In this article, I want to focus on the importance of keeping good energy flow in your home. Our homes are our peaceful sanctuaries, hopefully filled with love, light and warmth. It is our safe haven – a place to retreat to after a hard day’s work. It’s where we can really put our feet up and separate ourselves from the outside world.
In the real world, your house might be bursting with chaos – good chaos.
Kids playing, pets relaxing, two things on the stove at once, people popping by unexpectedly or maybe it is bursting with negative chaos – mess, clutter, and years of collected stuff that should have been discarded years ago. Researchers from Princeton uni Neuroscience Institute confirm that too much stuff means that there are too many things vying for our attention. It wears us down mentally, so how you manage your space can also assist you to manage your stress levels.
Often we wait for a new year or Spring to sort through our environment, but today I am suggesting that if your home is in a crazy state, NOW is a perfect time to sort it out and create a zen space. Creating a harmonious, peaceful space for you and your family will bring all sorts of wonderful benefits.
Here are some tips, to help you create a zen home. You don’t have to make over an entire home, just make a few tweaks over time, or focus on one space, like the living area or a spare room and create flow and fill it with positive energy.
Create your zen space and remember, wellness encompasses way more than just eating right and exercising.
Colour Your World
The colours that support peace are –
Soft blues, grey blues, Aqua blues,Pale pink
Lavender,Warm beige, Soft greens
(You dont have to repaint – think cushions and throw rugs even)
Air & Light
The quickest way to change the energy in any home is to open the windows and let the light in
Show Love
Remind yourself that life isn’t that bad by decorating your home with pictures of loved ones. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, a glance at the photo of your significant other, parents, kids or even your adorable dog, will help put a smile on your face. And hopefully, whatever’s making you want to scream right now might seem insignificant in the scheme of life. Surround yourself with things that you love and get rid of non-essentials that are cluttering and overwhelming your space.
Bring the outdoors in and give your space wings
Plants have a calming effect through their soothing green colors and by providing oxygen.
Add life through greenery, fresh flowers and burn beautiful calming oils to evoke peace.
Sage
Sage is known for its health and healing properties and has long been used by many cultures and in traditional ceremonies to purify and clear space and energy. Smudging is a traditionally Native American practice that involves burning sage leaves to bless and purify people and objects as well as clear energy. If smudging isn’t for you though, there are lots of other ways you can utilise sage — whether it is – incense, dried leaves or tea — using sage in some form will still allow you to experience its healing and cleansing benefits.
Phone a friend
Recruit family and friends to help if your whole home needs a good declutter! If you have items that are in reasonable condition but you no longer use, consider having a garage sale or perhaps donating them to Goodwill. Reward your friends and family with a celebration at the end of the clean-up. Have a barbeque or party with the profits from your garage sale and celebrate your new, zen space!
Elbow grease
Where there’s dirt and dust, there’s stagnation. Stagnation is what happens when energy flow gets blocked. It is the same in your home and if your place needs a good clean, then chances are, when you are at home, you will feel heavy, flat and unmotivated. Just like detoxing eliminates stagnation within your body, a really good clean does the same for your home. It restores positive flow and energy.
Bring positive energy into your home and create a zen space that supports and nourishes your life and the lives of those you love. Creating a zen home now will make you more productive, peaceful and will help you to start your days with ease and flow.
Jo Ettles