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Horizons Magazine

More about Andrea

NOVEMBER 1999
Just a reminder that we'll combine our December and January issues of the
magazine, and it will be out December 1st. The February issue will come out
on February 1st. I'm doing this so I can sneak some time off during December
to spend at a small retreat home I purchased on a few acres in the Smokey
Mountains of western North Carolina. As of this writing, it's in the dry area of
North Carolina, unaffected by the recent storms and flooding. There's even a
wonderful creek on the property, although it's quite low right now, and I'm high on a ridge above it. Rocking on my front porch drinking morning tea, I overlook the creek and the 40+ acres of forest that surrounds me on all sides. It's really a beautiful area and I look forward to spending time there. I feel really blessed to have lucked into my new place, and it's only 9 hours from there to my "real" home. I love my wooded sanctuary in central Florida and appreciate everything it offers me, and I don't plan on leaving; I'm just ready for a new adventure and nothing sets me more quickly in motion than making a big decision – of any kind.

As I sit and type this, it's 3:30a.m. on October 15 and Hurricane Irene is 25 miles NNW of West Palm Beach and heading this way. She's much smaller than last month's Hurricane Floyd, with only 75 mph winds, and once again I feel pretty safe right where I am. This has been an active hurricane season and we knew it would be. Once again I'm reminded that the disaster and destruction that was "predicted" for Florida never came to pass, but I never really expected it to. Whenever I asked within for guidance, I was reassured that all was well, despite all the media hype

I've been contemplating all the change that's taken place for me in the last 30 days. I bought my cottage in North Carolina and here in Florida my 89 year old father in law moved in with me. He'd been living on his own about 3 miles away and during last month's Hurricane Floyd scare, he came to stay with me for a few days. We had so much fun and got along together so well, I invited him to move in. I have lots of room here and all that was needed was a little furniture arranging.

Furniture arranging! I've been arranging and rearranging furniture since summer! So where did all this ambition come from? What began this process of change? I think it began when Denise suggested I spray paint the file cabinets in my front office. We decided on dark raspberry since it'd brighten up the room and - as feng shui taught me - the reds stimulate the flow of chi, or life force energy. Once the file cabinets were painted, the room looked brighter and felt easier to work in. Spray painting the cabinets was definitely the right decision and cost about $10. I thought I'd just painted some file cabinets and that was the end of it, but nooooooooooo! Believe me, when you begin to move the chi in your personal space, put on your seatbelt and be ready for change to happen - in every area of your life.

Later that day, while I was working and being stimulated by the vibrant raspberry cabinets, I got the idea to add some mirrors to the work area. I've been reading Terah Kathryn Collins' Western Guide to Feng Shui Room By Room, published by Hayhouse and it's the easiest book on feng shui I've seen. Placement of mirrors in prescribed areas helps the flow of chi as well, so after placing some mirrors around, the space opened right up. Ok, a little paint and a few mirrors, ok, I thought. No big deal. hehehehe

Well, since the mirrors reflected areas to me that hadn't been in view before, I had some clearing out and tidying up to do. Boy, be careful when you start to clear out clutter, nothing moves the chi like cleaning out a closet! As I began uncluttering and organizing, more and more ideas began to flow and I began to move furniture around like crazy. This here, that there - I was thankful that earlier this year I'd yanked up my old carpet and had cool, clean tile put down. The moving went a lot smoother because of that.

The next day, I dropped magazines off at the Earth Visions Labor Day Psychic Fair and noticed that Maryann had a beautiful angel water fountain, a tabletop model, which I promptly purchased. Moving water, according to feng shui, is good to have at the entrance area to your home or office, to stimulate the easy flow of all good things. I got the fountain home, set it up, and realized it was also set in the wealth and prosperity area of the room. I hardly knew what I was putting in motion, but I could feel change was in the air. Well, I'd been asking for guidance and asking for some changes in my life, so apparently here they were and I was helping it happen.

Two days after installing the water fountain, I get an unexpected check in the mail - yay, financial prosperity in 2 days! - and I celebrate by going to Home Depot and buying mirror tiles and glass bricks for my fireplace. Since I rarely use the fireplace, I cleaned it out and oiled the chain mesh and lined the inside with mirrored tiles, sides and floor. It gave it a whole new look, which was kinda weird at first. I then put a few glass bricks of various sizes and strung some Christmas lights behind the bricks and turned them on. Then I got the idea to place all my good crystal in there on top and around the glass bricks, and everything was suddenly reflected everywhere! From clear across the room it shines like a beacon and in the dark it's awesome to look at! For a cozy feeling when it gets cool outside, I'll light candles inside and watch their glow.

Since I asked for guidance and change last month, you can see my life has taken some dramatic turns - always for the better. Did painting the cabinets red begin the process? Did putting mirrors up and installing a water fountain at my entryway "change my luck?" Was it a combination of everything or was it merely my intent and desire to change that inspired me to make changes little by little? Either way, I win. I'm reminded when moving things around, that everything affects everything else. Move this, you hafta move that; put a mirror here, you hafta clean out there…

Just like in life, everything we do affects everyone and everything around us, whether we're aware of it or not. It all has to do with our awareness and our perception. The same fun and contented life I see others living is – I know - available to me and everyone else, according to their awareness and perception of it. I know that as I raise my vision and ask for guidance in every moment; as I strive for harmony in all areas of my life, with everyone in my life, that I am continually gently led toward my greatest happiness. May it ever be so.