Full Moon Feng Shui
Open water swimming under a huge orange full moon last night. A vast, peaceful lake, quietly tucked away in an area of outstanding natural beauty. A small group of friendly swimmers in brightly coloured hats, a few ducks and a lone goose waddling hopefully in search of an easy snack.
I was looking forward to the experience and to the symbolic cleansing and release that comes from natural water amplified by the power of the full moon. Idyllic. Who could not love the sense of being part of something timeless?
As it turned out, me.
The water was fresh and clear, the temperature was cold but bearable, the atmosphere among us was happy and calm. Once in the water, different story. I couldn’t bring myself to swim away from the little floating pontoon. I froze. The water felt unfathomably deep, and the vast expanse of the lake was overwhelming. A few years ago, I nearly drowned in a whitewater rafting incident on the Ganges in the northern Himalayas in India. Last night, I was transported straight back to that moment. Adrenalin surging, I had the classic fight, flight or freeze response. I couldn’t move.
Despite much encouragement from the others, I came out of the lake, dried off and warmed up. Part of me felt relieved, the other part was disappointed. And here’s the thing, in Feng Shui, water element is highly powerful and last night’s full moon swim reminded me just how potent it truly is.
We have a core principle in Feng Shui that is Qi, or energy, flows from the mountain, is carried by the wind, and gathers at the edges of water. This is why water holds such power. In our personal Feng Shui environment, water placed in the right spot is incredibly enhancing, inviting flow and abundance. But water in the wrong place can be draining and highly disruptive on many levels. In Chinese Astrology, water element governs emotion, thought, creativity, and intelligence. Too much water can lead to anxiety, overthinking, and emotional instability. Personally, my Chinese Astrology chart doesn’t need any more water to my delicate Yin Fire 🩷🩷 Balancing the energy of water, whether in your environment or within yourself, is key to harmony and wellbeing.
It was still a beautiful evening. Watching the breathtaking luminous moon rise over the hill and reflect off the lake was magical and worth it all.
