Wealth comes to you in Many Different Ways

Your concept of wealth depends on your level of satisfaction and varies depending on your personal priorities and belief system. Although wealth does imply material gain, it’s important to note that people’s needs are different. In general, the ancient Chinese felt wealthy if they had an abundance of food, shelter, and livestock. Prosperity not only included health, family and love it also indicated an increase in resources.

For example some might feel wealthy as long as they have enough food on the table and a protective roof over their head. Others only feel wealthy if they can buy a Porsche. Examine yourself and determine what wealth means to you—careful introspection will tell you where you may need to make adjustments. However you measure Wealth, it’s important to make sure it does not become a prison that locks you away from generosity and love.  Self-cultivated and enlightened persons are aware that money is not the purpose of life.  A simple life of contentment is true wealth. 

The concept of Prosperity has a wider scope. Although it can refer to increasing your material possessions, its main focus is health, family, love and personal growth.  To prosper means to gain much more than material possessions. It means having the things that money cannot buy. Almost often Prosperity brings a feeling of security and contentment.

The elements are out of balance this year of the Fire Monkey-not so good! Water is missing and you need to add a lot of it bring in this element to your environment. Many of the symbols of Wealth and Prosperity are related to water. However there are sub-meanings as well.

Here are three of the many relevant symbols:

Goldfish— not only because they live in water, but also because having plenty of fish to eat was something the ancient Chinese considered to be evidence of prosperity.  The Goldfish do not have to be live; you can have pictures or a likeness of them in art.

Fountains— flowing water represents Wealth and Prosperity flowing into your life. Clean drinking water and water for agriculture was a necessity for the ancient Chinese, so the availability of it was a large part of what the ancient Chinese considered prosperity. Flowing water brought abundant crops and health. Fortunately these days you can purchase a miniature fountain that is practical for almost any living space. 

Plants and Foliage— successful agriculture was essential to the concepts of Wealth and Prosperity to the ancient Chinese.  Water was and is essential to having an abundance of food. Additionally, the complimentary element to Wealth and  Prosperity is wood, so you’ll want to include some objects representing the wood element as well.

The contemporary methods of Feng Shui associate Wealth and Prosperity issues with the back left corner of any space. If you stand at your front door facing into the house your wealth area is at the back of the house on the left-hand side. Face any room from the doorway of the room and the wealth area is the back left corner. These are usually the places you’ll want to pay attention to this year.

Finally, there are things you can practice and actions you can take that will help you maximize the opportunities the year offers.

Eliminate clutter in your house. Clutter represents stagnant energy and disorder—two things that will inhibit any opportunities for Wealth and Prosperity. Although you should keep a clutter-free and orderly house, pay particular attention to the Wealth and Prosperity areas of each room.

Fix things that are broken—especially the Wealth and Prosperity areas. Anything that doesn't work as it should is a sign of something wrong in the area of your life that corresponds to that part of your space.

Organize your finances. Think of this as removing financial clutter. Clean out and organize your purse and wallet. Start handling your money as though you value it. Keep your checkbook balanced and pay your bills on time. If you neglect your money, it will neglect you.

Practice generosity. Wealth and Prosperity needs to flow through your life, not just into it. If you don't yet have ample money to share, give as generously as you can of your time, energy, compassion, and appreciation.

Finally, remember that it’s too easy to focus on financial and material increase than it is other forms of Wealth and Prosperity. Unfortunately this is largely due to our current culture’s concepts than the ancient truths of Feng Shui. If your family is safe, secure, healthy and happy you may already be Wealthy and Prosperous.  In that case, practicing Feng Shui correctly can not only help you keep that, it could even increase it!

                                  yvonnephillips1@aol.com      412-215-8247