We have all been deeply moved by a painting, photograph or piece of art. It is obvious that art stirs our senses and effects us emotionally. In Feng Shui art serves many purposes. Art can bring positive energy to a blocked entry, enliven a dead space, add the perfect touch of color needed to balance energy, and generally enhance the spirit.

Whether at home or the office, art can change the energy in any space. There are many categories of art paintings, photography, collage, sculpture, stained glass, pottery, the list is endless. Art with movement and art that is static each have their own value in Feng Shui. When used as a cure art is most effective when we love it. If you are living with art that does not appeal to you it will have the opposite effect. I’ve seen clients living with art that does not really feel good to them. They keep it because it was a gift, an inheritance or they bought it at one stage of their life and it no longer fit their lifestyle or decor. Sometimes art will actually represent the opposite of our goals, this would be an example of ‘bad’ Feng Shui. I have been in the homes of single people that desire to find a mate. Yet throughout their home there will be pieces of art depicting a person alone. This will reinforce a single life, which is fine when you are wishing to do that, but not when you are ready to find a mate.

Art works for us when it reflects our goals because we are influenced daily by our choices in art. The messages we receive from our surroundings greatly effect our career, health, relationships and prosperity. This is why it is very important to know and be aware of what the art around you is telling you subconsciously. Often it takes a trained eye to help interpret what our subconscious is experiencing. When we look at the environment day in and day out often we no longer ‘see’ – we become blind to our surroundings. The messages are still there programming our subconscious mind to manifest these things in our lives. This is why it is vital that the messages are positive and reflect our desires.

In Feng Shui, art enriches our lives in so many ways. We can use art purely for aesthetic purposes, with no intended cure involved. Art may also be used to ‘hide’ a cure. Yes, it is true. All Feng Shui cures do not need to be visible to be effective. If you love art but do not care for crystals, mirrors, etc., in most cases you can hide the cure behind a favorite piece of art. A piece of art itself can be a cure.

When you have a room with too many doors and too few windows. You need a cure to balance the door window ratio. That ‘cure’ can be an object of art. You could consider using a photo or painting of a window, or hanging an art window possibly with mirrors where the glass should be.

To stimulate your fame and reputation, activate the fame area of your office, home, bedroom or all three if you really want a boost. A piece of art in shades of red or with flames would definitely ignite your fame and reputation. If it is a mate you are looking for then hang a painting of a pair of anything in the relationship corner of your home, bedroom or both. Fish are symbols of prosperity; place them in the wealth area of your home, bedroom or office – or all three – for reinforcement. If you are on a second story or higher you will need to be ‘grounded’. You can accomplish this by placing a large heavy sculpture in each of the four corners of the home or office to give stability and connect you with the earth. A painting of trees or tree trunks would also cure this situation.

The cures mentioned in this column are not the only cures that can be used. A good Feng Shui consultant will have multiple cures for each situation and can give you a cure that suits your taste. Even when we look at cures that fall under the category of ‘art cures’ there will be several choices for each occasion. Your consultant is invaluable when it comes to helping you use your existing art as a cure as well as being able to give you guidelines for purchasing art to be used as a cure. The art you use for cures can be original art or a copy.

Creating harmony and balance in your life is the goal of a consultant and this includes giving you cures that suit you. If a cure does not feel good to you then you should mention this to your consultant because the effect will be diminished if you are living with something that disturbs you.

Art is only a piece of the Feng Shui puzzle; other elements must be considered as well. Color, furniture placement, floor plan, and even the landscape is involved.

Remember when it comes to art, as with all Feng Shui, live with what you love.

Prosperity according to Webster’s Dictionary means: “prosperous condition, good fortune, wealth, success, etc.” We don’t always think of it on this level but the literal meaning in our culture is the same as that in the Chinese culture and Feng Shui. Here in the United States, we generally think of prosperity in terms of wealth and financial security. These are definitely a piece of the prosperity puzzle, but not the whole picture.

Then what exactly is prosperity? Prosperity is a state of mind as well as a state of being. It is a mindset that sees the universe as abundant, kind, safe and loving. When we hold this view of the universe, we know that we will be provided for and that all we have to do is ask.

How do we attract prosperity? There are many Feng Shui “cures” for prosperity and almost as many books have been written giving advice on this ever popular subject. . A large part of Feng Shui is intention. As we pay attention to our lives and circumstances we often see areas in which we want change. Quite often one of these areas is prosperity. When we set an intention for prosperity with a Feng Shui cure, we are saying to the universe “ I want prosperity to be part of my life experience.” Feng Shui cures have power on many levels. The first level occurs when you decide to do Feng Shui to enhance your life. This decision sets energy in motion. When you hire a professional and invite them into your home or business the energy changes even further – they bring new energy and knowledge into the mix. The next level is focusing your intention. What do you want for your life? What are your priorities? The third level is giving attention to your intention. Think about your desire for prosperity, focus on it, and keep it in your mind so it becomes a dominant thought. Never, ever focus on the lack of it. Focusing on lack is like building a brick wall in front of your front door. Just as the brick wall will not allow energy to easily flow into your home, your thoughts of lack will keep abundant prosperity from flowing into your life. A Feng Shui cure also serves as a “cue” in your environment to remind you of your intention. This is level four. The last level is mystical, meaning “beyond understanding”. At this level your intention and the ancient power of the Feng Shui cures selected for you, blend and the universe conspires to fill your desires. All you really have to do at this point is get out of your own way. You can do this by keeping your thoughts on the fulfillment of your desire and away from thoughts of lack. Know that prosperity is yours, you deserve it and it is on the way.

Christmas and New Years are the perfect time to have fun with Feng Shui.  Decorating your home or office for these festive occasions is Feng Shui!  When we place decorations outside and inside to enhance our holiday spirit we are announcing our intention of having a happy, healthy and harmonious holiday – this is Feng Shui.

Red and green, the traditional colors of Christmas, are excellent Feng Shui. In Feng Shui red represents the element of fire. Red is considered to be a very auspicious color, which connotes happiness, warmth, strength and fame. Red is believed to protect you as well as attract positive energy to you.  Green represents the wood element and symbolizes tranquility, hope and growth. Green is also associated with wealth especially in western culture.  A client of mine used to always decorate with all white Christmas lights and always felt let down and empty when Christmas was over. I suggested to her that she try decorating with the more traditional reds and greens because white only is the color of the metal element and can cause us to focus too much on one aspect of life and leave out excluding all others. Red is the color of fire and green is the color of the wood element and these two elements used together are a very creative cycle. Wood feeds fire. My client called me right after Christmas to tell me that she had one of the best Christmases ever and felt supported by the warmth of her family gathering. Of course she did.

Christmas gives us many opportunities to decorate with Feng Shui in mind and attract positive energy to us in many ways.  Red used in the fame area of your business will enhance your reputation.  To increase wealth, place red decorations in the wealth area of your home, office or place of business. A beautiful red bow on the front door can protect you as well as draw positive energy to you. Remember to always place your Feng Shui ‘cures” with intention and visualize that what you desire is already happening.

At New Years celebrations we generally use gold and silver.  The reflective quality can attract very positive energy.  Gold and silver are both associated with the element of metal.  This is the element of children, creativity, courage and righteousness.  Each New Year we celebrate the passing of the old year and the birth of the New Year.  Every New Years Eve we look back at the old year and learn from it and give ourselves permission to create a new year. New Year’s Eve is the time to set our intentions for the coming year.  When we make our New Years resolutions and or intentions we are creating our new year.  These are little “prayers” that we use to empower ourselves to be the best we can and to reach for our dreams. A New Year, A NEW YOU!

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!