10 Simple Feng Shui Tips for the Chinese New Year

By Carole Provenzale, Director of Feng Shui Long Island

On February 28th we will be ringing in another New Year. Wait a minute, didn't we just do that? I am talking of the Chinese New Year and the energy and life that surrounds that special day. Do you have to be Chinese to ensure a wonderful New Year with wonderful New Beginnings? Absolutely not! Try these simple, inexpensive things to welcome in the wonderful new start you have been looking for:

Here I go again, the Clutter word. Unused clothing, old food, clothes no longer being used. This is not a whole Spring Cleaning, rather your intent (and some room) to allow the new Energy into your space. Give Goodwill a call. Hoard not, want not.

Clean up, dust the cobwebs away, energize your surroundings. Many Consultants use sage or you can simply use Sound as a method of Space Clearing. Set your intentions to rid the home of anything negative that has occurred and tap on something that reverberates. A good cut crystal glass and a spoon work well. Make sure to get the corners where energy lingers.

If you can, pay down some bills. The ones you have been putting off that are lying around, the overdue ones. Start the New Year off with as clean a slate as possible and as little debt owed as you can. Remember, even if you can't afford to pay much, it's your Intention to allow the debt out of your life this year to attract all the wealth you will need or want.

Do something special for yourself. Treat yourself at this special time to a massage, that dress you've been wanting, a nice dinner or even a long bubble bath with no distractions. Something just for YOU so that other good things follow the new energy you are putting into yourself.

Make a change. It could be significant or something small but do something different. New Years and new beginnings mean a new way of doing things, changing the old that doesn't work for us anymore or things in our life that are stagnant. You might get a hairstyle, a new look, take a different route to work, meditate, anything you feel comfortable with that signifies to you that you are willing to "go with the flow" and allow the new Energy and the new changes in.

Sweep the Kitchen floor anytime PRIOR to midnight on The Chinese New Year's Eve. It symbolizes letting go of the old and putting it right outside.

Put a bowl of fruit out for Abundance in all areas. I love the excuse of filling a large bowl with wonderful colors of fresh fruit and I love what it symbolizes. We are not just speaking wealth, although that is part of it, we are speaking of the Intention of allowing the Abundance in ALL areas of our lives. You can eat them after New Years day as an added bonus.

Get fresh flowers---with some red flowers in there for FIRE. I'm used to dropping by the florist or even a grocery store to pick up a little bunch of pretty flowers but I have noticed oftentimes I have to ask for a few red carnations or roses. I'm not sure why those bunches often don't have the color red but we're looking to kick start this year and fire elements are needed.

Burn a candle if you're home on the Eve. Blow it out as close to midnight with your wishes and intentions for the New Year in place. (Those birthday kids knew what they were doing all along!).

Finally, Open the front door at Midnight or just before you go to bed. I know it's cold but you're allowing the New Energy to flow in at the most auspicious time. It sweeps through the house and intensifies everything else that you've done.

There you have it. Not much money spent but plenty of Intention put out there. It's a wonderful way to start any New Year and let go of last year, particularly if you had struggles or difficulty. Now that you've cleaned out your home for the New Year, clean out your thoughts. Allow the positive to flow in and be sure that you will attract wonderful things in this New Year of adventures you are about to embark on.

Carole Provenzale, Feng Shui Long Island, FengShuiLI.com  

This article appeared in the Jan 25/06 ezine from  byregion.net