What can we do to energize ourselves after a hard day’s work?
Our daily lives are filled with all kinds of stress, whether it is work or relationship related. Therefore, it’s necessary to be able to re-energize when we get home. Our homes reflect who we are. This can be seen through our furniture, the images we hang on the wall, the objects we use as decor and all our belongings. Each object is a form of energy, just as each emotion is a form of energy.
Let’s first look at the form of energy that affects us most, which is our home. Should all homes be zen retreats and have a peaceful feeling so one can feel rejuvenated? My answer is no. We are not trying to create a mold for everyone to follow. What is best for energizing each individual is something very personal. This is because all of us have different lives and different circumstances.
For those working administrative jobs in very low key, quiet offices, may wish to have a lot of stimulation at home. On the other hand, people with jobs in a very busy, creative environment, with hours of customer contact may wish for a quiet, serene space when alone. Maybe your private time is centered around your family, so your home is a warm and inviting place for your kids and their friends. Or maybe it’s just a place where you sleep as you don’t like to cook. Everyone is different. Ask yourself this question: What are my priorities when at home? What do I want my home to be? How can the space help me re-energize?
The important thing is balance. In feng shui teachings, everything thing and situation has a yin-yang balance and often it is not equal. The more balanced it is, the more energy we have. When we are young, we have more energy to “work hard and play hard”. I remember those younger days when I would go, go, go for days and then sleep for days. My sons are doing the exact same thing today! But as we get older, our priorities change and our bodies change. We need time to reflect and meditate. See, it’s all about balance. When our lifestyle is balanced, we feel good and when we feel good we have more energy!
Now, let’s look at emotion as a form of energy. The easiest way to check our own level of energy at that given moment is to check our breathing patterns. When our emotions change, our breathing changes.
Imagine you are angry. What happens to your physical body? Your chest and nostrils inflate, blood rushes to your head and your breathing becomes hard and heavy. Now, imagine when you are sad or even crying. Your shoulders droop, your head drops, your body bends over and your breathing becomes shallow and irregular. These are extreme examples, so it’s easier to recognize the differences. In our daily lives, the changes are more subtle, yet they do exist and the first step for us, is to be aware and recognize that our breathing patterns do change. The next step is to find a way to balance our breathing.
How do we balance our breathing patterns? There are many forms of meditation that center around breathing. I’ve tried many different practices and while some recommend breathing by expanding your chest, others recommend focusing on your stomach. Sometimes when we try too hard to concentrate on “breathing correctly” we don’t even breathe and end up holding our breath! Not much help to meditate! So, the easiest way I found was to just concentrate on exhaling. Don’t worry about the inhaling, just exhale and you will automatically inhale!
Just practice exhaling with even breaths. Do this around ten times, or even a few minutes if allowed, keeping an even pace. Practice this throughout the day to help balance your energy levels. Also, in feng shui my master says we exert energy through our eyes, so if possible, remember to close your eyes and take a few minutes to regulate your breathing by just concentrating on exhaling. This should make you feel more relaxed and balance and therefore, energized!
So first, work on the form of your home so it balances your lifestyle and then learn to balance your emotions through simple breathing exercises. To more energy! Have a great day!
photo: Lisa Omarali
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