Category: Green and conscious living

Sometimes we can discard simple details of our daily lives at home, but the adoption of small habits bring a considerable improvement in our well-being, such as sleeping well.

Being aware that where we sleep is actually the place where we all spend most of the time in our homes, so the energy of this environment can have a big influence in your daily life.

Of course, in addition to some changes in feng shui, we can also improve the environment with natural candles and a fresh branch of lavender, which will bring a natural fragrance conducive to relaxation and therefore help with restful sleep.

Several studies show using lavender oil for aromatherapy can improve sleep quality, including in people with insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

For the practice of Feng Shui, Christmas is a Western tradition and although it’s not a Chinese custom, this vibration of yang energy brings light and color to our homes and spaces all around the world, but unfortunately it also brings a lot of waste and excess costs.

Therefore, there is no better time to rethink our Christmas season and try to achieve a more sustainable environment at home:

• Welcoming the Tree Element into our homes is already a trend, but at this time of year we can add some seasonal plants and leaves that also have a wonderful fragrance, such as pine branches, eucalyptus, bay leaves, holly and mistletoe;
• Use what you already have from other years and choose some free ideas from the forest, use your imagination and involve the children in the task;
• Using LED lighting is a great option for saving energy, as the lights stay on for much longer during this season feeding the Fire Element;
• There are so many gift wrapping options, try adding your personalized finish with old wrapping paper, newspapers, natural string, ribbons, fabrics, etc.
• Pamper your home with warm, cozy and soft blankets and pillows, as well as other textiles from sustainable sources enjoying the comfort of Earth Element.
• Finally, if we all try to make sustainable choices as much as possible, such as buying less and choosing locally and responsibly, we could change the fact that this time of year is when global waste reaches its annual peak, aiming for a more ecofriendly Christmas.

Outdoor spaces are also an important aspect of practicing Feng Shui, as well as using these areas as allies in our daily lives to find a greater balance between nature and ourselves as living beings.

You’re probably spending more time inside than you think. When interviewed, people in major European and North American countries estimated that they spend 66% of their time indoors. But further studies have shown that the average person actually spends 90% of their time behind closed doors (so called Indoor Generation).

The truth is that most of us don’t even realize that all this time indoors has a detrimental effect on our health and well-being, similar to a poor diet or lack of exercise. We are also unaware that pollution is often worse inside than outside.

Spending most of your time indoors, you likely don’t get enough sunlight, which leads to several imbalances such as decreased brain function, sleep quality, mood, productivity and others.

So as Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Tree Elements are always around us, we should work with them inside our spaces but also look for them outside and benefit from this source of energy in a more natural state.

If you have the chance of having an outdoor space where you spend most of your time, wether at home or work, don’t discard this opportunity and enjoy what it can do for you.