Having your family at home more than ever can be a wonderful gift but it can be trying at times. Differing personalities and preferences can crop up, and we can be left wishing for ways to bring more harmony to our home. Enter essential oils, feng shui, and the power of gratitude! Use these easy tips to infuse your home with cooperation and lightness.
1. Aromatherapy for Harmony
Create an essential oils blend to start the day off with a scent that induces happiness. Use this spray to create a feeling of joy and a lighter more receptive mood in your home.
Family Happiness Linen and Room Spray
4 ounces of spring water
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops tangerine essential oil
10 drops bergamot essential oil
10 drops ginger essential oil
10 drops rose essential oil
10 drops ylang ylang essential oil
10 drops geranium essential oil
10 drops jasmine essential oil
10 drops chamomile essential oil (be sure to choose a light colored variety, not blue to prevent staining)
Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle. Close, then shake vigorously before each use. Spritz on your throw pillows, blankets, or tablecloths or placemats in the kitchen. Always be sure to get therapeutic grade oils because you can even spray them on your skin – this combination of oils is incredibly uplifting and can also be used in a diffuser in common areas of the home. I always recommend organic brands – much better for your health and the environment. If you don’t have a diffuser you can also simmer a pot of spring water on the stove and add these oils to harmonize your kitchen environment.
2. Optimize Your Family Gua
Feng Shui is an ancient art that has been practiced since at least 3700 BC. The core of using feng shui to better your life revolves around the bagua. We use the bagua to move the chi or energy around the house in the most optimal way. Each area of the home is called a gua (pronounced gwa). There are nine guas in the bagua and each one governs a different area of our lives. Each gua has colors, numbers, elements and much more associated with it.
To figure out how to fit the bagua over your home start by lining up your front door on the main floor with the bottom of the octagon/bagua. That means that it would either align with the career, helpful people, or skills and knowledge area. Some homes may have a missing piece or an additional jutting area of the home that lies outside of the bagua. If you have a missing piece, like for example part of your prosperity area is missing, you can use extra prosperity cures in the closest area to still enhance the chi toward prosperity. Feng shui works because your intention is strong. You can do it!
Today focus on the family section of the house. Add cures to the section to affirm the energy you want there. These can include pictures of your family at happy and harmonious moments, green items, healthy tall plants, columnar items, wood items, vertical items, things in groups of four. For example, four green placemats, or four wooden bud vases. Place your cures with intention. State something like, “My family is happy and harmonious,” as you place each cure.
3. Gratitude Dinner Night
Have a weekly gratitude dinner night. At the beginning of each dinner invite everyone in the family to share three things for which they feel grateful. This sets the tone for a positive dinner and reminds us all of what is truly important. Make this super low pressure and invite everyone to take turns and be kind and respectful. After each person shares, if you are facilitating the sharing you can say something neutral like, “Thank you for sharing.” If you praise the statement try to make sure you praise all family members in equal quantity.
I hope that you help your family during these times to find gratitude and live in harmony together.