home energy

The energy of the mind is the essence of life.

-Aristotle

Every home holds the energy of the people who live there.  Is there joy, peace and harmony or is there a lot of discord and harsh spoken words?   Interestingly, home energy has gotten a lot of attention...in the physical sense of windows, solar panels & appliances...but it is much bigger than that. 

What kinds of energy do we put into our homes?  We spend a lot of time with furnishings, colors, and textiles, but how about the words we put out there...what kind of messages are we sending?  How about the way we care for ourselves and the relationships of those who live in the home?   Are we making space for bringing positive energy in our homes?  Do we open up our homes to fresh winds and sunshine?

Over the years, I have met with many people who have worked with energy...what colors people emit in their aura, what's a person's "vibe," or if the energy is flowing in a space.  It is fascinating to hear these discussions...most of which are discounted or ignored by a majority of people.  The ancient art of Feng Shui, for example, focuses a lot on energy flow in relation to prosperity and health.   My sense is that these things affect us greatly...how we feel with one another and our own sense of well-being.  Most of us spend significant time in our homes...even if it is to sleep...so how energizing is it?

Some thoughts on improving the energy of your home...

• play music that you love.  So many of us have collections that we never take time to play.  Turn on your iPod or stereo and let some good tunes fill the air.  Sing and dance!
• light candles...seriously why curse the darkness when you can have beautiful light in your home?  Candles can remind us of happy things like birthdays, holidays and special rituals.
• fill the air with the scents of good food...even if it is something you purchase and bake.  Just savor the smells and give thanks for the food as well as the one who prepared it.  Share it with a neighbor.
• speak kindly to one another.  Think of harsh words like arrows and kind words as lyrics...what fills your air?  It isn't always easy, but wise sages would say you save yourself a lot of stress and pain.  Good discussions around the kitchen table were always something you could count on...are these possible any more...are we too busy or too divided?  Can we return to this space of honoring each other for their ideas without getting lost in them?    
• open the windows if you can and refresh the air in your home.  Studies have shown that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air...let the breeze in!
• ring bells or chimes...some really good cleansing can happen with these clear sounds.  Think of your doorbell...how does that sound?  How do you react when it rings?
• remove clutter and stuff that is unwanted...this is really bad for a home's DNA.  Why surround yourself with things that don't bring you energy?  Someone else might be looking for just that to complete a project or a room.  Let it go...and watch what happens...more energy to you!

Everyone feels overwhelmed these days...so it seems...and yet most of the ideas above are free, can improve your space, and may bring you a renewed sense of energy.  While we are all considerate of the energy in our lightbulbs...we might also want to look within and restore some of our internal energy as well.