Your home, whether it be a mansion, a cottage in the country, an apartment, a trailer, or a motor home, is the place you nourish your inner self. Home is your retreat after work, where you bring up your family, build relationships, spend time with your kitty, and where you relax and chill. Therefore, it is important to your well-being to make this place as spiritually comfortable as possible. If your home is cluttered, dirty, over-heated or too cold, demanding of your time, and unwelcoming when you enter, you can’t be happy and relaxed about being there. It’s time to turn your abode into your spiritual home.
13 Tips to Create a Spiritual Home
1. Open a window or two. Let the fresh air dispel cooking smells and general fugginess. Breathe in as you do so. Even opening a window or door for a few minutes can make a big difference to the atmosphere in a home.
2. Embark on a systematic declutter. Look around, how often do you use or notice the majority of your possessions? Decluttering is amazingly uplifting and freeing. As your home becomes lighter, so do you. You will also save a huge chunk of time because you won’t be searching for those essentials like keys, purses, missing homework, etcetera. Don’t know how to start? Grab a box and a garbage bag and begin with one surface, one shelf or one corner of a room. The box is for things to be recycled, the garbage bag is, well, for garbage. Make a pile of things you want to keep and make sure they are put away before moving onto your next target. Taking your unwanted items to the thrift shop, charity organization or recycling depot will also make you feel good that someone else can benefit from your generosity. Release your stuff! Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist has listed 10 Creative Ways to Declutter Your Home.
3. Clean. Negative energy attaches itself to dirt and grime, so after tackling the clutter give your home a deep clean. You can do it room-by-room, or in stages, whichever way is better for you. Flylady insists that a shiny kitchen sink is the first thing to aim for. Organized Home encourages you to clean windows, inside and out, before anything else. Use these resources, but ultimately draw up your own schedule for cleaning your home and stick to it. Delegate tasks, if possible, to other family members.
4. Learn the basic Feng Shui principles. The three most important places, according to Feng Shui, are the entrance/hallway, the kitchen and the master bedroom. The entrance is how chi, or life force enters your home, so keeping it clear of obstruction enables positive energy to come in and negative to leave. As the kitchen is where you prepare food to nourish yourself and family it is the source of abundance. Fill your refrigerator and cupboards with good healthy food. Make sure your kitchen is clean and fresh. Throw out stale food and give away gadgets you don't use. The master bedroom is your sanctuary, the place where you replenish your spirit. Make it as serene and calming as possible. Remove electronic gadgets and change the sheets on your bed every week.
5. Use natural materials wherever possible. Wood and stone, wool and cotton are the best materials for floors and furnishings. As you replace furniture and drapes, keep in mind that natural is best. Breathing in man-made fibers, harmful chemicals and walking on artificial surfaces keep you apart from your spiritual well-being.
6. Color is important. Color lifts your mood and makes your heart sing, especially when the sunshine comes in. Blue is restful and calming; red is energizing, but can give energy to conflicts. Yellow is the color of wisdom and learning, so makes a great choice for a child’s room. You don’t have to paint walls in solid blocks of color, simply use a few well-chosen accessories to brighten up a room.
7. Houseplants are conduits for good energy. They clean the air and produce oxygen so, if you have the time to look after them, bring in as many as is practical. Certain houseplants like moisture in the air so turn your bathroom into a green retreat.
8. A well-selected library of books is an asset to any home. Your declutter will have pruned your collection of books so those that are left will be your favorites. An organized bookcase, or shelves, provides a focal point, a topic of conversation, even insulation for a cold wall.
9. Crystals placed around various points in your home and garden will increase and maximize positive energy. Near your front door, on your porch and windowsills are all good places for crystals. Hide them around your garden to create a circle of protection around your home.
10. Create a small altar. It doesn’t have to be a religious one unless you want it to be; it's a representation of your spirituality. It acts as a focus when you need some downtime. A few special pebbles, shells, a crystal, perhaps a posy of fresh flowers or leaves, a family photo and a scented candle in a safe lantern. Don’t let your altar become dusty and neglected. Change the arrangement regularly.
11. Aim for serenity. It’s not always possible, or desirable to have a quiet home. Families are, by their very nature, loud and noisy. Nevertheless, do your best to create a home where each family member can find some peace in order to recharge their spiritual batteries. Encourage children to think of their rooms as their own special retreat, rather than just somewhere to play, sleep and do homework.
12. Only allow items into your home if you really need or love them. Remember that everything needs a place. It will also need cleaning, laundering or dusting. Do you want to invest your precious time, space and energy into that thing?
13. Make it smell good. Avoid artificial air fresheners, instead let your home smell of natural scents, such as pine logs, roasted coffee beans, essential oils, fresh and dried flowers, clean laundry and naturally scented candles.
Lastly, don't forget to factor in some time to enjoy your beautiful spiritual home.
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