We live inside a clockwork of rhythm and balance; the tides move in-and-out in the oceans, the moon cycles guide this flow. The moon also controls our inner emotional tidal flow; growth cycles, menstrual cycles, planting seasons, hormonal secretions – all in balance as life moves in its daily rhythm. There are other rhythmic movements that impact our personal patterns: the sun rising and setting; seasonal progressions; animal migrations; traffic patterns. Balanced systems govern our lives and health.
The dynamic pathways through which prana flows are changing
Solar storms of charged particles continuously bombard the Earth. Think microwave. Environmental challenges push the weather patterns to new and unprecedented extremes.
It is critical to balance our bodies and our homes with heightened energy challenges or we will pay the consequences.
Over-development of fragile terrain is a critical issue
Some examples: low-lying barrier islands in hurricane belts; housing tracts cut into raw, slide-prone canyons; placing buildings upon an earthquake fault or beneath an active volcano.
During these times of active climate change, we should be very careful where we live and what type of structure we live in.
We create shelter to protect us from extremes of weather
Our home’s structure and proportion create a resonant energy signature that surrounds our lives. It is the place where we eat, sleep, raise our children, make love, make noise, argue and resolve our issues, and so much more. How we design and maintain this space determines the quality of life within.
The Golden Mean
When I “feel” the energy of a building, I am sensing the shape and balance of the spaces within. Proportion is critical to balance. A key to understanding this lies in the concept of the Golden Mean. Spaces that are rectangular with multiples of 3 on the length and multiples of 2 on the width approximate the balance inherent in the Golden Mean. Spaces that are too long and narrow are better used as hallways that push/convey energy and facilitate movement from one point to another.
The shape of a space, based upon the positioning of the walls and ceilings, holds and resonates energy. We feel this as an emotional response.
The cathedral with its soaring vaulted roof is meant to humble and inspire the humans within.
We wouldn’t want to feel humble in our bedrooms. The bedroom should be proportioned to instill a sense of calm, quietude, privacy, with the first rays of the morning sun peeking through the curtains. The bedroom is a place to love and care for each other, a place for the renewal of vital force through sleep.
Your living spaces are best sized and proportioned for the activities they are meant to support.
There are remedies for spaces of incorrect proportion:
- Depending upon the proposed use of the area, we may open cluttered areas by removing walls or closets
- Cathedral ceilings that are too high can be lowered and trayed adding angular pitch to the unpitched end of a room
- Rooms that are too long can get built-ins at one or more ends to bring the proportions in closer to the magic 3 to 2 that feels so comfortable
- Kitchens that are too wide open can have islands or peninsulas built to focus the space more effectively
