Start with your own intuition. We tend to forget how creative and talented each of us are. What inspires you? Close your eyes for a moment and visualize a place in your life that made you feel calm and at ease.
Possibly, it was the sense of welcome at your grandparent’s home. If you start by making your place welcoming to all, that energy will come back to you.
Place a warm greeting; a welcome mat or greeter at your front door. If that can’t be grandma, find a statue that imitates that cheerfulness. The entrance should be bright and uncluttered so positive energy can easily pass through and circulate into the rest of the home. At our home we have a stone statue of a dragon we got on our travels to Indonesia. When I walk through my front door it brings to mind the warmth of the Balinese people. Consider painting your door a bright red (or another bright color), a symbol of high energy. Bring life energy into the home!
The sound of water can be refreshing and cleansing. Put a fountain at your entrance. Water and hearth should always be separated one will negate the other. So don’t put your water next to the fireplace or stove.
Surround your home with objects that inspire you. What inspires you? This could be a beautiful piece of art, picture, or an object from family members. A photo of the one or something that opens your heart. Display treasured photos, books and unique collectibles in a bookcase to ignite engaging conversations about your passions and interests. Bring nature’s color inside. A natural color palette provides the viewer depth and space in relation to the outdoors. Accent with the vibrant colors of nature; a red tulip, the green forest, the infinite blue ocean, or a yellow iris, may all be of inspiration. Integrating the outdoors into the home is necessary to an organic style. Have you ever seen nature out of perfect harmony? Follow her steps; let her be your teacher. Sprinkle a few pine cones on the table top. This will remind you how close you are to beauty.
Allow your space to be clean and clear from clutter, as nature is. Asking yourself the right questions will help you decide if each item is encouraging good feng shui or counteracting it. Many times your first instinct is the right one. Your goal is to keep only those items that support a vibrant, harmonious and successful life. Answer these questions honestly to help you clear the clutter. Do I love it? Do I use it? Do I need it? Does it evoke a positive feeling and make me smile?
Finally and most importantly, create a quiet place for yourself. A special place that is yours and makes you feel comfortable to be with yourself. Unless you take the time to be alone with yourself you will never realize who you are. At first this may be a comfortable chair with inspiring books. Eventually you will progress to just sitting in silence enjoying your breath, and the wonder of just being alive.
Books that have inspired me are, Spirit of the Home by Jane Alexander, Feng Shui Your Life by Jaymbe Barnett and Sell your home with Feng Shui by Chris Ayers.
