Sunday, December 7, 2014

This Holiday Season


This Holiday Season
By Yvonne Phillips FSII
The long standing tradition of festivals of lights is a tribute to celebrating all the good things in life and of the joy of holiday seasons.  Filling the home with lights, music and hosting families and friends to celebrate is what makes festive occasions so memorable.
With another Christmas season coming around the corner, homes, neighborhoods, city squares and parks will be glowing with thousands of twinkling lights and candles, lighting up the night skies at the darkest time of the year.  What would Christmas be without the magical effect of twinkling lights? 
The action of twinkling lights turning on and off creates the effect of “new light” being continually generated, warding off the opposing darkness of night with each twinkle.  The result is the creation of happy energy and joyful vibrations to uplift the spirit.  The ancient art of Feng Shui reveres light as a Yang activator, increasing the cheer and positive energy in the environment.  As a perfect reflection of the Tai Chi of Yin and Yang, the twinkling of lights represents new energy being created and the celestial balance of opposing forces of light and dark in harmony with each other.  One can’t help but feel affected by the positive energy created by the display of contrasting energies in a complementary dance of light. 
Throughout the world with all celebratory occasions, the power of lights has been creatively harnessed in grand displays of glowing triumph to inspire and uplift the senses.  No matter what culture, people naturally understand and celebrate the symbolism of the forces of light winning over darkness.  Many religious traditions, such as the Christians, Hindus or Buddhists have understood the effect of lights in the either the form of candles, lanterns or modern day electrical lighting, to signify offerings to God.  With light being revered as the manifestation of yang chi, the more and brighter the lights at ceremonies and altars, the greater the spiritual strength and upliftment of the devotees and worshipers.
The magical science of Feng Shui regards twinkling lights as powerfully attracting the energy of good fortune, and as a tool for enhancing business and more customers.  The Chinese have known this for centuries and utilize twinkling lights and Chinese Wealth Trees in their homes and businesses.  It’s known that shopping malls with large Christmas trees and twinkling lights benefit from increased sales by naturally attracting customers, in comparison to trees with stationary lighting.  With each twinkle of light, energy is activating the positive vibration of the premises. 
In the home, twinkling lights offer a warm welcome to friends and family upon entering, lifting moods and increasing harmony, peace and joy.  Any home can benefit from utilizing twinkling lights at all times of the year, and it’s wise to incorporate this beneficial and ancient Feng Shui tool for happy ambience, abundance and good will.
The universal understanding of good is perfectly reflected in grand displays of twinkling lights.  Motivated by nostalgic sentiment, tradition, spiritual upliftment or the knowledge of Feng Shui, many cultures uphold collective ceremonies of lighting millions of lights on certain nights of the year.  So as the festive season approaches around the globe with Winter Solstice, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, remember that a little twinkling lights can go a long way in creating a festive and joyful ambience.