Feng Shui

The Feng Shui for the 2024 Chinese New Year

Celebrated on February 10th, It’s the Year of the Emerald Wood Dragon!

Michele Lewis
Jan – Feb 2024 • Vol 4, No 8

The Chinese New Year for 2024 is celebrated on February 10th this cycle, the first lunar month of the year. Welcome to the Year of the Emerald Wood Dragon!

The Dragon is a much-revered astrological sign and promises to bring some excitement to 2024. We can look forward to opportunities for a year of inner growth and change—a transformation, if you will. Success and prosperity will flow if you allow yourself to receive it. Open the doors of your heart and mind to the flow of abundance and make it so!

The Dragon is a yang creature— no surprise when you “breathe fire”! Combine that with the wood element that nourishes and feeds fire, and you have the combination of a driven force of creativity and vivacity that can do no less than bring success to any endeavor. The synergy of wood and fire makes those born in the Year of the Wood Dragon full of zeal and ardor. They aspire to change the world and easily come up with innovative ideas and get them implemented. They are sticklers for perfection and keep their goals at the forefront. Care must be exercised though, as too much fire can consume all that you are trying to accomplish. And the fire coming out of the dragon’s mouth can be misused to the detriment of one or the many.

There is a Wood Dragon every sixty years and some notable events have occurred in those years. The most recent, 1964, saw the signing of the Civil Rights Act, an historic moment in US history. This was also the year that those mop-headed boys from England—the Beatles—took America by storm and changed teen music forever. This was also the year of China’s first nuclear test, known as Project 596, a globally-changing event. And Russia (the Soviet Union at the time) launched Voskhod 1, the first human space flight having more than one crewman and without the use of space suits, into Earth’s orbit. This was a turning point in the space race and set the mark for deeper space exploration.

The Wood Dragon will be very benevolent to the following animal signs this year. First on the list is the Monkey, which I’m thrilled about, as I’m a Monkey! Next in positive order is the Rat and the Rooster, and then in line is the Snake, the Dragon, and the Pig. And, of course, there are also six animals that have to try a little harder to reap the benevolence of this year. The positive aspects of the Wood Dragon can be theirs as well, but it won’t be handed to them on a “silver platter” as with us Monkeys!

So, all you Oxen, Rabbits, Goats, Horses, Sheep, and Dogs—you will have to put in more effort, but it will be well worth it to reap the benefits of this Wood Dragon. All of the 12 animals can harness the positive qi of the Winter Solstice (December 21) prior to the New Year to welcome the Dragon, and fully reap it’s benefits to our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and abundance. It is worth the effort!

A Very Happy Dragon New Year to All!

Trained in China and the US, Michele Lewis is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and has been a Feng Shui professional since 1998. She is available for consultations on-site or via phone. By using the timeless principles of the art and science of Feng Shui, Michele can help you bring balance and beauty to every aspect of your life. She is also a Certified Qigong Instructor of Ling Gui Healing Qigong School, Liu Dong’s Method. Michele Lewis can be reached at 406-224-0803, or at taodesigns@ymail.com.

2023-12-27T13:30:05-07:00Feng Shui, The Metaphysical|

The Feng Shui of Where to Live

What to Look for and What to Stay Away From

Michele Lewis, CFSP
May – June 2023 • Vol 4, No 4

With the coming warmer weather, and with local real estate prices starting to come down, many folks who have been dreaming about moving into a new home are now seriously starting to look at houses and property. I have been asked many times, “What should I look for and what should I stay away from?” The first thing I will tell you is: location, location, location!

The location of your home can have great impact on the quality of daily life. Streets and roads are an important consideration as they direct qi with their patterns. Most importantly, look for streets that have moderate traffic flow. If the cars “whiz” by, so does the energy, and it will not distribute well to the buildings located there. If there is very little or no traffic at all, this could indicate a lack of qi flow, although this is not always the case. Streets and areas of housing that have good flow will feel welcoming and active. Those who live there will be happy and content, and this will show in the care given to their homes and surrounding yards.

What about “dead end” streets? Some individuals want and like the seclusion, privacy, and quiet these provide. You will have to evaluate how a particular street feels to you. If there is an adequate flow of positive qi, the prior/current residents will have prospered there. The one residence that will most likely not thrive in this location is the building at the end in a direct line with the road as it will be subject to an unnecessary energy pounding. I personally would not care to live on a road that has a posted “Dead End” street sign. The daily message to you and your neighbors is just that—life is a dead end. Not a pleasant thought to be faced with every day!

Another street configuration to consider when purchasing a home is the cul-de-sac. These are roads that have only one entrance/ exit and are circular in shape. Because there is only one open end, it is more difficult to get the qi to enter and then flow well. A good example of this is when you only open one window in your car. There is limited air coming in, but if you even just crack another window you get a much better flow—it’s simple physics. Even with an adequate qi entering the cul-de-sac, the energy can vary in its flow based on the size of the cul-de-sac and the number of residences that the qi must be distributed to. Many cul-de-sacs will cause the qi to spin around too quickly and will not distribute it very well. Some buildings may get too much and others will get too little. Avoid the two sites at opposite sides of the entrance.

If there are apartments or other multi-family dwellings, this situation is even worse. There are too many people, but there’s not enough qi to go around. Someone is going to end up with very little energy nourishing their homes and lives. The opposite happens to the building in a direct line from the entrance of the road; the building and its occupants get a direct hit of negative energy every time someone drives into the cul-de-sac, especially if that home is the destination.

The other type of street that can be problematic is a “T” intersection, where the building is located at the top of the “T.” In this case, the traffic and qi are being directed into the building or dwelling “head-on.” The energetic force of qi can cause multiple problems for the occupants. It is also very disconcerting at night to have headlights aimed directly through your windows and at your doors. This energy is known as the “Eyes of the Tiger” and can be a negative, aggressive energy. (This also applies to houses located on the corner where oncoming cars turn left or right). There are “cures” that can be applied in this scenario, but the “T” location is best avoided.

Avoid any area near power stations/transformers, TV/radio/cell phone transmitting towers, and other sources of electromagnetic energy. Numerous studies have shown that proximity to these sources of energy may contribute to ill health and can cause a variety of problems. From a Feng Shui perspective, they create fields of negative qi that can have tremendous impact on you and your well-being.

A trained Feng Shui professional can assist you in assessing whether any of these types of locations will work for you. Not moving? Living in a less-than-ideal location? A Feng Shui professional can help to mitigate the negatives and improve the qi in any location.

Trained in China and the US, Michele Lewis is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant, has been a Feng Shui professional since 1998, and is available for consultations on-site or via phone. By using the timeless principles of the art and science of Feng Shui, Michele can help you bring balance and beauty to every aspect of your life. She is also a Certified Qigong Instructor of Ling Gui Healing Qigong School. Michele can be reached at (406) 224-0803, or by email at: taodesigns@ymail.com.

2023-04-30T17:15:54-06:00Feng Shui|

The Feng Shui of—A Spring Purge!

Time to Clear the Cobwebs—External & Internal!

Michele Lewis, CFSP
March – April 2023 • Vol 4, No 3

After the winter we’ve had, I don’t know a single person who isn’t ready for Spring! Record snowfall and lots of cold temps have certainly made me good and ready. If you’ve waited all year long to clean up and clear out, Spring is the perfect time to break that habit! It is important to do regular purges of those things that don’t mean anything to you anymore, as well as maintaining a level of cleanliness on a daily basis. Let’s address daily dirt first—it’s the little stuff that adds up over a short time that can have a significant impact on the energy in your home.

What starts out as a few dishes in the sink can quickly become mounds of dirty dishes, pots, and pans that seem to emanate “don’t touch us!” All of us have a few plates and bowls that need to go in the dishwasher—it’s the day-old, food-laden dishes that seem to magnetize more of its kind that I’m referring to. While millions of odor-causing bacteria are forming, so is the extreme yin qi that drains you of your energy, leaving you feeling a little lethargic and unmotivated for no apparent reason.

This pattern of allowing negative yin energy to quickly gather by letting dirt and grime accumulate applies to anything that you let “pile up,” such as dirty laundry, trash, and days or weeks of dust. It is worth the time and effort to stay on top of the everyday stuff—but don’t get stressed out if life is temporarily in such high gear that the laundry has to wait.

Spring cleaning… Sounds like a major ordeal, doesn’t it? Many people think they don’t have the time to embark on Herculean cleaning and clearing-out projects. The trick is to pace yourself so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and helpless before all those boxes of junk in the garage or all that stuff that is crammed into your closet.

Start with something that you could reason-ably complete in 15–20 minutes, such as a quick run through the house to get rid of all those cobwebs that accumulated over Winter. Try going through one or two of your drawers or shelves or setting a limit on the number of boxes you’ll tackle at a time. Once you get started and experience how good it feels to clear out old stuff and its accompanying stale qi, you’ll be ready to address the larger projects that await you!

Get rid of things you don’t use or need—they tie up your energy unnecessarily, accumulate stagnant qi, and can block new energy, money, and people from coming into your life.

Use this purge time to get things together for a beginning–of-summer garage sale. It’s a fun way to connect your old things with people who want them and make some dollars in the process. As the saying goes, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure!” The best part of all is you might even meet neighbors you didn’t know you had.

Trained in China and the US, Michele Lewis is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant, has been a Feng Shui professional since 1998, and is available for consultations on-site or via phone. By using the timeless principles of the art and science of Feng Shui, Michele can help you bring balance and beauty to every aspect of your life. She is also a Certified Qigong Instructor of Ling Gui Healing Qigong School. Michele can be reached at (406) 224-0803, or by email at: taodesigns@ymail.com.

2023-02-27T10:15:12-07:00Current Events, Feng Shui|

The Year of the Water Rabbit—2023

The Chinese Lunar New Year Begins on January 22

Michele Lewis, CFSP
January – February 2023 • Vol 4, No 2

We have an exciting New Year ahead of us—the Year of the Water Rabbit! This is a year of hopefulness—the potential to bring to us what we may have lacked last cycle in the Year of the Water Tiger. Breathe a sigh of relief, as this year should bring more peace into your life and much success—if you have done the work. The Rabbit is graciously bringing us what could and should be a positive, fortunate year for all, and situations that require serious decision-making should go quite smoothly, as long as you don’t act in haste—good advice anytime!

What is it about the rabbit that makes things flow easily and well? Rabbits tend to be quiet and calm, and are constantly seeking peace and stability. They are industrious workers, which can produce much fruit from their labor.

Every sign has weaknesses, though, and rabbits must be on guard to not escape from reality when things are tough. They can be timid and hesitant, which should not be confused with “doing your homework” and not acting in haste. The water aspect makes the rabbit able to easily adjust to different conditions, but the negative is that our dear rabbit can have a weak frame of mind and principles.

Every yearly cycle has negative qi, and this year, according to the Flying Stars astrology of Feng Shui, the two directions of negativity that all of us are cautioned about are coming from the compass’ Northwest and Southeast directions. These two can portend misfortune. (There are actually four, but these are the two we are focused on.) If possible, it is best to limit your time in these areas of your home.

You can avoid activating this negative qi by placing a bagua mirror outward, normally on the exterior of a building, above the front door. (NEVER face it to the interior of your home.) You can also place it in an interior window, especially if the window is difficult to reach from the exterior, but again, always FACING OUT.

You can also place spiritual focuses of positive qi as guardians in the NW and SE areas of your home. It is best to hold off on remodeling in these two areas. For many people, it is impractical or nearly impossible to completely stay out of, or not use, certain areas of your home, so the intentioned placement of talismans or spiritual objects can help repel or contain the negative energies. The positive portents for this year will also help temper and hold back some of these energies, but it is important and very helpful to consciously engage in action to have the upper hand.

The Lunar New Year of the Water Rabbit begins January 22, 2023, and this is a time of cleaning out the old and welcoming in the new. In the days preceding the Chinese New Year, houses are thoroughly cleaned. Both physical dirt and the poor luck of the past year are cleared away to welcome the newly-arrived good luck. Of course, all the brooms are put away before New Year’s Day, so that the great fortune that is to come can not be swept away. Families then begin their celebrations with a huge dinner and reunion—many in new clothes and shoes, symbolizing the new start. Of course, any new haircuts are done before the New Year (but after Winter Solstice) —as the Chinese word for “hair” sounds like the word for prosperity!

—Here’s to a Wonderful Year!

The Year of the Water Rabbit—2023 Michele Lewis, CFSP January–February 2023 7 Trained in China and the US, Michele Lewis is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant, has been a Feng Shui professional since 1998, and is available for consultations on-site or via phone. By using the timeless principles of the art and science of Feng Shui, Michele can help you bring balance and beauty to every aspect of your life. She is also a Certified Qigong Instructor of Ling Gui Healing Qigong School. Michele can be reached at (406) 224-0803, or by email at: taodesigns@ymail.com.

2023-02-01T13:36:13-07:00Current Events, Feng Shui|

The Feng Shui of Gratitude

Let’s Celebrate All that We Are Thankful For!

Michele Lewis, CFSP
November – December 2022 • Vol 4, No 1

One of the most beloved of American holidays—Thanksgiving—is a time to celebrate all that we are thankful for: family and friends, freedom to express ourselves and pursue our dreams, and all of the comforts, great and small, which many around the world do not enjoy.

The expressing of gratitude and the simple act of feeling grateful can generate much good qi around you and in your environment. Appreciation for what we have and what others bring to our lives can only enhance positive energy. This positive qi permeates our thoughts and feelings as well as our living and work environments—to create and magnetize more of its kind.

This Thanksgiving holiday, take a few moments to think about and jot down all that you are grateful for, from the littlest graces in your life to the really “big ones.” This process opens us to greater wealth and abundance both in our pocketbooks as well as our lives.

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2022-10-29T11:49:30-06:00Feng Shui|

The Feng Shui of Cultivating Your Inside Space

As We Prepare for Fall and Winter

Michele Lewis, CFSP
September – October 2022 • Vol 3, No 123

As summer’s fiery qi makes its perennial transition to the earth energy of late summer and then to the metal qi of autumn, we are compelled by nature to go increasingly inward. The yang, active energy of summer, at its highest peak on summer solstice, has been gradually decreasing to make way for greater yin energy. We experience this transition as the days still remain warm, but temperatures are cooler at night, with the sun setting earlier and rising later.

All the fullness and abundance of nature we experienced in spring and summer has reached its peak as harvest time nears; the branches and vines are full and heavy, but will increase no more. Yang qi is decreasing, and nature prepares to return to the earth and rest. This is the perfect time to begin returning our attention to our own “earth.” By cultivating our inside space to be a haven for our soul and spirit, we can create good Feng Shui energy in our home and business environments.

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2022-09-14T09:39:42-06:00Feng Shui|

The Feng Shui of Traveling Happy!

Tips for a Healthy and Enjoyable Vacation

Michele Lewis, CFSP
July – August 2022 • Vol 3, No 122

After all the crazy, wet weather we had in May and June, I’m ready for warmth! Planning a vacation this summer? Here are some tips to help you attract good qi wherever you go.

A road trip can be a fabulous way to see and experience new places and new people. Start your trip right by making sure that your vehicle is in good working order. An unexpected repair on the road can cut into your travel time as well as your pocketbook. Give your vehicle a good interior cleaning before you go to bring good vibes into your car, as well as to help clear obstacles to a good trip. If traveling by RV or camper, it’s likely that it has been sitting closed up all winter. Clear that old, stagnant energy that has gathered by airing it out thoroughly; you want to clear all musty, old odors. You may need to burn some smudge or incense to clear negative qi that may linger. Your vehicle is your “home away from home” while traveling, so a thorough cleansing is worth the effort!

If you are flying, don’t let the stress of being in a hurry drain you of all your energy. Allow plenty of time to check in and to get through security. With all the security-screening measures, especially the full body x-ray scans— it’s important to have good, strong qi around you to help protect you from any energetic drain. If you “opt out” of the scan, the total body pat down can be draining and invasive of your privacy. Keep your energy levels strong by being well-rested and not letting your blood sugar get low. Feel and visualize the qi within extending out to create a protective “bubble of energy” around you.

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2022-09-14T09:39:46-06:00Feng Shui|

The Feng Shui of Happiness!

Radiate the Happiness You Are Feeling Inside

Michele Lewis, CFSP
Mar – Apr 2022 • Vol 3, No 120

It seems that anything ever written about Feng Shui will tell you that the practice of Feng Shui will bring you happiness. What exactly IS happiness? According to Webster’s Dictionary, it is “the experience of good fortune, contentment, and joy.”

Everyone wants to be happy, right? Most people say they want happiness in their lives, but many do not truly believe that they deserve it. This deep-seated belief can be quite effective at keeping happiness and the state of true inner peace and joy from entering your life.

Are you afraid to be happy? What would change in your life experience if, at this very moment, you decided you have the right to inner contentment? This means being willing to take a giant leap and change our view of ourselves and the world around us—a daring act that could bring radical change in our lives. Our perception and belief as to what kind of life we deserve to have, as well as how we perceive and accept our life experiences, will have an enormous impact on what we create within ourselves and around us.

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2022-09-14T09:39:51-06:00Feng Shui|

2022—Year of the Water Tiger

Keep Adaptability in Mind!

Michele Lewis, CFSP
Jan – Feb 2022 • Vol 3, No 119

As our new year begins, we have another celebration—the Chinese Lunar New Year. This is honored and celebrated each year on the new moon of the first lunar month. And what a celebration it is!

This is a time of cleaning out the old and welcoming the new. In the days preceding the New Year, houses are thoroughly cleaned. Both physical dirt and the poor luck of the past year are cleared away to welcome the newly arrived good luck.

Of course, all the brooms are put away before New Year’s Day so that the great fortune that is come cannot be swept away. Families will then begin their celebrations with a huge dinner and reunion; many in new clothes and shoes, symbolizing the new start. And, of course, any new haircuts will be had before the new year (but after winter solstice) as the word for hair sounds like the word for prosperity.

Read full article »

2022-09-14T09:39:53-06:00Feng Shui|

Feng Shui—

The Four Animal Protectors

Michele Lewis, CFSP
July – August 2021 • Vol 3, No 116

In the last issue, I wrote about enhancing the outdoor area around your front entry. This time, let’s discuss incorporating Feng Shui principles in your garden and landscaping, as well as your entire outdoor space. One important aspect of our immediate external environment is its ability to protect us from destructive energy, as well as enhancing and magnetizing positive qi.

In Land Form Feng Shui, there are four “protectors” that are naturally occurring in the environment. These can also be created through landscaping and creative garden design. The four animals that symbolize this protective energy are: the black tortoise, the red phoenix, the green dragon and the white tiger (the fifth protector, the snake, resides within the dwelling).

The tortoise, with his high, rounded, protective shell should reside at the rear of the house/yard. In the natural environment, this would be a rounded hilltop. A building that is taller than your home that is to the rear will also provide some protection. If you have neither of these, you can create an energetic shelter by planting tall trees.

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2021-07-09T13:38:50-06:00Feng Shui|
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