Or have you had the opposite experience:Have you ever been in a space that looked perfect, the decor was flawless, the lighting, the style - just like a dream space from a design magazine, but it felt like something was missing, a sort of hollow unsettling feel?
Where you are in a space where nothing matches your taste or style, a space well done though, but you immediately feel at home?What is that special something about a space that immediately puts you at ease? The intangibles that enhance a space's comfort? That's the spirit of the home.
"It's easy to get caught up in the
material things that make a room look good. But just as important are
the intangibles that make a space feel good. For your home is much more
than a reflection of your taste and lifestyle. It also influences how
you think and feel and act. And this connection between our spaces and
our frame of mind is the spirit of the home."
Jean Nayar
The Happy Home
Project
For a space to truly be vibrant, resonant, and life supporting, ancient vedic texts state that all 4 of the following must be fulfilled: The space must
- be functional
- be aesthetically pleasing
- have an abundance of chi/prana/cosmic breath flow through
- uplift your soul
Uplifting Your Soul. 5 Ways To Uplift The Spirit In A Space
1. Celebrate Your Unique Identity
Each one of us is unique. Honoring our special essence by mindfully creating a decor that unquestionably honors what we love triggers a positive uplifting response in anyone who enters the space.
2. Fresh-cut Flowers, Plants, And Bringing Nature Indoors
Flowers bring in a gentle uplifting energy into a space. Each flower has its own energy. Choose fresh flowers whose colors and scents uplift you.
Respecting our interconnection with nature and bringing it indoors honors our symbiotic connection and interdependence with all of life. Nature nurtures. Using it liberally in our living spaces gives us an emotional, spiritual, and physical lift.
3. Altars
Altars, shrines, and sacred spaces help connect us to our higher selves, to the mysterious forces that guide our lives, and help infuse our life with grace.
Research based on the principles of vaastu has shown that we can bring natural resonance into a space.
Creating an altar using the five basic elements (air, water, earth, fire, and space) and introducing the vaastu geometry in the space energetically creates a system that allows powerful life-enhancing energy to pass through into the surrounding space.
1. Celebrate Your Unique Identity
Each one of us is unique. Honoring our special essence by mindfully creating a decor that unquestionably honors what we love triggers a positive uplifting response in anyone who enters the space.
Peacocks, bells, and uplifting affirmations speak to my soul. In our home you will find bells of all shapes, sizes, and sounds. From the tiniest of jingle bells sewn on a decor pillow to a large Zen Buddhist bell hanging in our kitchen, you will find them all through out our home.
It doesn't matter that the people who visit don't find these fascinating or don't relate to them.When someone enters a personalized space, a visceral positive response is triggered in them, instinctively making them relax and feel at home.
2. Fresh-cut Flowers, Plants, And Bringing Nature Indoors
Flowers bring in a gentle uplifting energy into a space. Each flower has its own energy. Choose fresh flowers whose colors and scents uplift you.
Respecting our interconnection with nature and bringing it indoors honors our symbiotic connection and interdependence with all of life. Nature nurtures. Using it liberally in our living spaces gives us an emotional, spiritual, and physical lift.
3. Altars
Altars, shrines, and sacred spaces help connect us to our higher selves, to the mysterious forces that guide our lives, and help infuse our life with grace.
Research based on the principles of vaastu has shown that we can bring natural resonance into a space.
Creating an altar using the five basic elements (air, water, earth, fire, and space) and introducing the vaastu geometry in the space energetically creates a system that allows powerful life-enhancing energy to pass through into the surrounding space.
On your altar determine the cardinal directions N S W E. Represent the elements on your altar using
- Personal Symbol - Your sacred symbol, statues, deity to which this altar is dedicated
- NE - Water Element - Any container containing water, flower petals floating on water, a fountain
- NW - Air Element - Chimes, Bells, Fans, Flutes, Incense
- SE - Fire Element - Candles, Lamp, Incense (can be used for both fire and air element)
- SW - Earth Element - rocks, natural crystals, stone, plants, items made of wood, anything from earth
- Space - In the middle of the altar place your offering tray, with your desire/intention or affirmation. Could be as simple as one word - abundance or good health
Choose items that have meaning to you. Arrange 1 or 2 items per element in the appropriate direction on your altar. Here is one example of an Altar on a North wall (i.e. I am facing the North looking at the Altar)
Note: An Altar can face any of the eight directions (N S W E NE NW SE SW). Each direction has the effect of strengthening a particular aspect. Determine the directions on your Altar to place the appropriate elements.
Note: An Altar can face any of the eight directions (N S W E NE NW SE SW). Each direction has the effect of strengthening a particular aspect. Determine the directions on your Altar to place the appropriate elements.
[Source: Robin and Michael Mastro. Altars Of Power And Grace.]
4. Take Down Negative Photos, Images, and Paintings
The images we display in our home are very important. An unhappy picture of someone (who resides in the house) can create a very challenging energy in the home. No matter how famous the artist, it is important to NOT have on display images that are not of happy memories or happy times.
In a single second our brain takes in 7:10000 inputs. As we walk into a space, in one second, just one single second, our logical, conscious mind, left side of the brain, takes in and processes 7 inputs (possibly smell, light, sound). 10000 inputs are taken in by our creative, right side of the brain, the inputs that go directly to our subconscious mind.
Images and photos that are negative reinforce that unhappy state of being making it a reality in our living experience.
5. Naming Your Home
In ancient traditions, it was valuable to name your home/space. To know the name of a thing is to form an intimate connection with it. Personalizing and naming something emanates more life-force energy than an unnamed object. The more you use the name and relate to the Spirit of the home, the better the overall energy will be.
Naming homes has been part of traditional cultures the world over. Here is a link on a few ideas on naming homes.
There you have it. Five ways to bring soul into a space, to uplift it's spirit, and to create a nurturing haven. This is the critical difference in an authentic uplifting space and a house with a perfect decor but with the intangible disconnect that doesn't speak to anyone.
Does your home truly reflect your uniqueness? Do you feel if you display what really speaks to you your space may not be as trendy? Share your thoughts . What are your thoughts on creating an altar based on the vaastu geometry?
4. Take Down Negative Photos, Images, and Paintings
The images we display in our home are very important. An unhappy picture of someone (who resides in the house) can create a very challenging energy in the home. No matter how famous the artist, it is important to NOT have on display images that are not of happy memories or happy times.
In a single second our brain takes in 7:10000 inputs. As we walk into a space, in one second, just one single second, our logical, conscious mind, left side of the brain, takes in and processes 7 inputs (possibly smell, light, sound). 10000 inputs are taken in by our creative, right side of the brain, the inputs that go directly to our subconscious mind.
Images and photos that are negative reinforce that unhappy state of being making it a reality in our living experience.
5. Naming Your Home
In ancient traditions, it was valuable to name your home/space. To know the name of a thing is to form an intimate connection with it. Personalizing and naming something emanates more life-force energy than an unnamed object. The more you use the name and relate to the Spirit of the home, the better the overall energy will be.
Naming homes has been part of traditional cultures the world over. Here is a link on a few ideas on naming homes.
We named our home "Aashirwad" meaning "blessing". We even had a name plate made for it. Most times when we are outside, we refer to our home as "Aashirwad Home". It always brings to our mind the feelings of being blessed (just as the word means). No matter how messy or cluttered the home may be when we return, it feels like we are coming home to our soul.
There you have it. Five ways to bring soul into a space, to uplift it's spirit, and to create a nurturing haven. This is the critical difference in an authentic uplifting space and a house with a perfect decor but with the intangible disconnect that doesn't speak to anyone.
Does your home truly reflect your uniqueness? Do you feel if you display what really speaks to you your space may not be as trendy? Share your thoughts . What are your thoughts on creating an altar based on the vaastu geometry?
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