LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Feng Shui

St. Valentine was many things and known as the Roman saint who was martyred on Feb. 14, after ministering to persecuted Christians. The traditional "Feast of St. Valentine" initially, was an opportunity to celebrate his ministering life and preserve his support of religious freedom. The life of a humble clergyman, it's certain he never expected that over time those devoted to seeking love, acceptance, and support would celebrate his example with a tradition of sharing love notes, celebrating love, gifting flowers, which again, did come much later.

St. Valentine's ministry demonstrated a profound understanding of deep love, respect, courtly love which have much in common with Feng Shui's "law of attraction" and the specific activation of the "Relationship/Marriage/ Partnership" area of the main tool used in Feng Shui, the Bagua Map. The Relationship/Partnership/Marriage Bagua Area is located in the home, master bedroom or yard is far right from front entrance door.

This is the time of year we intentionally express our love for one another and share couple time to allow personal connection, intimacy, and expressions of mutual love to be experienced.

How do we approach such an intimate and personal area of our lives and environments? To activate this area, hang or place photos of all those we have and want to continue to have a close connection to in the Relationship area of the home.

In the master bedroom, place photos of a happy couple including with your own partner and remove pictures of kiddos. Pairs and the number two dominate this BAGUA area.

Birds are Feng Shui symbolic of heavenly attraction, and in the Relationship area amplify the fidelity, commitment and devotion we intimately wish to manifest.

Relationship area bird symbols are doves, swans and ducks, and ideally materially consist of clay, crystal, stone, marble or shells. Placing fresh and blooming peonies encourage blooming in all of our consequential relationships, while a pair of elephants activate nobility, longevity and impressive bonds. Use a pair of soy candles or red ceramic hearts to ignite the bonds of passion and romance, softly and deftly illuminating lovemaking, and especially the `Volcano' candles at Anthropologie in well-designed silver mercury glass with handy lids.

Choose satins and rich silks for master bedroom luxury, soft bed linens that shroud our love in tenderness, and intimate art and lighting to enhance our connection to the spirit of intimate relationships.

Colors that symbolize, activate and place the Earth element perfectly in the Relationship area are pink, pinky tan, neutrals of white/pink. Colors symbolize, activate and place the Fire element to create more Earth in the Relationship area are bright red, bright red-orange, and a tad of purple that is more red.

There is no doubt we want a tad of passionate red in the master bedroom, but in accents only, like silk pillows or satin drapes, and definitely, dare I say, never, any red paint on bedroom walls.

Other ways to activate healthy, harmonious and happy Relationship Qi in our most intimate environments is to surround ourselves with positive references to ground our guided-from-within and mindfully, positive wishes for our relationships.

Forgo the commerciality that St. Valentine never stood for and remember the Saint in St. Valentine, since when we are loving and generous with our love, we model all the very sweet aspects toward ourselves and our loved ones, just as he did so long ago. We have only this moment to be loved and life is short.

May every day this year be inspired by love, led in love, and shared thoughtfully.