The the rise of the handmade movement is no surprise— the more digitally linked we become the more the actual fades from life. In the digital space we can get so many bytes of information, so much to fill our mind, even lots of video.  What is missing is the element of touch, the viceral scent of real life, the stuff that makes for true connection.

Of course, I lean into Nature when I think of the handmade, because Nature can literally heal your life. (*more on this HERE).  There’s a reason I wish for all of you to get crafty, or to indulge in the crafty on some level, and it has everything to do with energy. 

Energy Medicine is now in the tool kit of life and work.  Energy medicine is everything from our environmental vibrations to the way we eat and breathe and move and think.  Understanding even the basics of the nine energy systems that compose all of us, and then stirring into the mix the idea that everything— everything— is energy— it should suffice to say that we need more visceral connection to life and its actual energy than we can get from iPhones, TV and digital living.

When you cook, you bring your energy and intention and emotion to food.  Some believe you can energize both food and water to make it more nourishing and sacred.  In Japan, we pray over each meal before eating it, and that’s a tradition in many different spiritual systems and religions.

The mix of wild nature and massive compounds in Malibu is the perfect mega-picture of the world we live in.  Material excess and a smattering of the Natural to remind you that you are actually living on a planet with its own rules.  When you bring more of Nature into even your material world, everything becomes so much easier,

When you have more craft in your life, you are more connected to both the story and the actual energy of the objects around you.  A handmade hat from a friend has different energy from a hat you buy at the store.  If you’ve ever been given a handmade scaft or blanket, you know that you can almost feel someone’s personality in the stitching.

The crafty, the handmade arts, the deeply touchable, the scented, the warm or cool… Visceral experiences can not replace anything in our lives.  Adding more handmade to your kitchen can help make you a more mindful, grounded cook.  More of the natural in a living room-  be it plants, flowers, pottery- will encourage unfoldng more of people’s true nature beyond the social veneers.  Potting plants in handmade pottery brings the spirit of the Earth where these plants were born and should be into its rightful place.

More of the Natural and handmade is essential for all of life.  If we move to far into cyber-life we miss real life, the life that lights up all the feel-good centers of the brain.  Whether you learn a craft, collect from local artisans or dust off some heirlooms, I hope you have more and more touchable, feel-able, experiential greatness surrounding you.  Crafty awesomeness for a balanced, centered and creative life.  xoxo Dana

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And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101.  Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks.  It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do.  Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow.   Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE…   And, as always, please let me know what happens!