12 Tips for Creating a Healthful Home
(according to Feng Shui principles)

By Donna Stellhorn

This year is the Year of the Earth Ox, a time of getting back to basics, of honoring the earth and for creating a home that supports and nurtures you. Here are my top twelve tips for creating a healthful home, one for each month of the year.

1. Clear out the clutter. Clutter accumulates for emotional reasons more often than for lack of space. We are bombarded by messages to shop, we feel a need to have things around us, we nest, we collect and we horde. But to create change quickly nothing works as well as removing the clutter. Start with your bedroom (your sanctuary for recuperation) and then move to your private bath (where we take care of our bodies) and do the kitchen as well (where we prepare food to nurture ourselves). If you can get to the rest of the house that’s great but if not try to tackle these three areas.

2. Add real plants. Plastic and silk plants don’t give off any energy, and dried plants (except for dried herbs) just collect dust. Real plants give off oxygen and energy and help you heal. Plants can be added to any room and if you are not so good with plants choose cheap, easy to grow plants and replace them if they die.

3. Change the color scheme in the bedroom. Earth tones and greens support health where pinks and purples as more spiritual colors do nothing to help the physical body. Change out the bedspread, sheets and if you are feeling ambitious paint the room with eco-friendly, low-fume paint. Paint will help clear negativity from a room that may have accumulated during a long illness.

4. Anchor the center of the house. The health area of the house is in the center and it’s corresponding element is earth. So by adding something made of earth, such as a terra cotta pot, a piece of granite or an opaque crystal, you are activating the energy of the health sector of the house.

5. Place a rosemary plant in the kitchen. Herbs were the source of medication and healing for our ancestors and rosemary in particular is a very healing herb. Rosemary was also used in ancient times to aid memory, protect a house from thieves and help a person feel young. Rosemary usually grows well inside for a few months and then in the Spring take it outside where it can bloom and grow strong.

6. Rearrange your frig. You have probably heard me say this before but take your vegetables out of the veggie bin and put them at eye level in the frig. Then take all the sodas, cakes, and other less healthy items and put those in the bin (the veggie one or the trash one). We tend to reach for what is at eye level, and we if can see the bright colors of the vegetables we are more likely to grab those. And we often forget what is at the bottom of a frig in a closed up drawer.

7. Keep your private bath sparkling. The condition of your bathroom represents how you feel about yourself. A sloppy bathroom means you are not taking the time or effort to take care of yourself. So regularly spruce up your bath so it smells clean and the mirrors and faucets shine. When you take care of the house the house will take care of you.

8. Get new PJ’s. If you are lying down in old pink pajamas, torn T-shirts or grey, dingy sweats then it’s time to give yourself a new set jammies that is comfortable and attractive. When we sleep we are at our most vulnerable. PJ’s that are in a healthful color and a comfortable fabric will help guard your energy while you sleep.

9) Get rid of mold. If there is mold in your house it must be dealt with. If you suspect there is mold then have a professional come in and inspect. Mold can be very dangerous especially when you are trying to recover your strength and balance your health. Yes, it can be costly if mold has really taken hold in a house however there are some home remedies that can be found online if there is just surface mold.

10) Move your bed to a solid wall. Sleeping under a window is said to cause sinus problems but more importantly by moving the head of your bed to a solid wall you will receive more support from the people who live with you and your family.

11) Meditate and draw in energy from the Universe. Take a few minutes each day and sit comfortably with your feet on the floor. Ground yourself (you will feel like your feet are heavy or that they are sinking into the floor). Then connect yourself to the Universe (you will feel like you are growing taller and the top of your head may tingle). Then visualize a beam of energy showering down on you. It maybe gold sparkling light, of a waterfall of white light, or the light touch of a divine hand. As the energy comes in, your shoulders will relax and you will inhale deeply. Hold that position for a few moments and then thank the Powers That Be for the gift of energy. This can be done several times a day if you like.

12) And finally, in honor of the Year of the Earth Ox who is hard working and practical, give up one bad habit. Give up smoking or sugar, or cut back on TV. Give up something for a week and if you can, a month or even a year. Replace it with something healthy that makes you happy. The energy of this Ox year is if we do the hard thing now life will be easier and better later.