Feng Shui for Real Life

Whether you choose a natural or artificial tree, this year as you decorate for the holidays, try placing your Christmas tree according to Feng Shui principles. Feng Shui is the art and science of arranging things in harmony and balance with the natural world around you. This is especially important during the Christmas season when we fill our homes with new colors, shapes, and aromas. In Feng Shui we call these colors and shapes the Five Elements - Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood. A Christmas tree connects you with the living world, so it is considered a strong Wood Element symbol. In addition, the triangular shape of a Christmas tree is considered a Fire Element, even more so when it is covered with lights. Therefore, your Christmas tree is both a strong Wood and Fire enhancement.

The ideal location for a Christmas tree is in either the Wealth, Fame, or Family area of your home, because these support by Wood and Fire. The Wealth area is the room in the upper left hand corner of your home, or the upper left hand corner of any room. The Fame area is located across from your front door. Triangular shapes displayed in these areas enhance finances, abundance, and prosperity. The Family area is on the left hand side of your home. You can download a bagua that shows all nine of the Feng Shui areas of your home from the “Basics” section of my website, FengShuiForRealLife.com.

Sometimes you can’t place your tree in the perfect spot, often because it's not a public room, or due to tradition. Perhaps your family has always placed the Christmas tree in the dining room so it can be the showplace for the holiday meal, or your family tradition is to keep a tree in the family room so it can be seen every day. If you must place your Christmas tree in another Feng Shui area of your home, here are some ways to balance the energy.

• If you locate your tree in your Career Area, decorate with blue lights and decorations, “icicle” decorations, and blue/black patterned tree skirt to help bring water energy into balance.

• If your tree is located in either the Children or Helpful People Area use metal ornaments, tinsel, white lights, and a silver or gold accented tree skirt.

• If your tree is in either the Love or the Knowledge Area use lots of ceramic ornaments, yellow and red lights, and red skirt. Skip the tinsel and white lights here, since you don't need more metal.

• If your tree is in the Grounding Area of your home, choose a yellow or gold tree skirt and a bright yellow star or angel with golden hair at the top of the tree.

Many people think they have to put out years worth of decorations, whether they still like them or not, and somehow make everything fit. However, it’s good Feng Shui to display only those decorations you really love, and not your whole collection. If you vary what you display each year, your decorations will become more meaningful.

If you don’t put up a Christmas tree but still want to celebrate the season, bring a bit of nature indoors by displaying evergreen boughs or poinsettias to counteract any winter gloom and encourage your guests to laugh and enjoy the holiday.