Love Note from Anjie: The First Day of Spring

Anjie Cho February 4, 2023

FEBRUARY 4, 2023 // love note from anjie

the first day of spring

It's 9°F right now in NYC. It's really cold. According to the lunisolar calendar that we used in Chinese astrology, today is the first day of spring! It may seem counterintuitive, but this highlights how qi is slow and not always “seen”.

Today is also the 49th day ceremony for my friend's passing. This marks the end of her bardo as she is reincarnated. Springtime is a re-birth and new beginning.

What is being re-born for you today?

Coming soon:

Mindful Homes

My new book Mindful Homes: create healing living spaces with mindfulness and feng shui is available for pre-order. It will be available wherever books are sold on April 11, 2023.

pre-order

Still available:

Welcoming the Wealth Gods

The Lunar New Year Ceremonies are still available through mid Februrary. It's not too late!

The Golden Cicada is especially helpful for those born in the year of Rabbit, Rooster, and Dragon

silver dog harm on red string hanging from keychain

At the Holistic Spaces Store:

Challenging Relationships

This time of year, I notice that many people get very fearful and binary about “is this a good year or a bad year for my zodiac animal”. I would encourage you to see beyond the conditioning of “good or bad”.

One thing I love about the Lunar New Year charms I make every year, is that we are reminded that our paths have more ease when we hold our best friends close to our hearts.

Learn more

Sky Lake Lodge:

Mindful Spaces Retreat

Join me for a Mindful Spaces Weekend retreat: exploring feng shui as a mindfulness practice.

April 13-17, 2023

Sky Lake: A Shambhala Meditation & Retreat Center

Rosendale, New York

Cupped hands holding vibrant pink flower petals

AVAILABLE NOW:

Holistic Spaces

My first book Holistic Spaces: 108 ways to create a mindful and peaceful home is available wherever books are sold.

Can you believe I wrote this in 2014? Nine years ago!

Buy now

with love,

Anjie

p.s. would you like to receive these love notes directly to your inbox right when they’re written? Join our newsletter and you’ll also get special perks only for subscribers!

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An Introduction to Using Color in Feng Shui - Part 1

Anjie Cho February 1, 2023

Colors are some of the most important elements in creating holistic, nurturing spaces. The colors in our spaces can affect us, both emotionally and physically, and not all colors produce the same effect, based on our individual personalities. In feng shui, each color or color family also represents certain emotions and areas on the bagua map.

If you're working to adjust the energy in your home, office or school, take a look at color characteristics and give some thought to which ones are most appropriate for your personal needs.

Greens, Teals and Blues

Greens, teals and shades of blue are related to the Wood element and the New Beginnings area of the feng shui bagua and associated with hope, new beginnings and growth. If you're looking for a calming space or one that supports healing, whether physically or emotionally, these colors are for you!

Greens and blues invoke the energy of nature and can be very refreshing (think brighter colors) as well as promote rest (think lighter, softer hues). To incorporate these colors into your space, try painting a wall with a carefully selected shade, adding green plants or placing a Jade stone in the New Beginnings area of your space.

Purples and Violets

Just as greens and blues are symbolic of healing and growth in feng shui, the color purple is associated with wealth, abundance and often elegance and royalty. It's a very auspicious color in feng shui and can be used to attract wealth or self-worth.

As a combination of two very strong colors (passionate red and calming blue), purple has great potential to balance you and your space and bring harmony and peace to both.

To bring some purple to your home or office and promote abundance, use an appropriate shade of purple or add amethyst crystals or purple flowers.

Yellows, Oranges and Browns

Shades of yellow, orange and brown are representative of the qualities of nature. Deep, earthy, pale and neutral tones are generally calming and nurturing, but brighter colors, and especially shades of yellow, may be too stimulating for a relaxing atmosphere.

If you're thinking of adding these colors to your space, remember to save brighter, more intense shades of orange and yellow for areas like the kitchen (to arouse appetite) or the center of your home (to activate the Health area in the feng shui bagua).

There are, of course, many more colors on the color wheel, and the best colors for you depend on your unique situation. You can find more details on the feng shui symbolism of each color in my book, "108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces."

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Love Note from Anjie: The Rabbit and the Moon

Anjie Cho January 28, 2023

JANUARY 28, 2023 // love note from anjie

the rabbit and the moon

It's said that there is a rabbit that lives on the moon, pounding mochi, also known as tteok in Korean. These sticky rice cakes are one of my most favorite foods. In Asian folklore, there is a story of the Buddha who had manifested on earth as a starving beggar and asked Fox, Monkey, and Rabbit for food. Fox and Monkey procured some fruit and vegetables to share. However, the Rabbit could not find any food. So instead, the Rabbit built a fire and then threw themself on it so that the beggar could eat. The Buddha was so heartened by the selflessness, and with honor the Rabbit was reborn on the moon.

what are your cultural connections to the rabbit,

and the lunar new year?

HONORING YOUR ANCESTORS:

Oranges

This week I was honored to attended a Hatsugama New Year's Tea Ceremony. If you didn't know, I'm a tea ceremony student. I learned that the offering of oranges is called “daidai” which offers the wish for friendship, joy , and abundance over many generation.

To this day, my family's most cherished gifts are boxes of fresh fruit meticulously wrapped and prepared for our enjoyment and sharing.

FEATURED IN MIND BODY GREEN:

Feng shui Forecast and Plant Ally for 2023

Every Lunar New Year, my friend Katie Hess (founder of Lotus Wei) and I collaborate to bring you a feng shui forecast and plant ally. We have an annual podcast (check it out at holisticspaces.com) and also a write up on mind body green. Enjoy!

Two Lunar New Year Ceremonies

The Lunar New Year Ceremonies are still available through mid February. It's not too late!

ENROLL HERE