Imagine sitting back on a comfortable lawn chair with the sun shining brightly in the sky. Your whole body relaxes and melts into the chair as you just enjoy the moment. All of a sudden you awaken from your enjoyable moment because of a lingering smell in the air. The garbage truck has passed through your neighbourhood leaving the remnants of people's waste in the air. Your moment has been lost with just one whiff.
Your nose is a very important tool in Feng Shui. The aromas around you can depress, uplift or be neutral to you and your family. The next time you go into your home or a specific room in your house, try this little experiment. Close your eyes and go to the center of the room and just smell the air. Does the air feel old, stagnant, fresh?
Do this for at least a minute and only focus on the smells around you. Our noses are a dynamic sense that will chose the food you eat or the places you visit. How many times have you walked into a restaurant and the smell of the food entices you to sit down and eat a meal way too big? Your sense of smell is always at work. The art of Feng Shui incorporates aromas to transform a room.
Why Use Essential Oils?
Essential oils are an excellent cure to transform the chi(energy) to bring balance and harmony to your home or other physical environment. Natural essential oils can change the chi in your home for the better, while artificial or impure oils will negatively impact your home.
Smell is a very important tool in Feng Shui, as it can attract or repel. Good quality lemon oil will enliven the senses while a poor quality may cause headaches and bring toxins into your home. Choose oils that are of a high quality, to invite the best chi in your home.
Natural Essential Oil Purity Test
Place 2-3 drops of essential oil on a lotion free tissue. If a residue is left after the oil has evaporated, it is not a pure essential oil. The evaporation time for an essential oil depends on its variety.
Essential Oils Toxic to Us and the Environment
Impure essential oils are a source of indoor air pollution causing more harm than good. Petroleum-based solvents are added to some essential oils. Essentials oils are to improve the chi in the home not negatively impact the air in your home. Buy oils that are natural, they are worth the extra costs.
Common Essential Oils
1.Lavender: a relaxing smell that brings calmness to all those around. It is great to have a lavender candle burning during big family functions to keep peace and limit the amount of outbursts.
2.Lemon: an uplifting smell that brings clarity. Great to use when you are studying. Also excellent to give your home a sparkling clean smell.
3.Eucylptus: a good scent during the winter season to keep colds at bay. The smell is invigorating and aids in reducing congestion.
4.Tea Tree: a great oil to be used as a disinfectant in your mop water. I also add lemon oil to get that light clean smell.
5.Fragrant flowers such as gardenias and lilacs are great for stimulating energy.
FENG SHUI ELEMENT AROMA LIST
Wood: Green :Chamomile, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Sweet Marjoram
Fire: Spicy: Sweet Basil, Clove, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Coriander
Earth: Earthy: Sage, Sandalwood, Pine, Frankincense, Cedar
Metal: Citrus: Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Tangerine, Citronella, Bergamot
Water: Floral: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Violet, Rose, Geranium
Play with the scents and identify your reactions to different smells. An uplifting smell of lilac may actually depress you because it triggers something from your past. There is no right or wrong way to incorporate smells into your home. Listen to your intuition and it will guide you.
