A bit about Chinese New Year & how it relates to Feng Shui

The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese Holiday.

It is the last day of the last month of the lunisolar calendar.  Lunisolar (lune = moon/solar=sun) So both the moon’s phase and the year’s season are acknowledged and are used to predict the constellation or... astrological phase.   Ancient Chinese Secret stuff.

RED for Chinese New Year Celebration:  This display is actually a Feng Shui enhancer & cure. 

There’s actually fifteen days of rituals that are noted that honor deities and ancestors.

House cleaning and purging is key to sweep away all the bad of the year before. The color red is applied freshly and liberally, debts are paid out and incense is burned for a variety of reasons.  Most recognize the gift exchange of red envelopes with money or chocolate coins in them. And of course, we see red and gold paper lanterns and such.  

I was introduced to the Chinese New Year when I studied Eastern Energy Philosophy. I practice traditional feng shui and harmonize annual energy patterns that merge into the year, (several days after the Chinese New Year).  Somewhere around February 4/5 chi moves into homes with different intensities, like a bio rhythm. 

I have always used the Chinese New Year as a start to my Feng Shui cures & enhancement strategies.  My newly adapted custom goes like this;  I use the cleaning and purging of pre Chinese New Year as a way of starting with a fresh slate.  Ritualistically I clean and then prepare a room for what it is about to need. Then I go about doing it in time for the annual influences to take effect.

In my dreary Canadian winter, the celebration of The Chinese New Year is welcoming and it helps me kick start a new year, mindful of what obstacles or blessings I may encounter.  A little preventative medicine. 

A bit about the month of February

It’s an odd word, no?  February. 

“Februa” means cleansing or purification.  It reflects the rituals that are needed to be undertaken before Spring. The Romans and Celts regarded February as the start of Spring.  Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui energy charts are calculated; either on the 4th or 5th of February because the energy of this month, is considered a new time.

It’s a shorter month having only 28 days, in non- leap years, that is.  February hosts the Christian festival of the lights (Candlemas Day), the days before lent starts, ground hog day, Valentine’s day and (in Canada) Family Day. 

Depending where you live, its a time that we are weary of winter and greatly need to anticipate spring, hence Ground Hog Day and Candlemas Day:

Forceful Forsythia Buds in February

If Candlemas brings

   wind and snow,

Then spring will very soon show.

But if it's clear and bright,

Then spring won't come so right.

Then there is Shove Tuesday & Ash Wednesday, depending on the calendar year, which contradicts the chocolates of Valentine’s Day because Ash Wednesday heralds the start of Lent which is a time of fasting and repentance in preparation for the Easter Celebration.  

We have less days to pay bills, still more days of chilly weather, a time when we lube up our pasty white winter bellies for some amour and chocolate.

But my favorite time is the cleverly calculated Family Day long weekend; A statutory holiday tagged onto a school PA day.  Families can hunker down in warmly lit homes or brave the elements and go somewhere wintery or even, dare I say; take off a few extra school days and go somewhere tropical.... if you can afford it. 

February can go surprisingly fast after the cold dragging days of January.

I’ll tell you what is magical about February. Despite the blustery winds and lingering snow,  my forsythia and pussy willows are boldly showing signs of February budding.  Not the big showy blossoms of spring, but the modest hardening of where a bud will be - perfect to take inside to force.

There’s a hope in that act.  Bring it in, warm it up and life springs forth. 

Fearless Pussy Willow Buds

Force.  February Force.  It’s that last push of resilience to get through winter; thorough household cleaning, applying your cures and enhancers for your feng shui energy audit, validating your loved ones with either romance or quality time and doing so, with great anticipation of early spring.  

Happy February!   

This reflection is dedicated to Nikki & Katie; two of the great loves of my life who will spend the better part of February in a Northern Ontario Cabin.

Their family camp is nestled along a “big watered” shoreline property, that silently sits in a of heavily forested remote area, with nothing but the winds, winter wildlife, swaying saplings and the solitude of the heavily drifted snow.  I wish I could be there with them!

40 Days After Christmas; Presentation of Jesus At Temple

Forty days after Christmas, on February 2nd - Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Methodists, Lutherans, Latin and Roman Catholic Churches recognize the Presentation of Jesus at Temple. More specifically; when Mother Mary presented the Christ Child as a baby, she had to, as it was law.  This date is heralded as the “fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary”. 

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke; Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the first born, in obedience to the Law of Moses.  Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb) (Leviticus 12:8,) sacrificing "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." indicates that this event should take place forty days after birth of a male child, hence the Presentation is celebrated forty days after Christmas. Everyone had to do it.

Upon bringing Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon. The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that "he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ  (Luke 2:26).  Simeon prayed the prayer that would become known as the Nunc Dimittis, or Canticle of Simeon, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus:

St Michael's Cathedral, Toronto Canada

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace; according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: to be a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glory of Thy people Israel (Luke 2:29 -32) 

Simeon then prophesied to Mary: "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"  (Luke 2:34-35)

The elderly prophetess Anna was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there about Jesus and his role in the redemption of Israel  (Luke 2:36-38) And so, it came to be known.

There is a spiritual aspect surrounding the recognition of the Christ Child for observers. It is felt only through faith. It’s teachings have continued through scriptures, study and art. 

Great works of art have been created to immortalize this event. The Brooklyn Museum showcases “The Presentation of Jesus in Temple” by James Tissot. 

Some time in the late 1400’s an unknown Russian Artist painted, what has come to be known as, Sretenie.  The Menolgion of Basil II also depicts the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, it was painted sometime in the 11th Century and its artist is also unknown.

Stained glass artist Franz Borgias Mayer (1848-1926) was commissioned by St Michael’s Cathedral to create a stained glass window showing the sacred event, in Toronto Canada.  There is also the statue of Virgin of Candelaria which has become the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands.

The birth of any child is celebration for all families everywhere. It is of little wonder, Christians place so much emphasis on the birth of Jesus Christ. 

This blog has excerpts from Energy Works Magazine!

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A bit about Epiphany

Revelation

  In Christianity, the epiphany refers to a realization that Christ is the son of God.  Don’t confuse this date with the Orthodox Christmas, which is for Churches that follow the Julian calendar.   The Gregorian calendar, which more accurately accounts for leap years is recognized by everyone else.  Orthodox Christians follow the first testament of the bible not the second testament or any other versions. 

In 2014, Epiphany landed on January 6th, Orthodox Christmas on the 7th.  Protestant believers don’t understand the significance behind this holiday which is mostly observed by Catholic & Anglican Christians.  It’s all about the Three Kings Day and the Twelfth Day or Night of Christmas or rather.... the last day of the Christmas Season.  

Some faiths make honour of when the wise men visit the Christ Child, some put emphasis on the baptism of Jesus by John and some commemorate Jesus’s miracle of turning water into wine. 

Eventually the word epiphany has been come to be known as when a person has a sudden, intuitive perception or insight.  An Ah Ha moment! This is the magical - metaphysical - spiritual aspect of revelation.  For a deity to suddenly appear, we have to accept the manifestation of spirit.  It appears religion is full of psychic mediumship. Epiphany is proof that you believe in Spirit. Ta Da!