The Phoenix, Nepenthe and Feng Shui

Melissa Leib

Melissa Leib

Ok, so this is an interpretive Phoenix carved of wood at Nepenthe, Big Sur, one of my favorite spots on the planet. Nepenthe is a drug derived from a plant during Greek times to produce forgetfulness (lots of us would like this drug at the moment). The Phoenix represents coming back after great catastrophe.


What does this have to do with Feng Shui, you ask? Classic Feng Shui uses animal forms to represent the land forms in nature; mountains, water, the sun, soil and minerals, trees. Traditionally, the Phoenix is associated with fire and rebirth. 


We are in the midst of one of the most challenging years in memory, to say the least. Feng Shui masters the world over had predicted something huge, catastrophic, and far reaching/worldwide. Here we are, learning to really live in our spaces, learning to live with others in these spaces more often than ever before. 


Pay attention to how you feel in different parts of your homes, Now that you have more time to do so, observe. You may have angst in some areas and peace in other areas. In Floyd, we have dark, cold and dusty everywhere, except for the secret room, more on that next week. 

There will be changes, there will be loss, then there will be rebirth. Hopefully, we will learn some valuable lessons about ourselves and the space we occupy and how to care for ourselves, others, and these spaces. Stay tuned and good health.