September flew by for me! Did it for you, too? During September I spent one week in New Foundland, Canada and the next week in Hollywood, CA. What a contrast. The trips got me thinking about how the chi of your location influences your experiences. I included a reflection in this newsletter.

October is a great month to shift between your inner world and outer environment. The balance between day and night tipped in favor of shorter days and longer nights beginning with the autumn equinox. Yin energy will continue to deepen each day until it peaks at the Winter Solstice, as yang energy wanes. This is part of the ebb and flow of life and our natural cycles. You may find that you need more sleep, compared to the summer months.

As the shorter, cooler days set in, you’ll likely be spending more time indoors. Thus, it’s a great time to give more attention to your home and workspace. Outside in the garden, the best time plant your bulbs for spring bloom is during the third quarter moon (Oct 21-29). Since this is the most yin time of the month, the roots will have a better chance of getting established.

October may also be a chaotic and unpredictable month. You can proceed though the month with more ease and joy if you ground your energy, focus on the end result that you want, and take action towards your goals without allowing your energy to be depleted by things you can’t change.

Enjoy October!

From a feng shui perspective, October is a month to bring more balance and harmony to your life through more joyful relationships and partnerships. As you place positive emphasis on this topic, you influence those around you. This is why I often say that the “work” is always on yourself. As you strengthen your chi and that of your environment, you are making the world a better place.

This cycle was ushered in with the September 30^th new moon in Libra. It peaks with the October 16 full moon. New moons are times to seed a new intention. When the full moon emerges two weeks later, look for evidence of your intentions and efforts taking shape. They’ll be there.

The Partnership area of your space is the back right corner as you visualize a grid of nine blocks (or a tic tac toe board) over your space. This is the back right corner of your land, your home, every room in your home, as well as your office, business, or place of employment. The size and shape will vary according to each particular space.

Everything in feng shui relates to the balance of the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Partnership area is an “Earth” segment. Thus, it is “fed” or strengthened by Fire energy, depleted by Metal, extinguished by Water, and controlled (or managed) by Wood. What does all this mean? It means that everything in your environment relates, in one way or another, to everything else. The size, shape, color, condition, quality, etc. all matter and have an influence on your life. Each object in your space also matters, as everything contains chi or energy. The object itself contains a history or imprint of energy, and this influences your experiences.

Unbalanced Earth energy may manifest as being stuck or overly supporting and nurturing (smothering). Extremes are uncomfortable. To adjust your space, remove some clutter – it’s stuck energy. It shows up in multiple ways, including piles of things, items that are no longer used or cared for, things that are broken, never used or never loved, excess items (clothes, books, paper, kitchen-ware, furniture, etc.).

A deep fall cleaning is also a great way to shift energy. This month, deep clean the back right areas of your spaces, in particular. Moving 27 items that haven’t been touched in a while is a feng shui technique. As you remove clutter, dust and vacuum, wash the windows, and refresh the space, it’s easy to shift at least 27 items.

It's easier to enhance a space after it's be de-cluttered and refreshed. If you haven't done so, fully shift from summer into fall and yes, winter, by making your spaces more cozy and comfortable. It's that time of year.