The Harmony We Seek Begins At Home
“When there is light in the soul, there is beauty in the person.
When there is beauty in the person, there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”
Chinese Proverb
Harmony… “A situation in which there is agreement… A pleasing effect produced by an arrangement of things, parts, or colors. A state of unity, peace, amity, friendship.” Harmony — it begins within each of us; within our hearts, our spirit, the individual temple we call our soul and our outer temple we call our home. When our spirit is at peace, we find a sense of tranquility, and an inner joy seems to light up our heart. When our home is serene, this feeling in turn affects our attitude and outlook. During these challenging times in the world, the ancient wisdom of Feng Shui teaches us to look within, to search our hearts, to anchor our worries, misgivings and fears. Since your home is a reflection of yourself, when it is tranquil and serene you’ll discover that this feeling rubs off on you.
Some simple Feng Shui applications you can implement in your home and office to reduce stress and make the space kinder and more gentle for your spirit would be to install a fountain in a location near your front entryway. Choose one that has a pleasing sound of falling water similar to that of a babbling brook. You can visit a nursery and make a small investment in one or more lush houseplants with gently rounded leaves such as a mini-schifflera or maiden-hair fern. Place these plants in a prominent place where you will see them frequently. If you are thinking of acquiring any artwork, choose prints and art pieces with forest, ocean, or serene mountain scenes. The idea here is to surround yourself with reminders of nature which is the ultimate nurturer, the original source of serenity and beauty.
The Element of Earth stabilizes and grounds us; it gives us a solid foundation in times of stress and crisis. It’s easy to find simple and creative ways to bring the Earth Element into your home and office. Use earth colors such as tones of yellows, rust, ochre, browns of all shades. Earth Element fabrics would have natural and nubby textures such as corduroy, velvet, and raw silk. Terra cotta planters, concrete statuary, and unglazed tiles are examples of Earth Element design appointments.
by Holly Ziegler M.A. Ed.
