The holiday season is upon us. The advertisements featuring happy families sitting down for a holiday meal together or gathered around the Christmas tree are on television, internet, radio, billboards...the expectations and triggers bombard us.
Most families don’t fit the picture-perfect ideal promoted in these advertisements. My family life, like that of so many others I’ve met, has not been perfect. I accept that fact and I’ve learned that trying to create the facade of the perfect family to meet the expectations set forth by society creates frustration and pain, and often depletes energy. Instead, I’ve learned that I can have a family of choice that is in divine order for me. I’ve also learned that I can be grateful for all that I’ve learned from my biological family, no matter how I spend the holidays.
When I lived in Florida, my community was made up of many people who had relocated there and who didn’t have family nearby, and many of those people were single. At the time, I was blessed to have my parents living near me, but they weren’t always around for holidays because they’d often travel north to see their grandson and my sister. By that time I had already decided that I wasn’t a fan of traveling during the holidays, especially Thanksgiving, because it was such a hassle at the airports. So I started staying home.  I had open houses and invited others that were alone for the holidays to visit and celebrate with me. Sometimes I accepted invitations to share the holiday with close friends in their homes. Occasionally I took advantage of the day to enjoy the beach or the movies alone.
I never learned how to cook a turkey, so I would order a fully cooked/slicked turkey with all the trimmings from the local kosher deli; the meal was always a success and I got to spend the day with my friends. During that time of my life, I learned to be grateful for the people I was with, whether they were a part of my biological family, my chosen family, or people I'd met recently. I felt thankful to be breaking bread, sharing stories, and feeling the joy of community with new and old friends alike, and because I reached out and opened my home to others, many people were grateful to have a place to go and someone to celebrate with.  I learned so much while sharing that time with others, in different situations, with a variety of traditions, some completely new to me. I also learned a great deal by spending holiday times alone.  
So, what are my recommendations for you during the holiday season?  First, I hope that you were able to enjoy yesterday in a way that brought you joy, whether you celebrated Thanksgiving or not. Today is typically the big kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Society's expectations encourage us to spend money to show our affection, sometimes pushing us to spend more than we really have.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the holiday season and I find joy in giving gifts to loved ones and receiving gifts from them. I do believe though, that shopping can be a distraction and can create tremendous stress, especially at this time of the year. I think there are other things we can do to create a happy holiday season for ourselves and others.
Volunteering is on the top of my list  because I truly feel like I'm receiving a gift every time I volunteer to help those less fortunate. As temperatures drop, we should remember that there are people who don't have warm coats to wear. Locally, I volunteer for Project Keep Warm, where we collect donations for the homeless, veterans, and struggling families. There is a deep sense of gratitude in the faces of those served and there's really nothing like the feeling you get from helping others.  I'm sure you can find a volunteer opportunity in your area that resonates with you. Even in warmer climates, there are "cold spells" and the homeless need warm clothing. They also regularly need hats to help protect them from the sun, and shoes. When I lived in Florida, for some reason it seemed to feel even colder when the temperature drops down there!
Work on yourself! What about that long ignored Feng Shui project that you started to think about, but, stopped due to other obligations? Perhaps there’s a closet with too much clothing in it – what a great opportunity to declutter and donate!  Take a tour of your home, room by room, and look with an eye for items that are unused and don't bring you joy. Getting rid of those items can free up some space that will allow the Chi to flow freely and create a sense of openness in your life. How about rearranging your furniture? Look at each room in your home and ask yourself if the room is really welcoming. If it's not, what might help change that? It might be that your sofa has its back towards the room entrance - that suggests that people stay out of your life. If you want more friends, and happier families, try turning the sofa around! Perhaps there's a piece of art on the wall that fails to make you smile. Consider finding a replacement, something that lifts your spirits when you enter the room. Rearranging furniture and making small changes can really liven up a space, so ask family members to help and see how it feels.
Take care of yourself! The holidays are emotional times, and with those emotional times come triggers that can be difficult to cope with. I’ve learned that staying busy keeps my mind happy and prevents feelings of loneliness over the holidays.  I’ve also found it's best to wisely choose how and with whom I spend my time.  I make those choices in accordance with my inner being and what is right for me. Call up a friend.... your ‘movie’ friend, or your ‘walking’ friend, or your ‘try a new adventure friend’ and get out, and fulfill your hearts’ desires! Even a phone call to someone out of state or country, or a visit to the elderly – all help elevate mood, yours and someone else's. Today, my “chosen” family is all over the globe. We keep in touch and we see each other at every opportunity and I’m grateful for each and every one of them.
The holidays are a special time: beautiful and full of tradition, but also stressful and painful in many ways. We can all survive, and even enjoy, the holidays if we remember to carry a sense of compassion and gratitude wherever we go, for everyone that we encounter. Plan your days and weeks to include activities that will nurture you, as well as helping others. Let’s all remember to give ourselves the best present possible this holiday season; the gift of self-care. Listen to your inner voice and spend time and energy doing things with people (or alone) that will lift you up, and be grateful for every moment. Namaste,
Carol

Beautiful gifts don’t always come in pretty packages.
I believe that the Universe is always in divine order, and that when my wishes aren’t fulfilled, it’s because there’s something better, bigger, or more “right” in store for me. Even though I believe and know that’s true, it’s not always easy to accept the unfulfilled wish, then wait and be ready for the “better and bigger and more right.” We tend to want what we want when we want it and it’s unsettling when that doesn’t work out. We have to have faith that there is a divine reason what we wanted didn’t come to pass and we often have to go through a dark tunnel before we can see and appreciate the light and the beauty.
Some of the most difficult times of my life, ended up being some of the most beautiful times of my life.  A little over five years ago,  I planned to move to New York City and take a marketing/event coordinator position for a Buddhist organization. I was excited about returning to NYC and planned to work my Feng Shui business while working in this exciting position. I never imagined that after selling everything and moving north, the position would not come to fruition. I struggled to understand the “why” of it, yet within days, I learned that my parents needed full-time, round-the-clock care. With that knowledge, all the thoughts of what to do with my life were overshadowed by my desire and need to care for them. I had four beautiful years caring for them and during that time created wonderful memories that will be with me for the rest of my life. It was not what I had planned, and quite honestly, it was unlikely that I would have totally uprooted my life in Florida to move back to Pennsylvania to care for them if I hadn’t been in limbo because the job in NYC fell through. In that instance, the dark tunnel lasted only a few short days, and with time I saw the light and the beauty of the situation.
As a high school student, I was a passenger in a car that collided head-on with a tree. The Universe had me sitting sideways, facing the driver, which likely saved my life. However, as a young woman with a broken collar bone that turned GREEN just in time for the prom, I was devastated. There were tough times as I healed from the accident, yet because of that accident,  my college education was funded almost entirely by the settlement from the insurance company. It took me a little longer to see the light and beauty of that situation and I’m grateful for that gift to this day.
I’ve learned, time and time again, that what I think is best, is not always best for me. In those cases, the Universe has something else in mind for me; something that is “right” that I’m not able to see right away.  We must not be quick to judge others or situations because we don’t know what is being lined up karmically. Life is a balance of Yin and Yang, light and dark. Where there is anger, violence, and hatred; love will overcome. The point is, when we receive something in our lives that we don’t consciously want; we can still be grateful and know that there is a reason. Each moment or situation is a stop along the journey on to something bigger, better, and right.
Namaste,
Carol

It’s a little hard to believe we are already well into November, the month of Thanksgiving...the holiday of gratitude, and nearing the end of 2016. I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving in a number of ways with a variety of people and on my own, and the thing I love most about the holiday is its simple premise: be thankful and show your gratitude.

It’s wonderful that there’s a national holiday reminding us to be grateful, but my goal is to show gratitude every single day. Gratitude is an energizing act that is actually easy to perform. When we appreciate others, and let them know they’re appreciated, we increase positive feelings for ourselves and for them. We create a positive energy exchange. As I’ve mentioned many times, our thoughts create our reality. When our thoughts are negative, resentful, selfish or jealous , we bring negativity into our reality...we create more negativity for ourselves - NOT for the person or situation we feel negatively about. We taint our field of possibilities when we think negatively. Negativity takes up a lot of “space” and energy, so there won’t be room for the wonderful positive things in your life when negativity is present.
My life was transformed many years ago through yoga and meditation. Later, through a tradition that included meditations, I was introduced to Feng Shui. While Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement, incorporates the physical ‘reminders’ in our surroundings, the meditations that go along with the Feng Shui cures are the real game changers. When I offer a Feng Shui consultation, we look at the physical space and how furnishings are placed,  to enhance the flow of Chi, or life energy throughout the space. Chi is a positive force or energy, so we want it to flow freely throughout our homes and offices. Sometimes, furnishings need to be moved, colors changed or added, and in some cases, building design impedes the flow of Chi so we need to add special cures. I recommend changes and “cures” to remove the blocks or issues that affect the life energy of the space. With those changes and cures come meditations and the setting of intentions. Those focused words are incredibly powerful. With much time and practice, the ‘cure’ could simply be accomplished with the use of the mind, meditation, and focus with gratitude for the for all the positive things in our lives.
Some of you may be thinking that it’s easy to show gratitude when things are going well or even when things are “just OK” but what about when things are tough and you’re dealing with a negative person? What about those times when it feels that nothing is going right and you’re really struggling?  Those are the times when it’s even more important to look for the positive aspects of your situation or life in general.
Focus on the positive and I guarantee more that things will begin to change. When you feel yourself slipping into “why me” mode or you look around and think how easy it is for others, stop yourself and clear those thoughts from your mind and those feelings from your heart. What do you have to feel positive about? Do you have people in your life that love you and that you love in return? Do you have a pet that depends on you and is always there when you need a friend? Do you have a roof over your head, food to eat, and clothes on your back? Do you have friends you can talk to? Do you live close to mass transit? Did you see a beautiful sunset last night? Focus on the positive to generate more positive energy in your life.
Another positive to think about, and what many do not understand, is that when we have an “enemy” or a “bad” situation, there is positive energy there, as well. That “enemy” and “bad” situation bring us gifts. Those experiences bring the gifts of growth, understanding, and patience. Those experiences bring us information that can help us change our lives for the better. Possibly the biggest gift that our “enemies” and “bad” situations bring us is the experience of overcoming negative thoughts and the ability to wish them well. The experience of overcoming negativity to be grateful for someone or something that challenges us is so very powerful. And, when we do it once, we can do it again, and again, and again. The positive energy grows and grows so that the negative experiences become a smaller and smaller part of our lives.
As we go through our days, let’s look for the positive and be grateful. When we wake up in the morning, let’s say “Thank You” to the Universe. When we go to sleep at night, let’s say, “Thank You for this day.” Those seemingly small things can make a huge difference. As we prepare to celebrate our day of Thanksgiving, let’s try to practice gratitude every single day.
I’ll close by sharing a metta prayer that I love. It’s calming, peaceful, and positive. Repeat by replacing “I” with “my family”, then “my friends”, then “the world”....and yes, then even “my enemies.”
May I be happy.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.

Namaste,
Carol

Last month, our focus was on recognizing our true essence and allowing our inner being to take the reins of our life. As I mentioned in my weekly October blogs, directing our focus inward and doing the inner work necessary to let our true essence shine isn’t always easy...the journey is unique to each person. Honestly,  I really love doing inner work. In addition to keeping up with my own Feng Shui, and helping my clients with Feng Shui for their homes and businesses,  I have been deeply immersed in personal, inner work for most of my adult life. It amazes me that, even after all this time, I can continue to go deeper and reveal more and more insight and hidden gifts. I’m grateful for each and every discovery.
With many celebrating Thanksgiving later this month, our thoughts naturally turn to gratitude. I’ve been thinking about the inner work I’ve done for so many years, and am so grateful for the many tools, teachers, and changes that that study and work has brought into my life. One of the modalities that I currently use, and have used for about 25 years, is Jungian Dream Analysis. Initially, it was a bit frightening because I didn’t quite understand the figurative meanings behind the symbols. But, over the years, I’ve learned a lot, and even to this day, I find that my dreams provide amazing insight and true gifts to help me lead a more ‘right-actioned’ life. I’m very fortunate to have dream analysis experts as members of my inner circle, and I appreciate each and every one of them. I’ve noticed that in doing this personal work with a group, we often realize that another group member’s dream is personal to us, too! There is such great value in community.
As I’ve mentioned, each and every person has a divine inner presence. The sad part is, most people don’t recognize this inner being, or, even believe it’s possible. It’s true that we can’t just flip a switch and ‘become’ our true essence. The journey to recognizing that divine inner presence is unique for each of us and in many cases, it means experiencing pain. Ultimately, that pain is most often replaced with joy. It means separation from our old, comfortable lives and venturing into unknown territory. While fear of the unknown might keep us from taking our first steps on the path or allow us to stall along the path, it ultimately leads us to a much more comfortable place. It leads us “home.”  This work takes commitment...a personal longing to be the best that we can be, and be our most authentic selves, during our short time here on planet earth.
Feng Shui is another tool that we can use to help us start on the path, or move us further on the path,  to reveaI our true essence. I remember returning home after participating in my first Feng Shui weekend class almost 25 years ago. Suddenly, I was able to “see” SO many things in my home environment that were red flags pointing  to the issues that I’d been living with!  After that first Feng Shui class opened my eyes, I began placing cures and making changes, one-by-one. Slowly and surely, life began to shift for me. I used to call my house a “Feng Shui Nightmare” because it shined a light on each of the problems I’d been dealing with and the uncomfortable, unsettled feeling I had, but didn’t understand. Feng Shui brought me the clarity I needed to truly see what was going on in my life and to understand the source of my unease.  What a gift, that “Feng Shui Nightmare” was! It allowed me to identify the issues and take steps to change them...it allowed me to begin the process of creating a better life for myself; to further reveal my true essence.
I’m grateful for each home that I’ve lived in. Grateful for the lessons that each one has taught me. Grateful for the new directions that I discovered every time I found and put a Feng Shui cure into place to deal with a problem. Grateful for the many friends around the world that I’ve met as a result of Feng Shui and my inner work.  Before I learned about Feng Shui, the state of my life seemed overwhelming. I’m so grateful that I found Feng Shui when I did. It offered me the way to resolve that overwhelming situation...movement along my path to revealing my true essence and letting my inner being take the lead.
This gratitude is why I continue to share the gift of Feng Shui with all of you: my friends, my chosen family, my clients. When I can help someone identify the source of their unease...when I use Feng Shui to help someone “cure” an issue that causing problems in their lives...when I help someone find clarity in the midst of the heavy feeling of being overwhelmed; then my true essence shines. I’m truly grateful for each person reading this blog, attending my classes, watching my videos, liking my facebook page, and following me on social media. Your trust and support allow my inner being to thrive.

Namaste,
Carol

PS - If you’d like an introduction to Feng Shui right in the comfort of your own home, you’ll be pleased to know that I’m offering a webinar series, Introduction to Feng Shui: The Ancient Art of Placement with Carol Cannon, that begins on November 9th. I’m honored that this webinar series is being hosted by The Theosophical Society in America. We’ll cover history, the evolution of various forms of Feng Shui, and how and why your land and buildings have an influence upon your life. I’ll go over the Five Element Theory and how it works in Feng Shui, as well as discuss the importance of furniture placement. Each week participants will learn practical applications that can be used in their homes and offices immediately.
The webinar series will be held on four Wednesdays, November 9 through December 7 (no class on November 23) 7:00 - 8:00 pm Central Time.
The cost of the series is $50 or $40 for Theosophical Society in America members.
To register, click here.