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If you are close to the Earth, you are close to people. "What an African woman nurtures in the soil will eventually feed her family. Likewise, what she nurtures in her relations will ultimately nurture her community." REFUGE, Terry Tempest Williams (New York Pantheon 1991, pg 49)
In 1986 when I began my first compost pile, the average Chinese soil garden was producing far more food per acre than the modern American farm. Back then, US Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland admitted that the Chinese fed their huge population by producing nine times more food per acre than what the American farm was able to create using chemicals and heavy machinery. The Asian approach to agriculture is founded upon the golden rule of organic gardening, providing crops continuously for five thousand years in many areas.
Your Feng Shui garden should reflect nature. Although constructed by the human hand, it should appear as if shaped by Heaven and not a cookie-cutter "landscape" designed by the township's computer. Trees should be located far enough from sidewalks and drives in order to allow their roots plenty of breathing space just like people. Our ancestor's earliest environments consisted of forests, animals and mountains. To the short-lived human, trees seemed immortal, particularly evergreens which never seemed to change. Healthy trees act as humankind's "protectors;" dying trees portend ill-health to residents, particularly the elderly.
Tree worship and forest folklore is found in the early histories of many cultures. In the Old Testament there are several references to sacred groves and to the setting up of altars under these trees, notably oaks. Remember what happened when Eve gobbled an apple from God's favorite greenery? Buddha received spiritual illumination while meditating under the bodhi-tree and was reputedly incarnated as a tree spirit some 43 times. The concept of the tree as God's dwelling place also appears in Persian and Indian mythology.
Today in many rural parts of America, a birch, fir or pine tree is placed on newly-built houses as a talisman for a happy marriage, and on bridges, dams or other large construction sites to avert disaster. Other trees, such as bay laurel, elm, holly oak and olive are planted around a new home to protect it from lightning.
Your landscape should be carefully chosen to compliment the natural beauty of local plants. Refrain from filling the front lawn with flora and fauna alien to the region. In Feng Shui, less is more; simplicity is sublime.
A property with an odd-number of trees (preferably, 3 or 5), is greatly favored particularly nut-bearing ones or evergreens. Oaks attract health and inner-fortitude; the birch breeds openness and clear-thinking. The walnut provides protection from outside forces, allowing you to follow your own direction in life more freely. Pine assists in helping meet obligations and protects against feelings of blame or self-guilt. The elm helps in combating stress and over-idealism.
The evergreen yew has an ancient reputation for immortality and protection. As a symbol of the Resurrection, yew was often incorporated in Eastertide church ceremonies and used on Palm Sunday. However, it was considered unlucky to bring into a house, and is never used for Christmas decorations. The yew was planted in churchyards and cemeteries to retain the spirits of the buried dead; a symbol of life after death, mourners at funerals carried yew branches which were placed in the grave.
There is an ancient association between the weeping willow and sadness. A traditional emblem of grief and melancholy, the willow is also a symbol of forsaken love. Shakespeare's Desdemona sings a 'song of willow' about a jilted girl, which ends '... a green willow must be my garland.' Unkind people would send willow garlands to those who had been dumped by unfaithful lovers.
Because the tree grows in wet places it was believed to cure rheumatism which can be caused by dampness. During the 19th century this remedy was investigated and the willow was found to contain salicylic acid, currently used in the treatment of.. you guessed it... rheumatism!
Coffins are still covered with willow boughs in many parts of China today. To the Irish, the willow is considered magical, capable of averting harm and illness and is heralded as one of the 'seven noble trees of the land.' It is still heralded as a charm against enchantment and the evil eye.
Broken tree branches felled by weather or age should be immediately removed, preferably chopped up and used for either firewood or mulch, else poor health may affect the health of young and elderly members of the home. In autumn, leaves should be raked daily and used for composting to insure prosperity. Folk lore, aside, large trees also guard against the elements and deflect the eye from offensive vistas, inviting good feng shui.
Because colorful butterflies and singing birds are positive feng shui indicators of a happy home, bird houses and water fountains are good magnets because they attract wildlife. Weather vanes and whirligigs keep life-giving chi flowing, particularly in areas where the live green is lean.
Keep the colors in your garden simple and discriminating, not gaudy. Rainbow assortments are not favored in feng shui. Red plants are said to enhance energy and health; yellow buds enhance clear thinking and intelligence; white for purity; green fauna serves as protectors and brings fortitude; dark-colored flowers act as grounding influences. The proper FS garden has little resemblance to a seed catalogue cover photo or southern Californian pet cemeteries.
The quality of flowers is rich with history. The term poet laureate comes from the Roman custom of crowning poets with laurel leaves. Shakespeare Ophelia in Hamlet proclaimed pansies for thought. Cleopatra paid gold to have the room where she would welcome Mark Antony in rose petals two feet high symbolic of love and a woman's beauty. Reds, golds and orange are preferred hues. Red decorative flowers such as geraniums are said to attract wealth to residents but should pruned daily. However, red or white impatiens are said to make families overly concerned with status quo and portend an activity-filled life with little "downtime." Flowering plants with dead buds or leaves affect the health of the elderly.
Fragrant flowers pack more power than their decorative relatives. Keep plants clean from dead buds and leaves, recycling them in the compost pile. The south portion of a garden plot concerns itself with your rank, fame and personal power; the southeast with money; good health is assigned to the east; the northeast with learning; career influences live in the north; for help from others and luck when travelling, activate the northwest part of the garden; west deals with children and pets; a healthy love relationship is assigned the southwest. Take time to smell the roses... and every dandelion, too!
A garden lush with cornflowers is said to help establish balance in your love, family and work relationships. Add clusters of these pale blue flowering plants to the southwest and northwest parts of the garden to bring peace and harmony amongst your support system.
The daffodil, or chalice flower, is said to attract communication and politeness to a household, especially when planted in the garden's northeast section. However, too many of these yellow flowers is said to scatter resident's energy and focus. These are best used as an accent in your garden beds, preferably in odd-numbers to insure open-mindedness and healthy discussions in the homes they surround.
The common but potent dandelion, so named because the jagged edge of its leaves resemble a lion's tooth, is governed by the Sun (the symbol of life) and is also called the priest's crown. Because its flowers open daily around 5 am and shutter at 8 pm, they served as a warning to shepherds to leave their herds and head home for repose. Feng Shui lore consider them beneficial for lawns. Home front lawns lush with these golden waving wildflowers are said to protect family members from calamity and poor health. Cancel the Chem-Lawn exterminator man and indulge in a hearty salad of dandelion greens today!
The day lily signifies coquetry because its fragile flower seldom lasts a second day. Keep them at a minimum in your FS garden and immediately remove wilted blooms to insure good health. However, if tortured by dental troubles, root canals or mouth disorders, hold the Darvon and place a bouquet of day lilies on your night stand to help alleviate pain and toothaches.
The forget-me-not is traditionally used for gravesites and should be incorporated sparingly in home surroundings. When you pull a sprig of forget-me-not and recite the name of a loved one, it's said that you will immediately win a place in the heart of object of your affection. Weave a few of these delicate blue plants in the southwest garden corner.
Ferns, a favorite decoration in yuppie watering holes, are considered auspicious, having the legendary power to bring good luck and confer wealth. Let this lace-like live green luxuriate in the SE and N portions of your home to attract financial opportunity and soothe insecurities. Race to the nursery and grab the hoe: Feng Shui says a garden can never have too many ferns!
Red geraniums are said to attract extra income and prosperity when placed in pots on both sides of the front and rear doorways. White ones bring peace of mind among dwellers. Because of their ability to survive harsh weather, geraniums assist in combating ongoing or long-term household hassles when placed in the kitchen and dining areas and assure that food will always be on the table. White geraniums should never dominate a front yard garden; keep the garden bed red!
The shiny green holly, planted around a house or field, is believed to repel evil influences. Folklore says that elves and fairies are attracted to holly. Medieval monks called it the Holy Tree with its spines represent the Crown of thorns, the white flowers purity and the birth of Christ, the red berries drops of blood, and the bitter bark the Passion. Legend has the holly first sprouting under the footsteps of Christ. Plant holly in your north or southern parts of the garden to attract prosperity and make income thrives.
The hollyhock has been long revered by Chinese Feng Shui for its beauty and the varied colors of its upward spiraling flowers. It's best used against walls or in garden corners. Young couples panting for parenthood should plant them (preferably, reds and orange) in the west and southwest sectors of a plot to promote fertility and enhance the embryological education of budding geniuses.
White lilacs are said to create disturbing thoughts and impair judgment and should be used sparingly and never near the home or bedroom windows. Purple and blue shades are best. Because their flowers and fragrance are fickle and inconstant and fleeting, they are an emblem of youth. When you're stuck in old thought patterns, toss a bouquet of bluish lilacs on the dining table or in the den and open up your mind. Great for writers and artists. Throw them to the devas in your compost pile once the aroma fades.
The proper Feng Shui home avoids featuring marigolds best used as a garden accent. Combine these pungent yellow-orange flowers sparingly with white or pink roses or weave other colorful flowers in-between them to neutralize their reputation associated with grief and despair. Although yellow is the color usually associated with intelligence and learning, these guys are the exception and should never be visible from bedroom windows.
The helmet-shaped flowers and shield-like leaves of nasturtiums symbolize bullheadedness and ego, It's said that clusters of these scarlet and yellow flowers can create disagreements between family members, especially if planted in the SW or NE potion of the garden. Their Latin name means nose-twister. Better to let the dandelions run riot rather than cultivate disagreeable nasturtium blossoms.
A rose by any other name would... you know. The rose is identified with female beauty. It is said that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, created the rose. As she ascended from the sea, the foaming drapery that covered her turned into white rose bushes as it fell to the ground. White roses bestow the ability to cut through the thick of matters. An abundance of red roses is said to generate vanity and pettiness amongst homeowners and should be reserved for the south part of your lot, only. Too many of these scarlet beauties attract thorny discontentment. However yellow roses act as magnets to attract intellectual discussions and objectivity among panelists on Crossfire and Nightline.
The name tulip derives from the Turkish word tulband, a turban, because of the flower's shape. In the east it is the emblem of consuming love. Presenting a potential suitor with a red tulip means that your heart is on fire. They are said to be special havens for fairies and elves, who sing their babies to sleep beneath them. Red tulips symbolize love and devotion when planted in uneven formations; yellow or variegated varieties instill the courage to fight for those you love. The darker the flower however, the less their attraction for harmony and peace. Plant tulips in the southwest or east parts of the garden for luck with love and family.
A realtor friend one mine told me a story of one family's front lawn that resembled a crazy quilt: wildflowers from the west, bushy foreign grasses from the east, assorted flora and fauna from overseas. Months after planting this technicolor mess, the owners filed Chapter 11 and the house went through several buyers and spurred a number of divorces. Since rotor-tilling the electric offensive spectrum of flowers, its current residents remain married and a successful two-income couple.
The good feng shui lawn is free of pesticides, inviting frolicking neighborhood critters and providing underground havens for your squirrel's winter bounty. Grass should always be well-manicured with all dying brown spots immediately remedied. Today, organic fertilizers can be found at most neighborhood lawn and garden outlets. Conscious-gardening, recycling and mulching provides positive brownie points for cultivating happiness and loving relationships.
Rock gardens and the magical qualities that stone and gravel play are also a large part of Feng Shui and enhance the feng shui of your landscape and your personal power. The shape and size of granite objects inspire awe and were once objects of worship. Stones have been cherished from Africa to Thessaly as 'houses of God'. Greeks placed rocks on roadways in homage to Hermes, God of communication, in order to sweep away the traveler’s weariness and assure a pleasant journey. Celts strew horizontal and upright stones at Stonehenge as both calendar markers and, some say, an airport for UFOs. The original idea of placing a tombstone above a grave was to assure that the spirit of the dearly beloved would inhabit the stone.
Great stones were thought to be dwelling places for deities. The Irish Blarney Stone confers eloquence on those who kiss it. The Black Stone of Islam in the Kaaba at Mecca, a meteorite, is proclaimed sacred as it fell from the sky and landed in their holy place. It's best to collect rocks and stones from quarries and places around your neighborhood that were "lucky", happy spots rather than from the rock-nurseries.
American legend prompts one to hang a stone from the yard of a fertile family over the bed of a pregnant woman to assure easy childbirth and healthy children.
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| This article is brought to you by |
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Dennis Fairchild
Dennis Fairchild is the Birmingham-based author of several books, including Healing Homes: Feng Shui - Here & Now and is the US correspondent for Europe's Feng Shui For Modern Living magazine.
Email : [email protected] |
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