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Colour Explosion in the Fall!

A Splash of Colour can enhance a tiny house.

The trees are changing daily, almost moment by moment; displaying their colours of red, orange and gold. They can be reflective, energizing or anywhere in between!

‘Colour’ is one of the basic cures in feng shui. It is one of the easiest cures to comprehend, and yet, it is often subliminal.  When connecting with a colour, a purpose arises, a slow churn in the brain to process…hmmm.  The task becomes passionate, a drive or a magnetism that resonates within. Our lives mingle with nature and it is no wonder that colour and seasonal changes have such an impact on us.

Activities in autumn usually focus on slowing down, provisioning and nesting; yet you’ll feel opposing energies in the air. This new energy can be persuasive, enticing you to breathe, seek, go and find….something.

What is that all about?

‘Earth energy’ is all-encompassing at this time of year. There is a need for grounding, and settling in for the winter, yet there is a compelling pull to ‘provision’ and get everything done; a conscious arbitration between the yang of summer and the yin of winter. We need to get out and fuss with busyness, yet we want to sit home and nest; a possible need to recover after the intense ‘fire energy’ of the summer.

Red is our most powerful motivator, and commands our attention. This colour triggers emotions of passion, joy and lust. Its hold can drive you wild, or send you into a rage! Red, the root of entertainment, joy and passion is all around us in the fall!

Orange is a buying colour. It is bright, and prepares us for action. Orange can represent intensity for the projects ahead.  It can increase vitality and can sway us to trust, take chances, and jump right in.

Gold and yellow relates to personal power and self-definition; qualities that are quieter through the winter months. Seeking nourishment and life fulfillment are secondary for many of the seasonal plants and trees, and, we imitate. As the colours drain from the trees…it is time for many of us to retreat to the nest.

The natural bounty of beautiful trees in the neighbourhood is contradictory to the raging retail pandemonium in the malls. So why are we driven to retail? Is it really therapy?

Often used in marketing signs and displays, the fall colours are motivational. The products themselves may not include these colours, but well-planned signage can power our emotions. The experts know how to get into our wallets!

• Marketing professionals spend mega-bucks researching new ways to convince people to buy things. ‘They’, the manipulators, will often choose these vibrant, fall colours to manipulate our spending habits.
• Foreign advisors and their companies will try to convince us which colours we should wear each season. Often, the general public does not have a say.
• The signs and their colours, the products, and their promises to make things better, easier and cost effective… are more than we can ignore some days. And, we fall for it time and time again!

Together, they have the ability to persuade us to part with our money!

“YES! Oh, YES! I WANT THAT!!!”

I confess, am driven to the stores when I’m fresh out of ideas. Sometimes, my destination is a big-box store like IKEA. Other times, I end up walking the isles of fabric stores or looking at paint colours. In a way, it is therapy.

Any colour can represent a mood, a feeling or a memory, good and bad. I usually find something to buy as resistance is futile in most cases. The parade of colours and the activities in the stores can be stimulating. The stores radiate a seductive ploy, due to the superior influences of marketing.

In the fall, the trees are the aphrodisiac that get people out of the stores, and bring us back to mother earth. We gasp in their brilliance. They are calling us, to bid adieu, and rest assured they will be back to greet us in the spring.

At this time of the year, get out there: look, see, feel, breathe …and do it again. Not only are we here for a very short time, we need the colour and inspiration from Mother Nature to linger, for just a moment.

~ Kathryn

One of my favourite books is Living Colour written by Master Lin Yun and Sarah Rossbach. An inspiring read, Lin Yun offers a unique way of seeing things we cannot see.

Kathryn of Kathryn Wilking Designs is an Author, Teacher and Feng Shui Consultant. Her recent book; Practical Feng Shui for the Office, is available in e-book and paperback. www.practicalfengshuifortheoffice.com

Kathryn is available for innovative talks for workshops and Lunch ‘n Learn programs. Contact her to discuss a topic for your team: Kathryn@kathrynwilking.com  More about Practical Solutions for Life at kathrynwilking.com

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About Kathryn Wilking

Author, Home Stager, Feng Shui Consultant

Kathryn has inspired women for more than a decade to take charge of their lives; arranging their environment, home and office, to support a positive, prosperous lifestyle. She provides informative tips and talks to organizations and small groups through her Facebook Group and Blog Posts and recorded podcasts. Contact her today for more info about bringing the practical application of Feng Shui into your space.

Her book, Practical Feng Shui for the Office; never goes out of style!
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