What to Know about Graveyards, Cemeteries, and Feng Shui

Tis the season for spirits and ghosts to come out and play due to the collective consciousness of Halloween and Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead)! Is that really true? Well, that’s up to you to decide. What do you believe in, based on your own personal experience?

Classical and Modern Day practices of Feng Shui address this conversation and if need be, these interactions with the unseen world. The land we all currently reside on, at some point in time, was occupied by another being. Their thoughts, actions, emotions and energies permeate the land and depending on the predecessor history, the energy that remains could be beneficial (sheng chi) or draining (sha chi) according to Bon Buddhist Feng Shui practices.

In general, living by graveyards and cemeteries is considered ‘negative’ Feng Shui because on a very practical level, the land is literally home to decaying bodies. So, visually, that could become a huge turn-off and ‘creep’ factor. However, perhaps you enjoy that very Yin (quiet) energy that surrounds your home. Or perhaps you know the history of the cemetery and find out, it presents a positive story of those once living. As you can see, the topic of graveyards and cemeteries in Feng Shui is subjective.

Cemetery Feng Shui Observations to Consider:

1. How is the landscaping of the cemetery?

Depending on your cultural and religious beliefs, if the final resting place is the cemetery, then this environment becomes the deceased’s new ‘home.’

“Mourning is a ritualistic part of the shared human experience. It’s something people from all walks of life go through. And whether it’s remembering a loved one or reflecting on those who have come before you, a cemetery experience hinges on the artful design of place.”

— The LA Group

So yes, maintaining a respectable practice of lawn care maintenance could help re-establish a balance of Yang (life force) energy, while also influencing a new perspective in how you perceive and interact with cemeteries.

2. Pay Mind to the Size of the Cemetery

Speaking in terms of Yin and Yang energy, if the size of the cemeteries radius (Yin energy) is larger then the amount of homes near it (Yang : life force energy), that could influence the potential for more spiritual activity. But! If you have a larger volume of homes than cemeteries, that could offer a healthier balance between living, spiritual, and ghostly activity.

3. Does the interior and exterior of your home provide a sense of Yang: Life Force energy?

This meaning, by you taking the time to Feng Shui the exterior and interior of your home, it offers another method in how to keep uninvited ghosts at bay.

• Feng Shui the interior of your home. In general, if the cemetery outside your window has a gloomy feeling, create the opposite atmosphere inside your home. In general, think, warm, cozy, active, colorful (within your personal aesthetic taste), and absolutely include real plants! Having REAL plants inside the home is a direct link to life force energy.

• Maintain a healthy exterior landscaping practice. If the land that supports your home looks and feels healthy, that is considered your first line of protection when living near cemeteries.

• Invite life force energy to live on or visit your land. This could easily be done through the installation of bird feeders. In certain metaphysical practices, birds are a sign of Angels surrounding and protecting your home.

4. Include Protective Statues and/or Symbols Along the Outside and Inside of Your Home

The most immediate go-to classical Feng Shui remedy for dealing with ‘negative spirits,’ is the ba gua mirror.

Quick history about the Ba-gua mirror: “In ancient times the mirror was used as part of a soldier’s shield, hence its symbolism as a protective item against life-threatening forces. In its early days, it was used widely in tombs to protect them from evil spirits.” -Victor Cheung, Feng Shui Nexus

In Bon Buddhist Feng Shui practices, when deflecting (not battling) unwarranted ghostly activity, its suggested to use the Ba-gua mirror.

The image you see to the right is a view from my clients son’s bedroom. Due to the configuration of the apartment layout, there was no other room available for him to relocate to. He reported disruptive dreams and uncomfortable sensations and feelings when sleeping inside his bedroom at night.

With that known, the classical Feng Shui recommendation was prescribed: to hang a bagua mirror or octagon shaped mirror facing the outside of his bedroom window toward the cemetery to deflect that energy. He also hanged a dreamcatcher along the bedroom window lock. In addition to that, his room needed to become more organized and settled into. This practical suggestion represented ‘grounding in’ his energy. On a more spiritual level, we spoke about calling in protection at night (the four main archangels) and not being fearful of the cemetery in general. Did these Feng Shui suggestions work? For him, it did.

Additional Insights In Regard to Statues and Protective Symbols:

• If you feel having a specific type of protective emblem displayed along the outside and/or inside of your home is helpful, go for it! This becomes a personal discussion based on your practice of faith, religious beliefs, and beliefs in general.

• Typically, in Modern Day Feng Shui you’ll see the Ba-gua Mirror, Certain Celestial Animals known for protection (such as with the Foo Dogs), nature spirit statues, angelic statues, buried crystals along the perimeter of the property, and much more. If you would like to learn about traditional symbols in the Chinese culture, visit: Chinese Charm Symbols

5. Educate Yourself About the World of the Unseen

What we don’t understand, we fear, it’s human nature. With that said, if you wisht to overcome this fear, begin to mindfully educate yourself, which leads to empowerment.

• Ask questions! What is death? And how was I taught from a young age to understand death? Shifting your perspective can do wonders!

• What is a spirit? i.e.: A spirit is a person who’s gone through the light. The interaction with that type of energy is warm and supportive in feeling and emotion. Chances are, you already know that spirit.

• What is a ghost? i.e.: Ghosts are any living being who has passed on and chose to stay or has been shocked out of their body and has not realized they are no longer living. This type of energy tends to feel detached, cold, and somewhat unsettling (to varying degrees).

6. Which Word do you prefer? Graveyard or Cemetary?

Now, you could get all nerded out with the grammatical meanings of Graveyard vs. Cemetery, and if you would love to do that, I recommended checking out: Cemetery Versus Graveyard by Grammar Girl. For this question, I’m more interested in how it sounds rolling off your tongue when speaking Graveyard and Cemetery. For me, ‘cemetery’ sounds a bit more approachable in conversation.

So, in conclusion, as you can see there is a lot of variables to this type of discussion. And there is even more! But, for now this is just fine.

Suggested Read: Feng Shui Predecessor History and Energy

Suggested Read: Feng Shui Insight - Why Rituals Are Important

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New York City feng shui consultant Laura Cerrano has over with 23+ years of experience providing bicoastal consultations and workshops for residential, real estate developments, Fortune 500 companies, and healing facilities. She is currently conducting research for her upcoming book that focuses on bridging the gap between the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui and modern day science to establish the practice of Feng Shui as a credible form of assisted healing within the healthcare system.

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BEST FOODS FOR AUTUMN

Autumn has arrived! Besides transforming the energy of your home, it’s vitally important to also make adjustments within your body as to align with the season’s frequencies. Marie Regis, L.Ac., founder and owner of ‘Marie Regis Acupuncture & Wellness Center,’ has generously provided us with practical guidelines on how to enhance our body and energy for Autumn through the mindful selection of certain foods based on the Five Elements Theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

by Marie Regis, L.Ac.,

“The forces of Autumn create dryness in Heaven nad metal on Earth; they create the lung organ and the skin upon the body... and the nose, and the white color, and the pungent flavor...the emotion grief, and the ability to make a weeping sound”

— Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic

AUTUMN

When we think of Autumn in the Northeast, we visualize cooler temperatures, falling leaves, squirrels frantically seeking out and burying nuts, birds flocking together and flying in awesome formations...We may notice that the air is dryer, that we are more likely to think of people who have passed, of our own lives passing by. Chinese medicine would add that the energy of living things pulls inward and downward, As the sap of trees goes into the roots, and leaves and fruit fall to the ground, these same dynamics apply to human physiology. Autumn reflects the element Metal, which is associated with the lungs, large intestine, nose and skin; the color white, the sense of smell and the spicy or pungent taste. Emotionally both the lungs and large intestine support letting go of what no longer serves us: a good time to release and resolve old grief and resentments.

AUTUMN FOODS

Autumn foods should reflect the change in season: warming, moistening, and more astringent and concentrated, combined with spicy/pungent flavors.

WARMING foods:

• Cooked foods instead of raw: Soups or stews with less water tend to concentrate the nutrients, and are moistening .

• Avoid raw foods and salads as they are cooling in nature.

MOISTENING foods:

• Fall fruit tends to be moistening to the lungs, large intestine and skin: Apples and pears, especially Asian pears or Bosc pears, persimmon, loquat.

• Other moistening foods: spinach, seaweeds, almonds, pinenuts, sesame seeds, honey, eggs, clams, crab oysters, mussels, tofu, yogurt, herring and pork. Using a little salt in cooking supports the absorption of water for people who are dry.

PUNGENT foods:

• Pungent foods provide support to the immune system (ie garlic can ward off

  colds).

• Hot pungent foods such as red chili peppers, while helpful in warding off colds, should be avoided by people who suffer from gastritis, ulcers, etc.

• White pungent foods relate to the Lungs due to their color: Garlic, turnip, fresh ginger, horseradish, cabbage, red radish (white inside), daikon radish (shaped like a large white carrot), and white peppercorn.

MUCILAGINOUS foods:

• These help support the mucous lining of lungs and colon. These foods remove old phlegm or thickened mucous and coat the lining with a moist clean layer of mucous: seaweeds, kombu, marshmallow root, fenugreek and flaxseed.

CHLOROPHYL-RICH foods:

• These are generally detoxyfying to the liver and the blood, remove harmful chemicals, reduce viral and bacterial load and support the digestion of fats and proteins. (All of which support colon health).

SQUASHES AND PUMPKINS:

• These are harvested in the late Summer / early Autumn, and tend to be rich in B-Vitamins (especially those orange in color) to support the immune system; they also are moistening.

HOW WE EAT:

• As important as WHAT we eat: let’s release our must-do lists and worries, and center ourselves, focus on tasting and appreciating the food, and all the energy that went into growing, harvesting and preparing the food. When we give thanks, we give our body the chance to start the digestion process.

Last of all, ENJOY every bite! And the BEST OF HEALTH to you!

Marie Regis Acupuncture & Wellness Center

Address: 14 Vanderventer Ave, Suite L3C, Port Washington NY 11050

Phone: 516.455.2206

Website: www.marieregisacupuncture.com

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