Elixir's
Eighth Feng Shui Window

12/07/09 (21/09/4707)

Ji/Yin Earth
Cho/Yin Earth (Ox) Year

Bing/ Celestial Yang Fire
Zi/ Terrestrial Yin Water(Rat) Month

Bing/Yang Fire
Shu/Yang Earth (Dog) Day

This is the beginning of the Eleventh Chinese Solar Month of of Da Xue , Big Snow.

This month's basic feng shui framework

Bing/ Celestial Yang Fire

which is The Sun.

and

Zi/ Terrestrial Yin Water, which is creeks, streams and ponds.

Secondarily, Zi converts to Gui/Celestial Yin Water, which is the depths of space, Mist and Fog.

Discussion about this month's window

This month's feng shui window came in sections. Here's how it began:

The most obvious player in this beginning stage of the window is the incredible Tallow Berry Bush placed in a 19th Century Brass Bucket. Terry's thinking with the bush was that it would be a great resonator for snow in the Da Xue (Big Snow) theme...

The golden color of the brass bucket is reflective of the Sun. The space it contains evokes the presence of space as a container for things. This would be all things in the case of Gui/Celestial Yin Water.

A Moss-Covered Oak Branch was the beginning of our portrayal of the creeks, streams and ponds motif. The branch's elongated, gnarly shape brings forth the shape of streaming water. This branch is also a direct conductor of watery energy, because water naturally moves toward wood and vice versa.

The lush and vibrant moss on the branch is a testimony to the presence of water, in this case mist and fog.

We left this display as is for several days as the creek and stream elements gathered their own momentum to arrive...

And then, some elements began to appear...

Like the antique New Guinea Tree Snail Shell that appeared in the moss on the oak branch...

And this exquisite14th Century Chinese Celadon Charger, nested in river stones. Note the solar pattern in the charger, and how the charger became a resting place for a 20th Century Venetian Glass Frog...

And the perfection of the frog!

Which completed this month's feng shui window.

Take home lesson

So much of the art of this activity is how you create a dynamic quality in your display. For example, take a look at the far shots of the Tallowberry branches. Don’t they look like frozen motion? There’s also a beautiful ambiguity between the qualities of snow, mist and fog with the Tallowberries. Plus, their branch structure creates a sense of inner connection to the whole thing.

As another example, take how we used the oak branch as a conductor for water energy. Remember, what you’re doing here is real. So always ask yourself the question, “How can I get away from the realm of the representational and into what is real?” In this case, we used wood to conduct water to bring the water into the space.

Sometimes your entire ceremonial display doesn't come together all at once. You may have an idea of what you want to do, and you just don't get the timing the way you want it. Or maybe the right materials don't show up, or who knows what.

The way your display doesn't come together is a very important part of the dynamic creation of your feng shui displays. Remember, your displays are living interactions with the world. They will teach you many things as you build them. This definitely happens as you journey through the world with the intention of finding elements for your display. It always takes you somewhere. Frequently, that somewhere is not the place you thought you were going. That's where the real lessons are...

Back to Elixir's Feng Shui Window Displays Gallery

John Mini, M.S.C.M./ L.Ac.