[NEW TIP SHEET!] How to improve the health of your space
Today, we delve into the Health area of your home and how to create a space that allows you to thrive in good health and happiness.
Did you know that your home can affect the state of your health? If so, you're right! If not, you're not alone. Either way, read on to find out how to set up your home to support the health you want to experience in your life.
In Feng Shui, there is an area of your home that relates to every area of your life. And health is smack dab in the middle of everything.
Makes sense since health is at the heart of it all.
When you are in good health, everything else can come naturally. Ironically, sometimes it takes a bout with disease or pain to help you see the goodness that exists all around you.
Not only is there an area of your home that reflects your health, but there are elements and colors, materials and shapes associated with this color.
These guidelines help you narrow down your design choices so that when you are in the market for a new couch or a rug or a paint color or any design choice, you have a set of guidelines that will lead you to a space that is fully supportive of you in your life.
Rest assured, I boil all of this down for you in an all new Tip Sheet: How to Improve the Health of your space. Find it at the bottom of the post!
If you are unclear on how to align the Bagua Map (above) over your very own floorplan, take a look at this blog post that explains how and why you might be interested in a thing like that, where you'll also be able to print out the graphic below.
And now, off we go--delving into all things health in your home...
To begin...
There is an element associated with each Gua (life area).
EARTH
Is the element associated with the Health area
Physical, mental & emotional Health
Earth is grounding, stable, on which all foundations are built. It is the realm of wisdom, knowledge, and inner reserve.
The form earth takes in this Gua (life area) relates to stability, support, balance and boundary setting. Ooh, that's important stuff.
This area--at the very center of the Bagua--is a combination and balance of all energies. At the heart of it is self nurture and care.
Earth tones are the colors associated with the Earth element (browns, burnt orange, earth yellows, peach).
Yellow is a particularly potent color for the Health Gua.
Use yellow or earth tones in the Health area to activate the energies of balance and support.
Not wild about yellows and earth tones? You can also use shapes, images and objects that represent the earth element.
SHAPE: The square, solid and regular, is associated with the earth element.
IMAGES & OBJECTS: Utilize images or objects that have four corners as a stable, grounding force of earth energy in your health area.
Every element has a SUPPORTING ELEMENT as well. When you feel like your Health (physical, mental or emotional) could use some added support, you can use both the element of that gua, and also the supporting element.
Fire is the element that supports earth (think of fire turning to ash, or earth)
Feel free to use as much red, fiery orange or bright yellow as well as anything triangular (the shape of fire) in the Health area to help feed the Earth energy. Health is about fueling your fire--be that your digestive fire or your passions--as well as being stable and grounded.
In addition to helpful or supportive elements for particular areas of your home, there are also colors and elements to avoid--that drain your energy or cut down helpful energies.
Don't worry about keeping this all in your head! Sign up below to receive your free Tip Sheet: How to Improve the Health of Your Space!
The Metal element DRAINS earth energy (just as we remove metal from the earth). This means it is best to avoid the colors, images and shapes that represent METAL in the Health area of your home, as they will drain the supportive energy you want to maintain.
AVOID: whites, grays, pastels, oval or round shapes and metal objects.
Wood energy CONTROLS earth (think of roots breaking up dirt as a tree grows). Controlling energy is not always negative, but in general should be avoided in order to allow your Health to grow and thrive.
AVOID: Greens & representations of columns (like the trunks of trees) in the Health area.
The first step is to get clear about what shifts, if any, you're looking to achieve in your physical, mental or emotional well being. How do you want to feel in your body and mind every day? Then begin to set up your space--particularly your health area--to reflect this feeling that you want to have.
For example, if you want to better care for yourself and feel the support all around you. If you want to THRIVE and feel clarity of mind and spirit, then you might put images that uplift and inspire or represent that feeling of thrive and clear thinking.
Ideally those images or furniture pieces also have the supportive earth or fire energies to them that will inherently enhance this part of your life. It make seem simplistic, and it's true: better supporting your health is as simple as intentionally shifting your space.
Whatever your style, there are many ways to utilize the earth and fire elements and the colors and shapes associated in order to provide the passion and stability and ease you want in the Health area of your life.
Take a look at your Health area (the very center part of your home). Does the artwork reflect the health of body and mind you want to feel? How could the space better support the Health you desire? There are always opportunities for improvement. Play around with it and most of all, have fun!
:) Tenaya
