Your chimney could be to blame. So a little feng shui knowledge could help you navigate through the volatile Year of the Fire Monkey in 2016. As we approach Chinese New Year on February 8, the feng shui dynamics are heating up and a few preventative measures can help you get back on track.
In the feng shui chart for 2016, a lack of water, but an excess of fire energy, will increase the power of all fire characteristics in a home or business setting. It is important to create a better balance by adjusting the elements accordingly. We suggest you pay attention to our feng shui tips to create your safe and secure sanctuary.
• First, check all the features of your fire: lights, candles, stove, gas grill, fireplace, oven, and note its position, strength, function, and appearance.
• If your gas fireplace or grill is in a dominant position in your wealth corner, it may be burning your money.
• A dominant fire characteristic must be balanced with the other elements.
• The powerful yang of excessive fire must be controlled with a little additional yin.
• A glass bowl of still water, refreshed frequently, is an antidote to the overwhelming yang of fire.
• Soft blue cushions could be a relaxing cure if your adrenal glands are stressed by too much yang.
• The addition of water can be done with blue or black, but also with irregular wavy patterns if those colors are not desirable.
• If your fireplace mantel is made of wood, decorate it with attractive ceramics.
• If the corners stick out and shoot you with poison arrows, cover them with cascading variegated philodendron plants.
• Camouflage the black hole of a disused fireplace with an attractive object that attracts and catches your eye.
• In the summer, when the fireplaces are not in use, a flower pot is an auspicious feng shui enhancement.
• Carefully consider that having a TV on top of your mantel will add more fire.
• A mirror above the fireplace should reflect something positive and attractive.
• Artwork above a fireplace should be uplifting with complex legibility that sparks the imagination.
• If you have a gas grill in your wealth area, you might consider moving it to a sheltered outdoor location, perhaps to the future/fame sector of your bagua.
Until recently, fireplaces were wood-burning devices that generated a lot of ash and absorbed heat through the chimney. Modern times have created other options. A simple flick of a switch will ignite a gas fireplace. It will warm up your space on a cold winter night. A pilot light that keeps the gas fireplace active also generates heat and therefore must be turned off in the summer.
The most innovative and little-known option to add warmth and fire to your home is the invention of ethanol fireplaces. They are the most versatile and least dangerous devices, since they burn clean, do not need to be ventilated, and do not generate fumes. Ethanol fireplaces offer a wide range of options in design and cost.
Enjoy the cozy warmth of your fireplace, but exercise diligent care for its potential hazards. While it should be fully functional during the colder months of the year, it should also be an attractive design feature when not in use.
