Thanksgiving

11/24/2015 Feng Shui Florida

 

Autumn bridge

Thanksgiving in the United States is a tradition that celebrates the gathering of friends and family together to reflect, share a meal and count blessings. A simple holiday compared to most, it arrives in the season of harvest and completion, when weather cools, shorter days prevail and the transition from autumn to winter begins.

In Five Element theory, this time of year is associated with contracted Metal energy. Momentum gathered in summer’s Fire season has settled back towards earth and solidifies deep within its core. Nature rests while Metal gathers strength in late autumn. Metal is the element linked to minimalism and structure in Feng Shui since organized spaces and strategic placement allow us to define (and label) our lives and surroundings. Without Metal’s parameters, spaces can be chaotic, directionless and ineffective. Metal also rules the hours of 3 to 7 pm after we’ve returned home from managing others, closing deals and completing the tasks of the day. Metal energy helps us consolidate and conserve for another day.

copper tray pumpkins

It is believed that the traditional simplicity of Thanksgiving has been lost in the fast pace of our daily lives. We tend to hurry through preparations and rituals in order to move on to the next, more glamorous holiday. If this describes your schedule, perhaps a day of listening would help. Since 2003, the StoryCorps project has designated Thanksgiving as a national ‘Day of Listening’, encouraging people to set aside time to interview and record a story from someone they know or admire. Parents, grandparents, veterans, neighbors, strangers and friends have something to share that contributes a unique thread to the fabric of history. We may be only one conversation away from that experience.

This year in the Great Thanksgiving Listen, young people are asked to record the story of an elder to be permanently recorded in the Library of Congress. Together these stories will help create a legacy for those who follow. When the autumn sun sets in the western sky, we are reminded that this day as we know it will not come again. Take a moment over the holiday weekend to capture the story of someone in the autumn of their life whose story enriches yours.

Wishing you good chi, a meaningful story and a very happy Thanksgiving,

Diane Gallin, CFSC

small chopWind and Water Feng Shui Consulting