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Reclaiming spirituality is an essential part of creating a healthy,
balanced life and environment. To capture the essence of divine
creation and manifest it in our physical reality is a great challenge,
because at this period in human history we tend to focus our attention
on the physical and psycho-physical experiences of our being.
However, human existence is multidimensional, and parallels other
aspects of our living world. When, for example, we consider the
energy field of the human body and the energy field of the planet
Earth, we see great similarities. Looking at the subtle energies
of our planet, we can see that the polarity of north and south creates
a longitudinal flow of energy with a fountain-like energy center
at both poles. The rotation of the Earth creates a latitudinal flow
around the axis. The human body has a similar subtle energy flow,
where the top of the head is one pole and the bottom of the spine
is the other. Energy centers, called “chakras,” have since ancient
times been known to exist in the human energy field, and recently
modern science has developed the equipment to measure those fields.
The earth has its own energy centers as well, and our planet’s flowing
energy affects our own. As we acquire greater knowledge about ourselves,
we acquire greater knowledge about our immediate and universal environment
as well.
Many indigenous cultures considered spiritual existence of prime
importance, and it was interwoven with everyday human activities.
The spiritual approach for creating a human habitat in those diverse
societies included consideration of the flow of subtle energies
on the land, the properties of the six directions (North, East,
South, West, Heaven, and Earth), the symbolic meanings of shapes,
proportions, and colors, and the effects of cosmic energies from
different planets and stars, especially the sun and the moon. In
China, the art of spiritual space planning and placement design
is called feng shui, the East-Indian is known as Vedic architecture,
and in ancient European culture, we find the arts of geomancy and
divination. The main intention of these practices was always to
align human life and human activities with the energies and spirit
of the Earth and the Universe in order to create a harmonious and
prosperous life through that alignment. Harmony with natural cycles
is important, as is balancing out the excess or weakened energies
of a place or person and activating certain energies to further
our benevolent desires. Approaches based on astrology carefully
considered the proper timing of events, as well.
To create harmony, people who live in cold climates prefer to face
south with their land and with their homes, while those who live
in very hot climates often prefer northern exposure or shaded courtyards.
Similarly, a fiery person can benefit from a north-facing bedroom
or bed, while a person who is lacking that energy would benefit
from the south. When you design the spaces and rooms in a home,
consider how you can create the most balanced and evenly distributed
energy flow in the house and how you can align your activities with
the natural cycles of the sun. For example, the functions of a kitchen—cooking
and eating—are activities which require “fire energy,” so it is
best to utilize southern or southeastern exposure for that room.
The living room is mostly used during the evening to relax. The
end of the day and the setting sun relates to the west direction,
therefore living rooms could face west. East, where the sun rises,
symbolizes the beginning, therefore it is beneficial for bedrooms,
where you wake up to start your day, and often this direction benefits
children and morning activities.
Chinese people often considered southern exposure the most prosperous,
therefore the entrances to homes or businesses often face South
in that country. In southern India, a much warmer region, north
or east is considered the most beneficial direction. The uses of
certain colors also have special effects on the subtle energies
of your living space. For example, blue-green colors are calming,
pink carries the gentleness of the heart, red makes you more active,
and yellow helps you feel more stable and grounded.
Many factors can be considered when choosing a site and designing
your home. Beyond the practical decisions like picking a site with
easy access and choosing the right building materials, spiritual
factors should be considered, as well. Does the location feel protected,
yet open and not constricted? Which rooms do you want dazzled with
morning sunlight, warmed and brightened by southern exposure, and
which do you want cool and quiet, to the north? Should your child’s
room be painted pink to make her feel safe, or light blue-green
to calm her down? Considering spiritual elements when building a
new home or redesigning your existing one can be beneficial to the
inner harmony and satisfaction of the home’s inhabitants. Subtle
changes like the ones mentioned above can eliminate stress and bring
balance to you and your family for years to come.
Interested in seeing more of Alice Dodson’s perspectives on
building design? Check out her other article from the Summer 1999
issue, "Building for
Your Health."
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