One way to balance a space that doesn’t feel “right” to you is to add a Ch’i Enhancer or Energy Boost. Living Things is one category of Feng Shui Energy Boosts that includes anything that requires regular maintenance. Plants, flowers, pets and wildlife are included on this list.
Do you have any Living Things in your environment? Do you tend a garden or terrace pots? How about live plants indoors or making a habit of having cut flowers on your table? Do you have a pet or enjoy the wildlife that lives in your neighborhood? All of these are potential energy boosts for you. Let’s think about these one by one.
Plants
A healthy plant carries beneficial Ch’i that can lighten our spirit while a plant that has been neglected and is dried out or dead can actually provide the opposite effect.
Plant maintenance, whether inside or out, is critical. Some people can get anything to grow and others don’t see a dead plant that is right in front of them. Know your profile. When I designed bank branches one part of finishing each office was to give the individual employee the option to have a live plant on their desk. Many jumped at the opportunity and most branches had one person who happily volunteered to be the plant whisperer for that location’s public spaces. However, occasionally, there was an employee who greeted my offer of a plant with total horror, admitting they had never been able to keep one alive. These folks got a beautiful silk plant. Acknowledge your preferences. There is always another way to enhance the energy so only choose those that suit you and make you feel good.
I’m a gardener, come from a family of gardeners, get truckloads of plants from my family and friends and revel in the glory of keeping it all well-tended. My garden gives me great pleasure. I couldn’t live comfortably without plants around me. This love has, on occasion, become too much of a good thing. Adjusting the maintenance needs of our Living Things energy boosts is one factor to keep in mind. This year I have grassed over parts of my garden beds to reduce the amount of maintenance I need to do. It still looks great and gives me a lot of joy, but now I have a bit more time for my blog! Other people love to garden so much they just keep expanding and expanding. Where do you fall? Let the quantity reflect the level that boosts your energy.
Cut Flowers
My sister is a florist so I must be sure to mention cut flowers as well. When I lived in Maine year-round I always bought cut flowers at the grocery store in the colder months. Having something bright, cheerful and alive in the dead of winter always boosted my energy! Now that I’m in Florida at that time I seldom purchase them as there is an abundance of this kind of Ch’i in the outdoors year round.
Just like outdoors, we do need to keep cut flowers well-tended. Add fresh water regularly and remove dead flowers as needed. If there is only one nice flower left in the bouquet, I transfer it to a bud vase and keep the good Ch’i going.
If you are looking for land or real estate be sure to note the quality of Ch’i in the vegetation on the property. When there is a noticeable concentration of trees or plants that are struggling or dead it indicates patterns of depleted Ch’i flow. While one or two small areas can be enhanced, if you see an overabundance of dead, boggy or other low Ch’i vegetation take it as a caution that the energy is depleted.
Pets
Pets are another category of Living Things energy boosts. I saw a couple come absolutely alive after the adoption of their little dog. The sweet lighthearted nature of a well kept animal can transform a space, and its occupants, completely. We have always had cats and we love our two girls, Isabel and Sophie, sisters we adopted at the shelter as kittens. Other folks like dogs or fish or horses or no pets at all. Again, know your preferences.
Our pets deserve the best care and will reward us with a playful and upbeat dedication that displays their vibrant Ch’i. If you have pets you know exactly how much positive energy they can bring into your household.
Wildlife
Wildlife doesn’t necessarily require the same attention as our pets but be aware of their habitat and how you interact with it. If a sick or injured animal visits your yard pay attention. That can also be said for animals that are considered pests. A skunk lurking under the porch or a groundhog that feasts on your vegetable garden will chip away at your positive Ch’i by either the constant threat of their return or the continual damage they reek upon your premises. Those references certainly show that I’m a country girl but a friend that lives in the city had a series of encounters with various unsavory wild pests, bees being the most troublesome. Pests are a persistent indicator of low Ch’i areas. Deal with the pest and enhance the space with new Energy Boosts and be on the path to increased energy.
Conversely, providing conditions that attract wildlife can really boost your Ch’i. During her later years my grandmother, who had always loved birds, sat by the window for hours and enjoyed the legion of birds that came to her multiple feeders. I was certain they knew how much she loved to watch them and told their buddies from miles around that this was the place to come and feast!
Whether it is a riot of butterflies feeding on the coneflowers or the exciting siting of the first hummingbird of the season, enjoying wildlife can be a wonderful energy boost.
Do you use any Living Things as energy boosts to enhance your Ch’i? If not, there are nine more categories of energy boosts to choose from. If so, I hope they lift your energy as much as they do mine!
Have fun,
Carol
