Mind, Body, Home: Transform Your Life One Room at a Time (4 page)

is a further extension of the mind and body. The energy of the mind,

body, and home are each interrelated and affect one another. This is the power of the
mind body home
connection.

For thousands of years in all cultures, traditions, and religions, the house has been closely connected to, or used as a metaphor for, the

soul. In Christianity, the body is referred to as the
temple of the soul
. In literature, it was Nathaniel Hawthorne’s
The House of Seven Gables
that made this connection. And Gaston Bachelard offered a poetic summation of this interrelationship in
The Poetics of Space
. In Hollywood,
Life as a House
depicted the stages of building a house as representative of the characters’ lives and relationships. For Jungian dream analysts, along with all prevailing dream interpreters, the house symbolizes the

Self and the way we build our lives—with each room and component

of the house representing aspects of ourselves.

The connection between a house and our body can even be found in

architecture and often referred to as sacred geometry. Historically, the proportions of the body have been used in architecture to determine

the basic proportions of spaces. This was the meaning behind Leonardo

Da Vinci’s well-known illustration,
The Vitruvian Man,
used by architect Vitruvius himself in designing spaces.

The connection between spaces and how they affect humans is most

widely known as
feng shui
. Originating in China and now used worldwide, feng shui is a science that relates how the energy in spaces af-

fects the mind and body of its inhabitants. Feng shui is a science that falls under the umbrella of Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture

and Qigong. It is not coincidental that these three sciences integrate the mind, the body and the home and the importance of all three for a balanced and happy life.

The Hindu version of feng shui, called
vastu shastra
or simply
vastu
, may have been the first living science to make the
mind body home
connection. The Vedas, written in approximately 2500 B.C, is a treatise on Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga, and Vastu. In fact, in Vastu the body is re-nowned as a living example of perfect architecture. Just like Chinese

Medicine, the basis of health and wellbeing in Indian culture is also

comprised of bringing balance to the mind, body, and home. While

Western medicine has historically only focused on treating the physi-

cal body post-disease, Eastern medicine focuses on balancing the mind,

body, and home for preventive and curative purposes.

As the West and East slowly merge, Western medicine is only begin-

ning to touch on preventive medicine by borrowing from eastern cul-

tures. As such, more and more people are realizing how important their

home and environment is on their overall wellbeing. As we awaken to

this network of energetic connections of our mind, body, and home,

we become more conscious within our own life and begin to open the

door to the heart of our own home.

This energetic connection between our Self and our home is a living

example of the connections within our Universe. Our home connects

us to everything and highlights the universal truth that everything is

connected—from our neighbors, to the land we live on, to the plants

and animals, and across the globe everywhere. Second only to our phys-

ical body, our home is our primary connection to the Earth and is therefore a laboratory for self-exploration, growth, and transformation. With the evolution of the home and the human mind, we are now living in

a time when the home is more than just a metaphor, but a reflection or

projection of ourselves.

8 Introduction

Sustainable Design

While the United States has been slow to fully embrace feng shui and

other Eastern sciences about our built environment, it has been a pre-

eminent proponent of green design. The green design movement is

also referred to as sustainable architecture, sustainable living, environmental design, and environmentally sustainable design. Sustainable

design is based on the philosophy of designing objects and spaces to

comply with certain principles in order to reduce harm to the environ-

ment. Its inception arose from an acknowledged depletion of natural

resources and damaged ecosystems. So while the purpose of feng shui

is to live in harmony with the Earth, sustainable design’s purpose is reducing harm to the Earth and sustaining fragile ecosystems.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has been a fore-

runner in sustainable design. The USGBC is a non-profit organization

that birthed the LEED (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design) accreditation system and is recognized in the private and public sector as the mark of sustainable design. LEED for Homes is one of

the more recent accreditations available. A green home uses less energy, water and other natural resources; creates less waste, and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants. A LEED home lowers energy

and water bills; reduces greenhouse gas emissions and indoor toxins.

The desire and demand for green homes has risen in the last few

years exponentially. Many builders across the country have shifted their entire construction business to green homes as a result of this trend. A large part of the increased demand is the result of increased awareness by the general public about the various concepts of green building. The economic advantages of going green have caught the attention of many

homeowners particularly as energy costs rise. Although the incentive

may begin with economics, people are slowly realizing the benefits of

living in harmony with the Earth. As our homes become healthier, we do

too. This trend reflects a growing awareness of nutrition and freeing our body of toxins.

Evolving Into the 21st Century Home

As our home has evolved with modern times, it has become even more

of an extension of ourselves. Homes are now used for more than just

shelter, protection, and comfort. For the
HGTV
generation, the home has increasingly become an outlet for self-expression. Some people prefer buying or building a new home that is like a blank canvas, while others prefer buying a house that already has a similar ‘style’ as their own.

And, lastly, there are those who prefer renovating or building a home

from the ground up to fit their vision.

Similar to buying a new shirt because it expresses who we are, we buy

new curtains because the style, color, or pattern expresses who we are, in addition to its function. Or, perhaps, you purchase a red espresso maker because it expresses you and makes you feel good when you see it in

your kitchen. Because of the increase in selection and affordability,

home furnishings have become as consumable as our clothing. Now

you can transform a whole room in a weekend with less than $200.

Interior design or decorating is no longer just for the wealthy. In-

terior design originated in art and then furniture design. The interiors and furniture represented the current movement, such as Colonial, Ba-roque, Craftsmen, Victorian, and, like art, only the wealthy could af-

ford stylized furnishings. Since the industrialization of furnishings and furniture, design is available to the masses in old and new styles. Not only has design become more affordable and accessible, it has become a

more personal expression based on form and function. Styles available

vary from past period movements, a combination of periods, modern,

or a combination of past, present and future movements. Even a simple

toaster comes in colors, shapes, and styles.

With technology advances, homes have also become more func-

tional, whether for purposes of watching a movie with a home theater

system or running a business. As a result, people are spending more

time at home. With the Internet our homes are now a communication

hub unlike ever before. We can check out a book at the library, research a school project, shop for Christmas gifts, have groceries delivered, and buy stock all from our home. Due to technology, more and more peo-10 Introduction

ple are also working from home, whether it be telecommuting or start-

ing a home-based business.

Not only is the home more functional due to telecommunications,

but it is also more physically and emotionally comfortable. We feel

comfortable in our space and know that there is no bed more comfort-

able than our own. Whether it is expressing ourselves with conscious

design choices, functioning with technology, or simply feeling safe and comfortable in our favorite recliner, our homes have become a personal

extension of ourselves more than ever.

Relating Mind-Body Principles

The relationship that the home has with its owners is very similar to

the relationship the body has with its mind. The first breakthrough in

the mind-body field was in proving that stress is a major contributor, if not the cause, of some physical ailments and diseases. Research now

shows that many physical problems are psychosomatic. When I went to

a medical doctor in the 1990s for chronic stomach problems, the doctor

asked if I was under any stress. When I told him I was perfectly happy as I was planning my wedding, he questioned whether I should be getting married because of the physical results my body was showing.

At the time, I thought the doctor was not only crazy, but also rude

and inappropriate. In hindsight, I should have looked closer as it was

not until my divorce when my stomach problems suddenly stopped.

At that time, the relationship between the mental and emotional body

with the physical body was not widely known and as accepted as it is

today. Years later, when I made the connection, it became the inspira-

tion behind my studying and training to become an energy healer.

Nowadays, it is nearly impossible to have a conversation about

chronic pains and other dis-eases without some questions about stress

and emotions. There are now many mind-body books, pioneered by

Louise Hay’s
Heal Your Body,
that relate each common disease and body part ailment to its mental or emotional root cause. Even Western doctors are prescribing yoga and meditation to their patients to combat

many psychosomatic illnesses.

When our subconscious mind cannot reach our conscious mind, it

often uses our body through which to send its messages. Pain almost

always gets our attention. Repressed emotions, trauma, negative emo-

tional or thought patterns, or anything that is not processed in real time is stored in the body. Ideally, mental or emotional stressors are dealt with and released before reaching the physical body. If not, however,

over time the root cause will seek outward manifestation in the form of pain or illness. Pain is information or a ‘red flag’ that there is something mentally or emotionally out of balance. This information may present

itself in our home instead of, or in conjunction with, our physical body.

Our Home as a Mirror

The home has been used as a metaphor for the body for thousands of

years. However there is also an energetic connection between the mind,

body, and home. Just as the body is an extension or manifestation of the mind, the home is as well. In the physical world, we take up residence

in our physical body with our home being the next layer. Although no

two bodies or homes are the same, both take on a rather typical struc-

ture: a framework and skeleton; windows and eyes; nervous system and

electricity; central air and breath; and so on.

On a subconscious level, we have formed houses to fit the same

mold as our own physical structure. Just as a computer was built to

replicate the human brain, our homes are built to replicate our energy.

Birds build their nests to form the curvature of their bodies. We have built homes to not only fit, but mirror ourselves. We take comfort in a space that matches us physically and energetically.

While homes started out as a cave, or a roof for shelter from the ele-

ments, they have evolved just as we have evolved. Our homes have

become sophisticated beings that match where we are on our jour-

ney—be it a dorm room, a mansion, or a cozy dream home. Just as

our soul, or spirit, is housed in the physical body, our mind and body

take up space and refuge in the home. While the home is separate or

detached from our body, the unseen energy connection is not.

12 Introduction

In Part I you will begin to understand the energy of your house.

Before you ever set foot inside, your house has its own energy that will affect you from that day forward. While living there, your life will be affected by your home’s energy. The shape, structure, floor plan, and

even street address make up your home’s unique fingerprint. The en-

ergy of your home begins to shape areas of your life. Simultaneously, your personal energy patterns made up of your thoughts, beliefs, and

emotions also take up residence in your home. These energies merge

into an energy soup that is unique to you and your home. This starts to manifest throughout your home and into your life.

Part II decodes the most common symbols of the home from the

ground up. Each aspect of the house symbolizes some aspect of one’s