Where Energy Flows

I have compared a still point to that period when the sails are full of wind but the boat is not yet moving. All appears quiet but there is so much happening, momentum is building. There is the potential for moving forward.

In bodywork such as CranioSacral Therapy there are many times during a treatment when all is quiet. The tissues are still but there is a fullness beneath my hands and by the peaceful look on the client’s face you know that they are in a state where they are fully aware yet totally calm. The body is preparing to release tissue tension and balance energetically. I watch for signs of release such as a sigh, change is muscle tone, temperature change or softening of the tissues. We also have still points while writing, painting, sewing, meditating or while involved in any activity where you become so engrossed in the moment that time has no meaning. Yet all the right elements are present and we are ready to be productive, creative or have an ah-ha moment.

How might this relate to your home? I feel that a home that is in balance can support many still points. You have days when you multitask effortlessly or meals taste just a little better because you can put a little love into its preparation even if you are in a hurry. All your appliances work well to support you and you work with your garden instead of against it. Your home is like the sails on your boat under which your activities help you to gather energy. When ready you take your potential out into the world.

Still points in the body help to balance all systems and tissues. Seeing your home as an extension of yourself and taking time to become aware of and balance its energies through Feng Shui and Space Clearing are excellent ways to promote balance in your life.

Copyright 2007  Brenda Rosenberg  All rights reserved 

“You cannot separate the dwellings from the people who live in them. When you see the good in one, it will be reflected in the other. Improvement in a home creates a template for improvement in a person, and vice versa. When you find the good in a home, you are creating the right conditions for the people who live there to find the good in themselves.”      Denise Linn in Feng Shui for the Soul

Change that comes from acknowledging and expanding what you like about your home and yourself is change that comes from a place of acceptance instead of criticism and should have’s/do’s. Building on the positive, especially a passion creates space and possibility.

I recently created a space in my home in which I teach yoga classes. Each class day I look around and think “how can this room support those who come here to become self aware and expand what works for their body/mind on this day?” I may move a plant, change the angle of the mats, clean a window or change the music to suit or balance the weather. I may ring a bell or light incense to expand a feeling of clarity.

As I find the good in the room I intend for those who enter to find the good in themselves. Donna Farhi in Bringing Yoga to Life says “Our intention doesn’t have to be grandiose, but it does have to be sincere.”

Occassionally, I will check “the books” to see how the baguas are affected and that the elements are balanced. But in reality it feels good and classes are going well. And as Denise also says “if it isn’t broken; don’t fix it.”

Copyright 2007 Brenda Rosenberg All rights reserved.

The traditions, practices, symbols and “magical” associations surrounding the art of weaving are some of my passions.  And, when it comes to creating Sacred Space, textiles can serve many purposes. 

I wear them during space clearing ceremonies or use them as the foundation for magnificent, colorful Altars.  I have some weavings that I use daily as a scarf or shawl.  I use exotic, tribal pieces as table runners.  I hang weavings on the wall (since after all, they are an art form) and I toss them over the back of a chair or sofa.  Handmade fabrics can instantly shift the energy and Feng Shui of a room.

Mostly, I find that hand-spun, hand-woven materials delight my senses and uplift my spirit and the energy of my home.  My heart sings when I look at them. 

Living in northern Thailand I am surrounded by an incredible wealth of textiles in a variety of fibers - silk, cotton and hemp.  The women of this region are famous for their intricate and beautiful weavings (a few lovely examples are pictured on my website: click here to see examples of beautiful hand woven textiles.

When I choose textiles, I consider the materials (silk, cotton, hemp), the texture, the color (muted or bright, earth tones, jewel tones), the type of dye (natural sources or chemical) and the energy and symbols they might have woven in.  Sometimes I choose a textile based on its history or who created it.

For example, recently I had the chance to visit Grandma Raza - a hemp cloth weaver.  Raza is Hmong and her tribal village is in the mountains north of Chiang Mai. 

She demonstrated the many steps of preparing, weaving and dyeing - it is difficult and time consuming work and truly a labor of love!  Weaving hemp is an all-female endeavor, handed down mother to daughter.  From Raza, I got a long, un-dyed hemp scarf that her own mother wove (Raza is 86, so the scarf is very old!).  It is plain and a bit worn, but it has a wonderful energy and a buttery texture.  It is a textile I will treasure and wear with great joy!

You can see my photo gallery of the trip, which includes some portraits of other women in the village at:   www.floweringmoon.com/hmonghemp.html

Copyright Deb Swingholm, 2007.  All rights reserved. 

There are a few colours in the spectrum that are stimulating and relaxing at the same time. Green is one of them and purple is the other: from the lightest lilac and lavender, to sweet violet and plums, vivacious magenta, and the deep earthy shades of wine, burgundy and eggplant.

There are a few symbols connected with purple, namely wealth, spirituality and power. The connection with wealth is because obtaining purple dye from natural sources is costly and difficult. Historically only those in high positions could afford it, such as royalty and the head of religious orders (for example the Pope of the Catholic religion.) These are of course, positions of power in society.

In feng shui, purple is one of the colours, along with blue and red that represents abundance and prosperity. Although I believe originally purple signified material wealth, the association it has with spirituality and insight can mean the inner wealth that comes from spiritual growth. Purple represents the crown chakra which connects us to our higher source and life path on earth. It is associated with psychic awareness and intuition and can be used to lift you into a higher spiritual plane.

Some of the uses of purple are:

• It is relaxing and at the same time mentally uplifting
• Stimulates creativity and motivation
• Balances the right and left brain (yin and yang)
• Opens consciousness of the higher planes of existence
• Can be used for inner purification and protection
• To assist in going on an inner journey for spiritual growth

However, purple can be…

• depressing in large doses or over large areas
• not a good colour to wear if you are feeling oversensitive and vulnerable.

In the Home: A lot depends on the shade but generally purple is a yin colour and best used for areas that have quiet or restful activities. As well, some shades of purple such as deep violet, eggplant or royal purple can feel cold and stark, and the message this gives out could be ‘unapproachable or ‘keep back’ both of which would tend to put distance between people. For this reason it is not a good colour to use in areas that you want to be highly social, so I wouldn’t recommend it for the family room, living room, dining room or kitchen.

However some shades such as lavender, lilac and magenta are warmer in tone and in home decorating I recommend these lighter shades; keep the deeper shades of purple as accents. Green also works very well as an accent for purple.

Purple is a great colour choice for bedrooms and the shade of lavender (and also the herb or essential oil) is useful for people who have insomnia. The lighter shades of purple are also suitable for a meditation or healing room.

Copyright ©2007 Deborah Redfern. All rights reserved.