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Gemstone
Feng Shui: Activating Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
by Sandra
Kynes, author of Gemstone Feng Shui
Your home is your castle - or at least it should be your sanctuary from
modern fast-paced life. Thankfully there are things we can do to create
comfortable and truly nurturing environments for ourselves. One of them
is feng shui.
I found feng shui fascinating, but in the beginning it was a struggle
because many of the accoutrements weren't right for me. On the verge
of giving up, I realized that I had been unconsciously practicing a
sort of feng shui with gemstones and crystals. When I began to correlate
the properties of the stones with the feng shui Lo Shu grid (also called
the Magic Square), things began to happen.
At its core, feng shui is a method for balancing the dynamic, ever-changing
forces that shape our environment. Gemstones are perfect for feng shui
because they are formed through dynamic processes - the powerful creative
and destructive forces of the natural world. Gemstones and crystals,
which are minerals and rocks, are constantly created, broken down and
re-created. As a result, they embody the energy of the elemental cycles
of creation and destruction that are utilized in feng shui. Understanding
the interaction of elemental energies and how they relate to your personal
environment can provide you with a powerful tool to counteract negativity
and invite change into your life.
An environment where healthy energy flows supports your spiritual and
creative pursuits, as well as everyday well-being. Positive, active
energy is called chi and it is most healthy where there is elemental
harmony.
The ancient Chinese divided the universe into five elements: water,
fire, wood, metal and earth. These elements embody the archetypal energies
that shape all things and symbolize on-going processes that guide us
through life. In traditional feng shui, working with and balancing elemental
energy can be accomplished by using the element itself or a representation
of it. In gemstone feng shui, gemstones and crystals are used to represent
the elements according to their attributes. The size and number of stones,
as well as their placement can emphasize, increase or decrease the power
and influence of an element.
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With the elemental method of gemstone feng shui, specific stones that
embody the elements are used to invoke their energies because of the
manner in which they were created. For example, obsidian is formed by
volcanoes and embodies the element fire. Opal can contain between three
to ten percent water, and thus represents that element.
As mentioned earlier, the feng shui tool used to apply gemstone energy
to your environment is the Magic Square (think tic-tac-toe). This grid
is a matrix of attributes and associations for each of the nine feng
shui sectors, which are aligned with the cardinal directions. Think
of this grid superimposed over a room or over your entire home (wherever
you are performing feng shui) and dividing it into nine sectors.
The Magic Square contains the basic proportions of elemental energy
needed for balance. The earth element, which is vital for overall well-being
(both physical and spiritual) is at the core of the Magic Square and
occupies three of the nine sectors. Earth creates an axis around which
the other elements are arranged. After all, it is the earth’s
cycles that we follow, and we are most healthy and strong when we are
'grounded'. Use andalusite or tourmaline in these sectors to
activate healthy earth energy.
Fire and water, occupying one square each on the grid, are powerful
elements. Wood and metal occupy two sectors each on the Magic Square
and help balance fire and water. Wood symbolizes and encourages growth
and expansion. Jet or amber (wood) placed in an area where you or your
children study can invite beneficial energy to aid in this aspect of
life. Also try malachite (metal) on the desk or table where you handle
finances to attract prosperity.
The color method of gemstone feng shui raises the power of an element
by employing a stone of the color associated with that sector on the
grid. For example, south is represented by the color red. Using carnelian
or other red stones amplifies the energy of this sector and its related
life aspects. Again using the example of studying, place a piece of
red garnet in the south sector of the study desk to attract success.
Before applying feng shui techniques, you will need to determine what
issues you are going to address, identify which Magic Square sector(s)
they fall into, and then examine those areas in your home to assess
how well energy flows there. You also need to look beyond these areas
for negative energy that could have an impact on your surroundings.
Most importantly, take your time and don't be afraid to experiment.
Your energy and your environment are unique to you - one size does not
fit all.
You may want to try the gemstone methods individually and then combine
them in whatever manner works for you. Draw on the power of these
gifts from the earth to unlock your potential and create a sanctuary
that nourishes your body and soul.
Sandra
Kynes is the author of Gemstone Feng Shui and may be contacted at sedwyn@earthlink.net
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