Choosing the best location and most suitable decorations for your festive tree can make the difference between harmony or discord, so are truly important considerations.
Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere at home is especially important to us at Christmas time. Happily, the purpose of feng shui is to ensure that our surroundings support our health, well being and happiness, and the outcome of these festivities can benefit from a little feng shui know how. We all want Christmas to be joyful and entertaining for everyone, but there is no doubt that alongside all the fun filled events, there are additional pressures, and tensions can run high for lots of reasons.
So, it makes sense to think about the impact of our Christmas tree especially as it is usually the biggest decoration we bring into our space at any time of year. Whatever type or size you choose, artificial or natural, table top or ceiling scraper, the festive tree brings highly influential energy into any home or business area. Choosing the best location and most suitable decorations can promote harmony or discord, so are truly important considerations.
This guide to placing your Christmas tree for the best outcomes this year assumes that you have some knowledge of feng shui terms and principles, however if this is your first foray into the world of fascinating feng shui, I’ve included links to articles and useful tools to get you started. Or if you prefer, you are welcome to book a complimentary video call, and I’ll help you locate your tree for free.
Size and type matter...
There's no doubt that a fresh, living tree (with roots) brings significant energy to any indoor space, and its very much worth considering a living tree - on the condition that you are willing and able to care for and look after it. If you are concerned about what to do with it once Christmas is over, there are now a growing number of nurseries who specialise in renting living trees. You have the option to choose and take home your personal selection, or the tree can be delivered and collected at your convenience. You can even opt to have the same tree each year! Do your research first and then make a local online search to find a supplier near you. This is a great idea and well worth adding to your list of considerations.
Getting the best outcome using feng shui guidance
Cut trees and artificial trees of all materials also have a substantial impact on your space. Successful feng shui treatments are like creating a beautiful layered cake, with each layer and filling based on a particular set of principles and ideas. Each component is equally important, and they should support and enhance each other to create a harmonious environment.
One of the layers that we use is based on the shapes, materials, textures and colours we bring into our spaces. Our framework for this is based on the natural living world illustrated by the Chinese five elements of Fire, Water, Wood, Earth, and Metal.
Whilst the material of your tree is important, for the most part we know that by its nature a Christmas tree is represented by Wood. It is traditionally a triangular in shape which is represented by the Fire element, and usually festooned in lights, which are also represented by Fire. Your Christmas tree therefore represents strong Fire and Wood enhancements and we consider this when selecting a home for the tree.
Location, location, feng shui
The next component of our feng shui cake is based on a map that is placed over the floor plan of our home (or a room) to locate areas of our space that directly influence particular aspects of our lives. The map helps us identify where to best use each of the five elements and other layers of the feng shui plan. Traditionally known as a Bagua, the map has eight segments around a central hub, nine aspects in all. Again they are equally important, and each one affects all the others. We need to find the main bagua aspects in your space that are supported by the Fire and wood elements. These are the aspects relating to Wealth (prosperity, well being), Fame (image, perceptions), and Elders (family, support). Download a free copy of the bagua on the resources area of my website.
People with an even shaped house can usually easily locate these aspects. Stand in your front doorway looking in. Imagine your floor plan as a grid with nine segments. Each segment is an aspect of the bagua. You will find your wealth aspect in the top left corner of the house. Fame is top center, and Elders is center left, just below the Wealth aspect. (Please book a call if this is making you dizzy, it’s very easy to demystify).
Now practically speaking you may have a favoured home for your tree, traditionally used every year. It could be that you are limited to where such a large object can be placed, and perhaps it won’t fit anywhere else without significant disruption to your home or your plans. So if you can’t place your tree into your Wealth, Fame or Elders aspect, dont despair. We can design your tree decorations, using colours, materials and shapes that create strength and balance wherever you tree is located.
Use the bagua map
Your bagua will help to identify which aspect your tree will reside. Then decorate according to the ideas noted below.
This is a balancing act, but well worth the effort.
Tree in the Career (journey, life path) aspect:
Use shades of blue for your lights, and blue and black for the baubles. Glass or metal ornaments, a blue or black skirt for your pot. Avoid hot colours and wooden ornaments.
Tree in either the Creativity (Children, projects) or Helpful People Philanthropy, angels), aspects:
Use silver and metallic shades for your ornaments and baubles, white lights, and you can also use metal or ceramic ornaments. Go for a silver or metallic skirt for your pot, and a silver angel or star topper would be perfect. Avoid shades of red or purple.
Tree in Relationships (Marriage, romantic happiness) or Contemplation (Inner (self) knowledge, and education):
Use shades of red or gold for lights and baubles, or pink if you like! Ceramic or fabric ornaments are the best choice here, and a red, pink or gold pot skirt. A red, pink or golden star or angel, and avoid white lights, and any wooden ornaments.
Tree in the centre of the house. This is the core of the home, and represents health, physical, mental and spiritual. It’s the main hub of our wheel of life, if this is out of balance everything else will be wobbly too. Here we will benefit from using golden shades for baubles and lights, ceramic ornaments are best, a golden angel and skirt. The golden shade does not need to be metallic this time, try a warm honey yellow, you are looking for a golden glow rather than bling and sparkle.
Tree alternatives
If a tree isn’t to your taste, do think about using something to represent natural growth and life to decorate your indoors - perhaps an evergreen over the door decoration, mistletoe, or bring a door wreath inside. Nothing too spiky, so holly possibly not the best idea indoors. How about a poinsettia to bring cheer or or fragrant hyacinth for fragrance? Or use lightweight fairy lights on a favourite robust plant, such as a rubber tree.
Consider the aspect if the decorative piece is significant in size, and follow the ideas laid out for the tree placement for colours and materials.
Keeping it simple for maximum impact
Lastly, this could be the year that you decide to use only really special pieces on your tree. You don't have to use every bauble in the box. Keep it simple, understated and meaningful. Yes, most of all, meaningful. Give yourself time to breathe and enjoy the process as you decorate with thought and love. Place every bauble, and secure every light string with the positive intent, it makes all the difference to the atmosphere of your festive home.
Have a joyful Christmas, making the most of your friendships and family time, and remember the complimentary ‘place my tree’ call is available to you as my gift.
Find out more about using feng shui for maximum impact using practical accessible methods at lorrainelewis.co.uk
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