Feng Shui and Fine China

I usually shy away from commenting about Feng Shui and the Christmas holiday season because in truth there is really no difference between Feng Shui for everyday living and for the holidays. Still, there are things we do around the holidays that may impact our Feng Shui or rather, make our Feng Shui felt more intensely. So, in the next few blogs I will answer the most frequent questions about good and bad Feng Shui during the holiday season. The first is, paper or china?

Along with holiday joy comes holiday stress and from the questions I get, it would appear that one of the biggest stresses for the host/hostess is – do I use the best china, my everyday dishes or can I go with paper?

I get it. I was raised in a family that brought out its best china for special guests, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. It was tradition – the china was loving unwrapped and then just as loving, re-wrapped to be put away to make an appearance at the next special event. Because it was special. After all, the china was handed down from mother to daughter. It may have been a special wedding present or pieces may have been bought a few pieces at a time until a whole set was complete. But however acquired, and however much love and reverence went into displaying the holiday dishes there was a level of stress around it.

What if a piece was broken, or lost? How young is too young to use the good china. Will I offend if the adult table gets the china, but the teenagers don’t, is it okay not use it for the younger kids?

Some questions are laced with more stress based problems- what if my family gets into a fight again, why should I use it if they don’t care – it’s hurry up and eat and get to the TV to watch football. Will this be appreciated or who cares?

I know many a hostess who can tell you just when a piece got lost or cracked – and this may be years after the event. It somehow takes away from the richness of the holidays. And here is where I think Feng Shui superstition gets intertwines with true Feng Shui.

Using fine china does not equate to good Feng Shui – it does not stimulate any wealth star or wealth energy, it does not draw money luck to you. This is a myth from the “pop schools” of Feng Shui. However, it is not without merit – and strong merit at that. Using the very best you have can make you feel abundant and wealthy. It may be a symbol to you and others. But not using good china (and in truth many couples and singles do not have what they call “good china”) will not negatively affect your home’s Feng Shui. So don’t stress about it!

Feng Shui is an earth based science. The Flying Stars that rule our homes and businesses are determined by the orientation of the structure and the age of construction. Land forms, environmental factors, color schemes, element use and remedies, furniture placement and qi flow make up most of the rest. But Feng Shui comes from a country rich in folklore and superstition and these superstitions have been woven into the fabric of Feng Shui teaching leaving us to think that Feng Shui is a superstition. It is not. Having a Fu dog outside your gates will not change your Feng Shui; but it will give a psychological boost to those who believe in Fu dog protection. Using fine china at the holidays is one of our myths – so deep within us that we don’t even acknowledge that it is a myth.

So when you need to decide how to set your table, follow this one rule –

Do what works for you and your lifestyle.