around us. With better thoughts we, too, can reach that wondrous state of “lift off” found by Michael and his siblings one London evening long ago.

OPENING YOUR MOUTH OF CHI...

From a Feng Shui point of view, one of your greatest assets is your front door, also called your Mouth of Chi. It is through this opening that the world arrives, bringing with it good fortune, new opportunities, and fresh energy. Taking the time to create a welcoming uplifting tone at the architectural front door of your home or establishment is an investment well worth the effort.

For a moment, put yourself in the shoes of your guests or clients and ask yourself some questions about your front door. Is it easy to see? Is the approach user-friendly and clearly understood? If there is landscaping, is it well-trimmed and not obscuring the door? Are all the plantings healthy? Does your entry give your guests or clients the message that you value them and are glad to have them coming in? Is your front entry clean, safe, and free of debris?

Many homeowners, especially in New England, neglect their front door in favor of another entry, usually through a garage or mudroom. While this approach may be more “convenient”, it also creates an expectation of utility or workaday chores. It is difficult to relax and be refreshed when your first impression of home is a cluttered garage or laundry room. While switching your regular approach to the front door may not be realistic, it might be fun to see what changes will occur by varying your approach just once a week. Why not utilize your Mouth of Chi -- and take a bigger bite out of life?

WALKING THE WALK...

A local community college radio host recently interviewed environmental practitioner John Francis, the author of Planetwalker: How to Change Your World One Step at a Time. The memoir describes Francis’ self-imposed break with fossil-fuel powered transportation after the damage he observed following a massive oil spill near the Golden Gate Bridge in 1971. In a walking journey that stretched to 22 years, 17 of which were spent in silence, Francis traversed the country many times; and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a Ph.D. from the prestigious Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies in Madison, Wisconsin.

The natural world offers us constant reminders to slow down – see, smell, taste, and listen in new ways. Feng Shui literally means Wind and Water, refreshing and redefining our spaces, as well as ourselves. Because we are a part of our environment, we have the ability to influence and change it for the better. For Francis, our environmental problems are not just about pollution, man-made ugliness, and loss of habitat, but are truly a manifestation of how we treat each other. In finding the ability to respect both ourselves and others we will truly be walking the walk – and making a difference.