Creative Spotlight: Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month. Feng Shui Expert Yvonne Phillips offers these suggestions to help all women be more relaxed, and therefore open to even more creativity in their lives.

Feng Shui for Women of this Century

What we read and have heard throughout our lives from the women who came before us seems to confirm that mid-life for the typical American female is a time of extraordinary stress. Not only are the physiological challenges at times hard to manage and understand, never mind mediate, the confluence of responsibilities for children, aging parents and career are enormous stressors assumed at a most vulnerable time in a woman’s life. How can women best create within their environments the clarity and flow that enables and amplifies optimal strength, health and adaptability to the many shifts within and without?

Feng Shui (FS) has many answers to this question and will provide for spaces and lifestyles that can more easily accommodate fluctuation, provide stability and magnify support and well-being.

When managing a household with children, particularly teens and college-aged kids, the key is defining space in a way that allows for privacy and retreat for over-worked moms. First, clear your space of all unwanted clutter and broken or damaged items. Do not allow the excess items to sit within your home, even if the piles are intended for charitable donation. Remove unwanted items immediately.

Decorate your bedroom and bath with subdued and calming colors, avoiding shades of blue in these as well as other areas of your home, as it gives the effect of “drowning” and too much “water” element within a home, including a blue exterior or roof, is considered very poor FS.

Focus on green hues and pale earth tones, and confine children’s and family photos to other areas of the home, keeping the bed and bath a sanctuary of relaxation and intimacy. Pictures with the kids can find the perfect place in the family corner of your shared living areas, as defined by the bagua map at http://www.creativecolordesigninc.com/. Set the tone even more by adding your favorite music, mementos and creating a spot within these spaces where you are surrounded by favorite scents and items of comfort and indulgence.

Your commitments may extend beyond children and spouse by middle years, so creating a true retreat atmosphere is of paramount importance. The fire element can be placed at the middle rear or back of your space; the fame and reputation area of the bagua map by implementing candles and creating a romantic spa environment within your bedroom or bath.

Finding a balance between being a nurturing support to aging parents and creating opportunities for self-nurturing is critical during middle-age.

Transitioning from work to home can be eased through proper FS and careful consideration of the energy in the entry to your house. Be sure it is tidy and free of shoes and other cast-offs. Free your porch or front steps of any items that block the energy leading to your door and remove all debris. Draw the eye to areas of beauty and cleanliness and clear all pathways to the two most important areas of the home, the kitchen and bedrooms.

FS will de-stress your spaces and enliven your sense of stability and well-being by creating positive flow and conditions which support the body, mind and spirit as they move through the many demanding arenas of our life passages.