Whether you are planning an exciting trip this summer, taking a "staycation" in your own state, or simply staying home, here are 10 of my favorite summer Feng Shui tips to try out this month to help you cool down and move forward.

Are soaring temperatures causing you to suffer from "summer burn out?" In Feng Shui, the summer season is associated with the Fire element. On the positive side, a healthy dose of the Fire Element makes us want to socialize (margaritas on the patio) and adds passion to our lives (summer romance). But too much of the Fire Element can have the opposite effect, making us feel tired, listless, and just plain burned out (perhaps that explains the “beach book” phenomena).

Here are 10 Feng Shui cures for those summertime “burn-out blues.”

1. Home colors too hot? If your home is decorated in Fire Element colors (red, purple, orange), balance them with Metal Element colors (white, ice blue, pale green) in accents like pillows, tablecloths, or napkins for a calming and cooling effect.

2. House a mess? A cluttered room will make you feel overheated and tense. Clear the clutter to put out some of the fire.

3. Too much light? Shut off the ceiling lights and instead use table lamps for lighting. This is especially important in an office if you have overhead fluorescent lighting that symbolically “stab” at you all day long.

4. Feeling dry and parched? Create the cooling effect of water with a small tabletop fountain, or play a CD with the sound of light rain.

5. Rooms too hot? Change the location of home activities to the rooms with less sun exposure. Or, eat outside on the shady side of house for a cooling change of pace.

6. Ceiling fan above your bed? A fan in your bedroom helps circulate the air. But if it is located directly above your bed the harsh, corkscrew energy can cause pain or illness. Hang a crystal from the pull chain to symbolically lessen the cutting force.

7. Cooking outside? Even if you prefer using the barbecue grill in hot weather, use your stove occasionally because an unused stove implies untapped resources or ignored opportunities.

8. Old furniture on your porch? Your porch or deck is considered part of your home in Feng Shui, so choose high-quality outdoor furniture and keep it clean, dust-free, and in good repair.

9. Desk drawer a mess? Give your desk drawer a vacation from clutter by tossing non-usable items, especially those dried-up pens, pencils with worn down erasers, and bent paper clips.

10. House unoccupied? When you go on vacation your empty house becomes passive (or yin) and can draw negative energies like burglars. To balance this, set timers to turn on several lights and a radio set to a talk station to create active (or yang) energy in the house.

No matter how hot it is where you live or where you spend your vacation, make a few simple Feng Shui changes to cool down the heat and help you move forward and enjoy the summer.

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