My many years of practicing Feng Shui has taught me that asking people what abundance means to them is like asking what is the true meaning of Christmas. No answer is really wrong, but there are some that just feel more right than others.
It feels incredibly wonderful to be abundant. Abundance is a gift, a blessing, and a joy. It is the ultimate expression of the yin energy, the female energy, the energy of receiving. This energy is so powerful that the ancient Feng Shui practitioners simply called it “Fortunate Blessings.”
So, since women are the embodiment of yin energy, abundance theoretically should flow easily to all women. But it just doesn’t always seem to. Sometimes this lack can be an illusion – abundance is all around but if we are not mindfully aware we may not see the abundance and the beauty around us. Sometimes it is not an illusion – on a financial level we may not be seeing the money flow in as easily as we had hoped. And then we wonder, do we really have to struggle so much? No, we don’t. We can let go and let things flow.
There is an area, a gua, in our homes that attract and hold the energy of abundance. We can activate this area to bring in the chi, the energy of abundance, with colors, symbols, shapes and intention. But more important, there is a part of us that can hold and attract abundance if we are open to it.
Typically, women have mastered the art of giving. Women give their hearts, their bodies and souls, their time, energy, smiles, comfort and love with little regard to boundaries. Most women do not need more practice in giving, but so many women do need to learn to receive and allow others to give to them. Start small. Instead of brushing off a compliment, or denigrating yourself when one is offered, smile gracefully and own it. Accepting the compliments, the gifts, the goodies and acknowledgements from others will do a lot to allow the energy of giving to turn into the energy of receiving. Become observant of this internal challenge and know that receiving turns into abundance which again turns into the giving. There is nobility, pride, and strength to the art of receiving. It is a gift to you, the female, for all the giving you have done by just being.
In ancient times, the emperors, nobility, royals and spiritual leaders were experts at receiving. It was understood- it was their due. Everyone got the order of things; that abundance belonged to higher mortals and all things flowed naturally and easily to them. Collective beliefs made it so. It was no mistake that the representative colors of abundance were worn solely by the higher classes. In fact, it was against the law for anyone but the emperor to wear the beautiful golden color that universally represents wealth and abundance. The color purple was also reserved for the nobles and those with loftier spiritual pursuits than the common man or woman. Today we intellectually know that none of us are disqualified from receiving the gifts of the universe. We only need to be open to the receiving.
The understanding of abundance is evolutionary thought. The pendulum swings from excess to less is more. Too much leads to clutter; not enough leads to unfulfilled desires. Too much food leads to obesity, while too little food leads to malnutrition and starvation. Too many choices lead to indecision; too little leads to lack of freedom, creativity and expression. There is a difference between wanting to have and knowing if you need it, it will be there.
In Feng Shui we open our homes to the energy of abundance by enhancing our southwest corner with personal symbols of abundance. We add beautiful shades of purples and golds that suggest richer energies. We keep this area clean and clutter free to allow the chi of abundance unrestricted flow. Internally, we open our hearts to receiving the gifts of the universe. And we live with the understanding that true abundance comes from knowing that we do have a choice to receive the opportunities of abundance that flow all around us.
