Your Enlightened Environment
By: Gloria Gale

Exhausted, you slip the key into the lock, kick off your shoes, and drop your bag on the floor. It’s dark, the house is stuffy, and you could devour a dinosaur. Welcome to the transition hour - the time between shedding the workday mantle and dissolving into your sanctuary.

“Some sanctuary”, you shrug. That notion doesn’t fit the domain you’ve just entered. What should be a place of serenity suddenly resembles a bat cave; dim and dank with an uncomfortable ambiance. In order to stave off a beeline to the fridge or rifle through stacks of junk mail, a benevolent re-entry to your home is at your fingertips. Utilizing the gifts of our senses will allow us to slow down and reorder what will feel inherently good about our personal space.

We often take for granted what we smell, see, feel, hear, and taste. Starting the moment you enter your home, engaging your sense of smell is the first thing we notice. Even before the lights are clicked on, if the smell unpleasant, you will be too. Realtors routinely tip off sellers to bake cookies or simmer spices on the stove before a showing.

Think aromatherapy.
A bowl of potpourri or a quick spray of home fragrance will convey a pleasurable atmosphere. Just as a Yogi lights a favorite candle or stick of incense to increase awareness, adding good smells within your home will boost your mood.

Your eyes are open but you can’t see - through the clutter, that is.
The ancient art of Feng Shui has a strong message to create order within our personal space. Clutter is considered a definite obstacle for the positive flow of nurturing energy or ’ch’I’. Living with objects you love, instead of what you despise, enhances the life you live.

With clutter comes chaos which begets negativity.
If you aren’t inspired by all the ’stuff’ you fail to throw away, you hamper your potential for comfort and happiness. Short of sounding like your mother, get organizedÉ rid your home of clutter and you will feel energized with far more clarity.

Shed some light on your space.
Flood your rooms with natural light from unadorned windows. Squinting, even with your glasses on, means your home has poor light. You probably already know that working in a cubicle under harsh florescence turns your view a sickly green. While you may not be able to change your workday environment, at home, use soft white or pink incandescence. When you need to soothe your frazzled psyche, try candlelight, which evokes a sense of immediate calm.

Some folks enter their home and switch on the television. The chatter and drone can be annoying. Sound, like sight and smell, works on our internal radar. Gentle music is more comforting than incessant babble. Better yet, seek silence, which is often accompanied by its partnerÉ reflection.

Candles are glowing, music is wafting, and smells are simmering. You are anticipating the perfect meal. Yet suddenly there’s something very familiar albeit wrong with this picture. You are eating whilte standing up. To savor a meal is a pleasure. Why not take the time to delight in the flavors you deserve. Please sit down. Leave the haste É and delight in the taste.

As you slip into your shelter, your senses offer solutions. Hearten each and you will surround yourself with a feel-good, nurturing sanctuary.

Gloria is a local writer/photostylist primarily interested in features about the home. A native Kansas Citian, she has been writing and styling for many national decorating magazines. Gloria can be reached at: yoglosue@yahoo.com