Love Note from Anjie: Rain Water

Anjie Cho February 18, 2023

FEBRUARY 18, 2023 // love note from anjie

rain water

Tomorrow is the solar term in the Asian lunar-solar calendar that is called “Rain Water”. I see this as an invitation to contemplate the preciousness of the water element, which nourishes the wood element to bring forth healing and growth as we welcome spring soon.

from Rumi:

“You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the ocean in a drop”

Cupped hands holding vibrant pink flower petals

Sky Lake Lodge:

Mindful Spaces Retreat

Join me for a Mindful Spaces Weekend retreat: exploring feng shui as a mindfulness practice.

April 13-17, 2023

Sky Lake: A Shambhala Meditation & Retreat Center

Rosendale, New York

WATCH MY REEL:

About the Mindful Spaces Retreat in April

Since this is my first retreat, I wanted to share my aspirations for the weekend.

It will be very intimate, there are only eight guestrooms on premises. We'll practice five element qi gong, sitting meditation, walk in the woods, and connect to feng shui as a mindfulness practice.

I recorded a reel on instagram where you can learn more.

WATCH

ON INSTAGRAM:

DAFFODILs

Watch my reel about a feng shui mindful practice with Spring daffodils. Yellow daffodils are one of my favorite flowers of early spring.

Learn more

ALSO ON INSTAGRAM:

SPACE BLESSINGS

I'm reading an excerpt from my book all about space blessing, and clearing a space with your own sound current.

Watch

Coming soon:

Mindful Homes

My new book Mindful Homes: create healing living spaces with mindfulness and feng shui is available for pre-order. It will be available wherever books are sold on April 11, 2023.

pre-order

with rain drops,

Anjie

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6 Autumn Flowers You'll Fall For

Anjie Cho September 7, 2022

We did it! We survived the summer heat, and autumn has arrived. What better way to welcome the season than with a collection of flowers made just for fall? Here at Holistic Spaces, we're big fans of bringing flowers inside, no matter what the season, and these flower choices can keep bright color going in your spaces long after summer's sun fades.

Aster

These blooms are actually perennial, so when spring and summer flowers begin to droop, they'll just be getting started. Aster flowers resemble both daises (thus the alternate name Michaelmas daisies) and stars (or starworts) and are available in a variety of colors from white to red to purple to blue and many colors in between. In the language of flowers, aster blooms symbolize patience, which we can all use during this stressful season!

If you're aiming to grow these indoors, pay close attention to the type you purchase, as some can grow up to eight feet! Otherwise, just make sure to give your aster full sun, regular moisture and quick-draining soil.

Goldenrod

Actually a part of the Aster family, these little flowers have gotten a bad rap as allergens. As it turns out, ragweed is actually the hay fever culprit, which means these pretty yellow flowers are welcome in your holistic space, especially since they symbolize careful encouragement. In fact, if you're growing indoors, the Little Lemon goldenrod is a great choice! Be sure to give these beauties a decent amount of sun and plant in well-drained soil. Or just select a few stems for a pretty bouquet!

Helenium

Helenium may just be the perfect flower to bring all the brilliant colors of autumn into your home, since it blooms in bright yellow, orange and deep red. It symbolizes tears in the language of flowers, but remember that life is about balance, so it's ok to have a few sad things in your space too. Just be careful when growing this beauty indoors, as the plant itself can be irritating to the skin. Take care for the first few days to wear protective gloves, then give this plant time and regular water and watch it bloom.

Chrysanthemums

These popular blooms are a token symbol of the arrival of fall and can add a welcome splash of color to cooler months. They're also the favorite flower of Chogyam Trungpa and symbolize truth and love in the language of flowers, as well as yang energy and good luck in Chinese culture. Chrysanthemums are amazing as bouquet flowers, as they can last for up to three weeks in a vase, but you can also grow them for a few weeks indoors with good, bright light during the day and frequent watering. Just take care not to place them near a security light at night, as this can throw off their cycle!

Cyclamen

These perennials bloom during fall in vibrant colors with heart-shaped leaves and signify timid hope. Generally, cyclamen buds enjoy cooler temperatures, but if your apartment's heat is an issue, look for a tropical variety that can handle higher temps. Nourish this plant with a well-drained pot and regular watering, in a tray, only when the soil is dry to the touch, and enjoy their beauty through the fall and winter!

Dahlias

These stunning blooms are best in August and September and blossom in an incredible variety of colors, making them perfect for adding life to your indoor spaces. They also symbolize dignity in the language of flowers! Give these flowers plenty of sunlight and drainage, water them when dry and take care to water them at the base. If you're growing indoors, opt for a dwarf variety or just add a few cuttings to an autumn vase!

Fall flowers run the gauntlet, so these are just a few of your options for bringing some nature indoors during the cooler season. Let us know if you've got a favorite autumn flower we left out!

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Are Fake Flowers Good Feng Shui?

Guest User March 23, 2022

Have you ever wondered whether it’s okay to use fake flowers for a feng shui adjustment? I get this question a lot, so I wanted to share my perspective.

In feng shui, we say that fresh, living flowers can unstick things that are stuck. They also help to lift the qi and the mood in your space. Flowers are a really important part of my life — I’m actually an Ikebana flower arrangement practitioner. Ikebana is quite a deep practice that’s about mindfulness, and it’s really a kind of meditation in action in the Zen tradition.

My teachers have taught me that fake flowers don’t impart the same qi as real flowers because they are not alive. If you want to have fake flowers in your home, that’s okay, but you wouldn’t use them for feng shui.

I also want to challenge you to think about why you would want to substitute something artificial for something real, especially in this day and age. Right now, a lot of our shared in-person experiences are being reduced, and when we do meet, we’re using online platforms instead. When this is the case, why would you also want to substitute something as beautiful and impermanent as flowers with something artificial? Usually it’s because people want their flowers to last longer, they don’t want to have to worry about taking care of their flower arrangement, or they feel that fresh flowers are too expensive.

But the impermanence of flowers is really what creates their beauty, and there are so many teachings we can receive from flowers. How can we look at life and really appreciate things that are fragile and precious, and show age? Not wanting to look at these things is like not wanting to age or show wrinkles, but this is part of the human experience, and it makes our lives so precious and rich.

I encourage you to treat yourself to some real, fresh flowers! You deserve it.

by Anjie Cho