Auld Lang Syne

2011 is finally here.  After roasting all those chestnuts on the open fire, cleaning up after the turtle doves, drinking with the french hens, and all of those HD visions of sugarplums, now all papa and mama want is to settle down for a long winters nap!
   

In reality, for many of us it was the yulelog on OnDemand, overeating and way too many sugar cookies, Betty's chocolates, spiked eggnog and visions of ever growing debt on ye olde Visa and Mastercard!  

But the New Year always comes brightly adorned with hope and optimism.  This year we will get it all together, we will right all of the wrongs in our lives and go on to live happily ever after. With the New Year it’s time once again to reflect over the past year, re-examine where we are in our lives today, and where we want the future to take us.  It is a time for fresh starts and new beginnings.

With all of these thoughts and feelings of change that come with the beginning of a new year, I thought I would share with you something that I share with my Feng Shui students and clients.  It is how to work with intention. 

Most of us set our annual new year’s resolutions, which many times are just a repeat of last year’s resolutions.  Once again we vow to “lose weight, stop smoking, get more exercise” or other things along those lines.  The problem with making resolutions is that they usually focus on the negative, areas in our life where we feel we have shortcomings, or where we have failed in the past.  Focusing on the negative things in our life can only bring us more of the same.  Our thoughts become our reality.  When we focus, commit to, and are clear about the positive things we want to attract, that is when we are working with intentions.

According to Grandmaster Lin Yun’s BTB School of Feng Shui, it is believed that there are two parts of working with Feng Shui, the visible (mundane) and the invisible (transcendental), both of which are important to success in life.  Visible factors include house and lot shapes, furniture placement, doors and windows, just to name a few.  These things can be analyzed and altered with Feng Shui remedies and cures.  The invisible factors include things like predecessor chi (the energy of people who lived in the home before you), spiritual energies within the land, our intentions and other factors. Intention is thought to be the most important factor, the starting point for your Feng Shui efforts. Intention is the strong desire and visualization of what you want to create in your life.  Everything you do in life involves an intention and is followed by an action.  

Steven Post, Barry Gordon, Edgar Sung, Kim Klein, Prof. Lin Yun, Crystal Chu

There are three main elements that are needed when setting an intention.  The first is, know exactly what you want.  Secondly, you need to visualize the desired result before it actually happens, and thirdly, expect the result to happen. Intention is that magical combination of will, motivation and desire.

All of our feelings, beliefs and knowledge are based on our internal thoughts, both conscious and subconscious.  We are in control whether we know it or not.  We can be positive or negative, enthusiastic or dull, active or passive.  We’ve all been told about the power of positive thinking.  But we need to truly believe these positive thoughts to bring about the desired changes.  Here are a few things you can do to help develop the power of positive thinking/believing:

• Positive self-talk.  Only use positive words in your inner dialogue.  Use words such as, I can, I am able, it is possible, etc.  Repeat these things to yourself over and over, through journal writing, leaving notes to yourself to read each day and positive inner dialogue. Once you hear something enough times you will finally begin to believe it.

• When setting your intention, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome.  Also be very clear on what you are bringing into your life.  For example, if you are single and want a partner, be specific in what type of partner, what qualities you are seeking and  what you want from that relationship.  If you visualize with concentration and with the full belief that you can attain it, you will be amazed at the outcome. 

• Surround yourself with positive people who fully support your vision and goals.

• Be patient and loving with yourself and know that you are worth having the best that life has to offer.  All that you desire can be yours if your heart is pure, your intentions clear, and your goals are in your best interest.

So, Happy New Year to all of you. Make this a year of positive changes.  Set an intention and put your heart, soul and mind into it and see what can happen.  And above all, be kind and patient with yourself and others.