How To Use Oranges To Welcome Positive Energy Into Your Life
Whenever I need a little sunshine, a little uplift, I place nine drops of orange essential oil into my diffuser. In case you didn't know, in feng shui philosophy, the scent of oranges and orange peels can bring in happy and life-affirming yang energy.
Yang energy is like the sun at high noon, shining vibrantly with strength. It's bright and constant. Even on rainy or cloudy days, the sun is still present above the clouds. Similarly, the scent of oranges just makes you happy and cheery, feeling strong and energetic. Alice Waters (founder of Chez Panisse), the American pioneer of a culinary philosophy that maintains that cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients that are produced sustainably and locally, says that since oranges are available year-round, they can brighten up even the darkest of winter days and provide much-needed immune system support no matter what the season.
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Another quality of yang oranges is that the scent has the power to clear out any negativity and transform it into brilliant and life-affirming energy. Use 27 drops of orange essential oil (or 27 orange peels) in a spray bottle with water. This orange spray can be used to lift and clear the energy of a space. I like to start at the front door and circumambulate the space Buddhist style! I chant and spray and ring bells, but you can even simply spray around you nine times. By the way, nine is a lucky number in feng shui. And 27 is a multiple of it, hence the 27 drops or peels.
When we smell the orange scent, that olfactory information connects directly with us and can create deep emotional and behavioral transformations in our inner and outer spaces. The yang scent of oranges is also said to be relaxing and support our immune systems. A study in 2000 found that patients in a dental office showed reduced levels of anxiety when orange oil was diffused there.
Finally, the symbolism of oranges contributes to their yang attributes. Originally from China, the fruit is related to wealth and good luck. The color and appearance resemble gold. The circle or round shape symbolizes completeness and wholeness as there is no beginning and no end.
Spray a little orange essential oil to attract some sunny, auspicious, and uplifting energy into your life!
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Anjie Cho is an architect, feng shui educator and author of Holistic Spaces: 108 Ways to Create a Mindful and Peaceful Home. Cho is a New York State registered architect, a graduate in Architecture from the College of Environmental Design at the University of California at Berkeley, LEED Accredited Professional, and certified feng shui consultant from the BTB Feng Shui Masters Training Program. Since 1999, she has been designing beautiful and nourishing spaces (inner and outer) with balance and harmony, informed by the ancient practice of feng shui. Her focus is to create nurturing and supportive environments, tailoring her practice to each individual’s specific needs.
Cho is a sought-after expert in the fields of feng shui and interior architecture. She is the owner of Anjie Cho Architect, co-founder of the Mindful Design Feng Shui School, and founder of Holistic Spaces which hosts a blog, podcast and online store. She is also an assistant teacher of dharma arts and meditation in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage. Cho is a regular blog contributor to MindBodyGreen and has been featured in dozens of publications including: the New York Times, Domino Magazine and BuzzFeed.