A TIME FOR SETTING SAIL...

Cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson visited the Odyssey Bookshop last week to speak and read from her latest book, Composing a Further Life: The Age of Active Wisdom. Ms. Bateson, the daughter of Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, is now 71 herself, and has spent the last few years focusing on the stage of life that Baby Boomers are now entering – a stage she calls “Adulthood II.” She says that because people are living longer, enjoying better health, and staying active, the old stereotypes of aging are no longer accurate (and certainly not helpful). She contends that “Adulthood II” is actually a new stage, one in which those of us who have made it this far get to use our accumulated experience to redefine ourselves -- and reshape our lives.

This year, the Chinese Solar New Year, which began on February 4, carries the energy of 7 Lake, according to an ancient form of astrology based on the I Ching, or Book of Changes. A 7 Lake year is a time for enjoyment, celebration, reaping the rewards of our efforts, and recognizing our achievements. It represents the harvest and the fullness of life. More than ever, we are encouraged to experience and fully appreciate the world through our senses -- tasting, touching, smelling, seeing, and hearing the deliciousness of our lives. A 7 Lake year is also all about creativity – finding the joy of our own expression.

During her talk, Mary Catherine Bateson stopped to adjust her gray turtleneck and pull out a silver necklace that had slipped beneath it. She explained that the lovely, sparkling, and very intricate chain had been made by one of the dozen people she had interviewed for her book, a man who had been a boatyard worker during his working life. After retirement, he and his wife sold their house and possessions, bought an RV, and headed for Arizona. He took a class in silvermaking at the senior RV park where they stopped. He now has a new and even more fulfilling career as a maker of fine jewelry and art objects.

For those of us approaching Adulthood II (and also anyone who can visualize that stage ahead), this is a great year to drop some ballast, feel the wind in our sails, and embark on a new adventure…

THE YIN AND YANG OF IT...

With the weather people forecasting another “monster storm” heading our way, the panic is on. I went to three stores this morning looking for a telescoping roof shovel, something I wouldn’t give a thought to most of the year; but today, they’re all sold out. I was welcome to call back as early as 6 a.m. day after tomorrow to find out if the shipment has arrived.

At this stage of the game, it is truly challenging to believe that spring is around the corner. But it is just now, in the deepest chill of winter that the promise of warmer times begins to assert itself again. The ancient sages perceived that our universe naturally expresses itself in two fundamentally different ways. These two expressions – Yin and Yang – do not exist separately from each other; but, instead, are interdependent and in constant flux. At the moment that either expression reaches its greatest capacity, then it begins to change, perhaps subtly, even invisibly, at first. John Fitzgerald Kennedy stated this principle in another way over half a century ago:

“Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope…

And the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable…”

Yin and Yang are really two sides of the same coin – one does not exist without the other. Hot and cold, dark and light, wet and dry…each shift and dance with the other. In Feng Shui we are working with these seeming opposites, always striving for that place of balance, of hope -- the promise of spring.

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.