Reconnect With Nature To Create Homes That Bring Harmony & Joy
While lockdown has increased awareness about the roles our homes play in our emotional and physical well it has also emphasized our vital interdependency with nature and our fellow human beings for our continued health and welfare, a concept long understood by Indigenous nations around the world.
From the wisdom of ancient teachings of Feng Shui to the Medicine Wheel and Circle of Life of North American First Na- tions, humans have evolved because of their dedication to main- taining a respectful balance of reciprocity with their natural world, much of which they spent outside of their“homes.”But their“built” environments also engaged the understanding of the patterns of nature that affected their lives — and reflected their continued commitment to the protection and renewal of life-supporting resources to secure the future — values that were reinforced in drawings and carvings of plants and animals inside and outside of their living structures.
However, as civilization has progressed over the centuries, it seems we’ve grown alarmingly disconnected from nature, and while its true that 80% of people live in urban areas, population density isn't the only cause of our drifting connections. In general, we spend 90% of our time indoors, in work places, home offices, automobiles, shopping or being entertained, while simultaneously being caught in the creeping web of tech- nology and obsession with virtual recreation, and captives to so- phisticated marketing influence.
It’s not surprising that our association with nature is often reduced to something to be experienced from a distance, and manipulated to bend to our will without fully appreciating the threat that disregard for balance, harmony and respectful co- existence, has on human health and well-being. These changing dynamics can be seen clearly in the products we consume that shape our cultural concepts. Since the 1950s, references to nature in our vocabulary — songs, books, art and interior decor — pre- viously so visibly dominant, have decreased significantly, which is concerning at a time when our attention to nature is so critical.
On the positive side,“constricted living”has forced us to rethink what’s important in our lives and reset our priorities. Inside our homes we’re intentionally planning our spaces for multi-purpose use and daily functionality, upgrading furnishings for comfort and durability, and trading “flash” for “substance.” Hopefully we’re learning that “stuff” isn’t always clutter. For instance, if you’re spending more time in the kitchen, or working on a favourite hobby, you may have more visible“stuff,”which could mean your new normal is learning to live with comfort vs perfect. So, it’s important to remember that, just like our ancestors, the things with which we surround ourselves reflect our personal values about ourselves and our world, and they can be supportive or not, re- gardless of our awareness of their influence.
During COVID restrictions, our daily connection with the outdoors and our natural surroundings has become significant- ly more important, and as Spring and Summer evolve, garden season begins and outdoor activities open, this will only inten- sify. We will once again be restored by the abundance of colour, the warmth of sunshine, the comfort of the sounds of song birds, the beauty of butterflies, and the smells of fresh garden scents that delight our senses. I encourage you to use these encounters with nature as a design model, to invigorate your home’s interi- or with your happy thoughts and feelings every day, by applying the power of memory association in your surroundings. As Geor- gia O’Keefe, the famous artist put it:“I found I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way — things I had no words for...”
Here’s how this works. We experience our lives through our senses — sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. We have physical and emotional feelings about these experiences that we hold in our memory, and when these feelings are triggered by one or more of our senses, with or without our conscious awareness, these feelings are relived in the present. So, we can strategically place items in our homes to invoke happy feelings. The elements of nature — fire, earth, metal, water and wood — can be embodied in their natural form, or by their colour, shape, texture, and sound. Keeping your favourite nature experiences in mind, here are some suggestions:
Infuse vitality using colour A true gift of nature, our ability to distinguish colour is life-supporting. Don’t get hung up on trends — our relationship with colour is personal and, when used with intention, it will summon our best feelings. Grounding earthy browns; life-giving sunshine yellows; nourishing greens; invigo- rating reds and oranges; calming seaside blues. And remember, 24/7 light plays with our perception of reality!
Incorporate the natural elements Fireplaces; greenery — yes, plants, and surprise!!! — despite years of abandonment, high quality faux plants are once again bringing the feeling of life back to stripped-down interiors for those who can’t manage living plants; metal wall-art trees with birds; stone, wood and glass surface materials; clay and porcelain ornaments.
Replicate nature’s patterns, shapes and textures Use fabrics, carpets, furnishings and artwork that makes you smile.
Feelings of abundance are not about the accumulation of things; they are about the satisfaction of living in harmony and joy with those things that make us feel good.
