Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Rather than one day, many of us have four days to linger over a delicious meal, enjoy some of our favorite foods, and spend time with family and friends (unless you work in retail). In particular, I love the intention of this holiday: giving thanks for all of our blessings.
 
As we genuinely express gratitude and appreciation for our many blessings in our feelings, thoughts, words and actions and interactions, its core essence returns to us multifold and in ways we may not even anticipate. As the Ebola crisis has shown us, our interactions with others quickly travels far and wide. Each individual clearly has the power to impact many lives, without even trying. We “touch” one or more people and they do the same. In a short period of time, a much larger population has been linked together by the energy of one initial individual. Whereas Ebola can spread like wildfire at the physical level, our intentions and thoughts travel faster and wider at mental, emotional and spiritual levels.

Visualize for a moment, how many people you interact with in a day (including the web) and how many live they might touch in similar ways. As you expand the circles for each person, it’s a big number. Now, take a minute and send genuine gratitude and blessings to all the people whose lives you touch. Imagine them doing the same. Before long, everyone on Earth would be impacted. Rather than letting Ebola spread quickly, we can take practical precautions at the physical level and then use our power to spread love, gratitude, appreciation, and blessings throughout the world.
 
In his book, The Divine Matrix, Gregg Braden discusses the "Maharishi Effect" in relation to achieving world peace. Basically this states that the square root of one percent of the population is the minimum number required for a change to take root. In a world of 6 billion people this nets out to about 8,000 people. In a country of 300 million (USA), this is about 550 people. This is the minimum number of people required to be totally focused on the topic. It is a very small number.

​Each of us has more impact in others than we really think. Our feelings, thoughts, words, and actions do matter. This month focus on the power of gratitude and watch how it spreads throughout your circles of family, friends, and spheres of influence. Be the change that you would like to see in the world as you help it take root.

One technique that I find particularly powerful is giving thanks in advance. This is when you give thanks prior to your desire actually manifesting. Give thanks using present tense, positive words, just as if your desire is happening now. Try it and see what happens! Let go of the “time” aspect. This is out of our hands.

The Knowledge and Wisdom gua is the spot to re-energize in your home and workspace prior to November the 22nd new moon in Sagittarius. This is the front left area of your land, home, each room home and your workspace as well, when you divide your space into a grid of nine (like a tic-tac-toe board). As I indicate each month, new moons are about new beginnings. Since the moon also influences your emotional energy and patterns, each new moon presents an opportunity to bring yourself and your space into alignment with the energies of the moon each month. 

The Knowledge and Wisdom area relates to the knowing yourself at a deep level. Energizing this area can assist you with self-introspection, intuition, broadening your mind and developing higher wisdom.  Whereas the Knowledge gua is about how we relate to ourselves, the opposite area (back right corner), the Relationship gua, is equally important. It is about how we relate to others. Together, the Knowledge and Relationship sectors represent the yin and yang or inner and outer aspects of relationships. Knowing yourself on a very deep level supports being in successful and loving relationships with others. The Sagittarius moon is associated with learning, teaching, publishing and international travel. It is a nice combination. 

Prior to November 22nd, refresh the front left area of your home and workspace. Begin by removing all clutter: things that you no longer need or use. These items represent low level energy that depletes you. Also, fix or remove everything that is broken or in disrepair. Give the area a thorough vacuuming and dusting, and assess the chi flow. If rearranging the furniture or making a different shift would uplift the energy of the room, go for it.

Health-wise, the Knowledge area is associated with your shoulders, back and hands. If you have chronic back pain, shoulder problems or any issues with your hands, adjust your Knowledge gua. This area of your home is associated with the Earth element. In the Chinese Five Element system, Earth is strengthened by Fire, weakened by Metal, chopped by Wood and muddied by Water energy. Each area needs to have some of the Five Elements. Balance always depends on the space and is seldom equal amounts of each element.

Earth is a grounding, stabilizing and nurturing energy. When floods occur, sandbags and earth are placed to hold back the water. Rain and water help plants and trees to grow and flourish. A wildfire can deplete a wooded area in an instant. Fire turns everything in sight to ash, creating earth and space for new and continued cycles of growth. The soft earth holds the seeds of new growth. It also provides nutrients. The earth hardens the deeper you go. This compression results in layers of hard rock and precious metal, which eventually liquefies and emerges as lava. Nature provides a deeper understanding of all that is occurring throughout life. The process is cyclical. The goal is balance and harmony.

Enhancements for the Knowledge area include: the colors blue, green or black; square shapes, mountain images, pottery and earthenware, natural crystals, shells, and books. You might “fire up” this area by adding a little red or pink, some lights or candles, pictures or people or animals, and triangular shapes. Seasonal decorations are perfect this month as many of them bring in Earth and Fire energy. 

Slow down, pause, and tune into the ideas and inspirations that are coming your way. Allow the process of refreshing your space to stimulate you. Notice what is showing up for you and give some thought to where you are headed. Visualize how you’d like to close the year. As you focus on the end result, circumstances and situations will begin to mysteriously shift and align themselves.  Adjust your space, set your intentions, and the tune in to see how they begin to unfold beginning with the December 6th full moon.