Enhance Your Family Gua for A More Peaceful Holiday Season
West Meets East ©Caroline Patrick 2001 • 12-10-01

During this holiday season, many people have asked about family. Here are some suggestions to create more tranquility in the home and heal family relationships. The Family area of your home is located to the left middle side of the dwelling in between the areas representing Knowledge and Wealth. The gua representing Family also represents Health. Health is associated with this section because if you feel good, stress decreases and family situations flow easier.

Enhancements:

• Color — Green
• Shape — Column shaped
• Objects — Plants (round leafed), healthy trees, floral designs, bamboo, wooden objects
• Artwork — Trees, Forests, Flowers, Plants, Herbal Garden Scene (especially good for enhancing health) Artwork using the colors green and yellow. Framed sayings about the strength of the family. Family crests and family photos
• Décor — Fabric in plaids, stripes or floral designs. Carpet in grounding colors of brown, tan, green, and gold. Wooden blinds. Wooden furniture. Pillars, columns and pedestals. The best place to display photos of family and friends.

• This area is missing — Fill in the missing area with a porch with attached overhang. Plant trees or bamboo. Bury pennies painted red to create a line to symbolically complete the missing area.
• The bathroom is located here — This placement is okay. Keep it clean and working well. Place a bamboo plant or another up growing plant on the top of the commode. Decorate the room in shades of green. This room could be done elegantly with a family crest or motto, the family "throne" room or with humor featuring a collage of funny family photos.
• Clutter/Constriction — Unload one half to three quarters of your possessions in this area of the home to relieve stress and pressure in your family relationships and to improve your health and the health of the family. You can get a jump start by getting rid of 27 possessions or nine items a day for nine days

• Write on the back of a photo or on a piece of paper: "Relationships are healed without any complications or consequences." You can use the names of the family members involved or not.
• "Everyone is responsible for their own energy without any complications or consequences" is another affirmation that can be written out on a piece of paper and added to the family sector to help create harmony.

What is going on in the middle left side of your house? Does it enhance your family life or not? In my home the garage takes up half of the space and my office takes up the other half.

The garage was total chaos. My office, well, I collect objects of interest. Bookshelves bulge with herbal, art, self-help and feng shui books. Back to the garage, my husband’s car had curtains thrown over the top. Treasures of forty years and several moves were piled to the ceiling. The chi could not find a crack to breathe, much less flow through. Yard sale? No time.

With this clutter looking us in the face from the Family sector, I became depressed, realizing I don’t get to see my grandchildren as often as I would like. These two spaces needed attention badly. I cleaned the office, added pictures of the family members to the far wall to enhance the Family section. I added two new trees to the yard directly outside the window; green and wood accentuate this gua. Next, I wrote a little note saying I wanted to see my grandsons more often without causing problems for anyone. I tucked this note of intention under their picture in the family section. My son called one day after I had incorporated the change in my office. "Hi, are you going to be busy next week?" he inquired, "The boys and I would like to come for a visit."

Next, the most difficult situation, that cluttered garage, needed to be addressed. I bribed my husband asking him, "Have you ever thought of a smaller car?" I bought him two car magazines. My plan was in motion. Two weeks later the garage was cleaned. Never underestimate the lure of something new. A smaller vehicle allows us to walk though the garage to guide the chi into our home. He’s happy and I’m happy.

The Family section also correlates to health issues. How are you feeling? In feng shui, we often use color to correct a gua. Changing the color in the part of the house that represents family can do wonders. Adding a picture or painting a woodsy mural activates the energy in this area. Murals and artwork enhance any of the guas. A mural makes a room come alive. You’re lucky if the family gua is located in your family dining room or a great room where family gathers.

Check all the new additions on my website, from pictures of the shop to the last twenty newspaper articles on feng shui in my column West Meets East, www.fengshuiartistry.com and click on moongateschool.

Gift Certificates for holiday gift giving are now available at Caroline’s Arts and Feng Shui Shoppe, 129 First St. Suite K, Benicia. A wide assortment of feng shui enhancements and books are offered. Drop by to and view an exciting new exhibit of children’s artwork featuring the artwork of thirty talented fifth grade students from Mills Elementary School. Sign up for 2002 classes in feng shui, altar making, fountain making and art. Join our four-week art workshop at the McBride Center in Vacaville in January and February 2002 Acrylic painting for beginners to advanced students. February 9, 2002:Feng Shui Class: Mission Possible will also be taught at the McBride Center. Check the new updated website for more articles and feng shui information www.fengshuiartistry.com, click on moongateschool.

Caroline Patrick is an Artist, Herbalist and Feng Shui Consultant. She weaves these three talents together in a unique practice. West Meets East Ó Caroline Patrick 2001