Last night I looked up from my computer to see a spider making a fresh web. She was about 2 feet away from me, stringing silk between my bronze statue of Tara and a tall vase of Birds of Paradise.
I watched her for the entire 15 minutes it took her to weave her new home and take her place in the center – upside down, legs tucked close to her body, waiting patiently for a meal. I was mesmerized. I was really struck by her grace and precision. And the incredible speed she was building at. There was never a moment of hesitation. Never a pause between silky strands.
Yes, of course – I thought – she’s just doing what comes naturally. After all, this is what spiders do – right? They spin webs.
But, it made me consider the power of instinct and intention and how these shape our actions and our surroundings.
Our ancestors instinctually knew how to live in harmony with the land. They knew how find the best sites for their dwellings. They understood which building materials were warm in winter and cool in summer. They knew which shapes were most comfortable and pleasing. You and I can draw on those same skills. We can follow our instincts to create environments that are perfectly suited to our individual needs.
In Feng Shui for the Soul, Denise Linn writes “You also have instinctual abilities and you can use these instincts to arrange your home in a way that is beneficial to you and all who live in it. This ability arises out of your ancestral memories and recalls the experiences of generations of your forbearers who lived close to the land. It is part of your heritage”.
At the core of our being, we know what things support and nourish us.
And, like the spider who builds a web with an intention to catch insects, you can design your living space with specific intentions in mind. For example, you might envision your dining room as a place for nourishment, conversation, a warm, inviting and lively gathering place for friends and family. You might want your den to be a haven for quiet contemplation, reading and study. You can see how each of those intentions would lead you to choose a very different set of furnishings, art, fabrics and colors.
Identifying your intention for a space, then utilizing your senses and your instincts to shape and design that space – this is the essence of Instinctive Feng Shui.
Copyright 2007, Deb Swingholm. All rights reserved.
