(via)

When you are energized, feel powerful and flow with your instinct, things seem to fall into place quite nicely.  After a long week, a crazy spell of drama or even a series of small but incisive blows from life, exhaustion, stress and even anxiety creeps in.  Suddenly, those easy-to-make decisions and that “flow” don’t feel as “flowing.”  Its time to rebalance your personal “center”.

Lately I have been studying and applying the ways that our body energy centers (often called chakras) relate to ones environment.  This bit of experimental research has made me acutely aware of how certain emotional issues could “unravel” if new habits, colors, scents and even foods were introduced to life to help create that internal balance.  Its an extra layer to feng shui, and one that I am excited to explore. *

So, lets look at where the our energy, determination and will-power are grounded in our bodies.  the third chakra- or navel chakra- is located in the area right above the belly button. We call intuition  it “our gut instinct” for a reason.   We actually have another “brain” in our stomach (this article from Psychology Today breaks down how our stomach is connected to our neurology, the gut/brain connection) that affects us at our core. If our gut is not in tune, not only will we not be able to make intuitive decisions with ease… we’ll also lack energy and might have poor digestion.

Given all this compelling information, there are a few basics to “balancing” this 3rd Chakra that may just help to restore energy, balance and joy when things go awry and you stop trusting yourself and start feeling run down.

(via the amazing Tabletonic!)

The color yellow.  It resonates with overall heath in feng shui, and it relates to the center of every room and the center of your home.  Yellow is a sunny color and can help you feel uplifted and joyous, substantive and warm.

Yellow stones and gems like citrine.  I like them for their sparkle as well as their golden radiance borne of the earth.

(turmeric via)

Spicy food can help to “warm up” your digestion and add fire to your elemental constitution.  There are many “warm” spices (think ginger, cinnamon) that are anti-inflammatory in your body, essentially helping to calm down the inflammation caused by stress. (more on warm spices HERE)

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Follow your bliss!  When you stop the rollercoaster of stress you will access more joy. Sleep in for a day?  Grab a few books to feed your interests?  Do things you enjoy doing, rather than doing only things you “have to do.”

*Note: My disclaimer abounds when talking about the body- I am not a doctor of any kind.  All of what I write about and use in practice of refreshing homes and lives has nothing to do with medicine nor am I making medical claims.  I personally apply all of this to my own life and pass it on because I have found it useful for me.  & I hope for you too!

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