INTERIOR ALIGNMENT E-NEWSLETTER

Gifting and Sharing

Spring 2005

The following articles and tips are from Certified Interior Alignment Practitioners. 

Interior Alignment Feng Shui

by Minnie Kansman, MTIA, Interior Alignment Foundation Council 

There is a growing movement throughout the field of Feng Shui, and it is called Interior Alignment. Denise Linn, internationally acclaimed author of Sacred Space and Feng Shui for your Soul, founded this dynamic school of feng shui in 1994. She has recently graduated 56 Master Teachers to carry on her worldwide trainings.  Interior Alignment incorporates you as an individual, devising and molding personal adjustments with it's entire focus on the uniqueness of each client.

A consultation begins with Interior Alignment’s greatest ally, the Synchro-Alignment Meditation. During this meditation, it is discovered what you wish to manifest in your life, and also how your living space is reflecting that back to you. For example, you may be hoping for more wealth to come flowing through your doors, yet the wealth area of your home is filled with clutter and debris. We all know clutter represents stuck Chi or life force. Synchro-alignment would ask, what does this clutter mean to you? Is there a place in your life that perhaps you are dragging your heals, instead of moving forward? Do you feel “stuck” in the present job you are in, longing for a more satisfying career?  Is there a way this clutter is serving you? Knowing the answers to these personal questions, helps you to understand the “why” of the clutter, and enables you to move forward with conviction.

 I recently had a client whose office was in the Wealth area of her home. From outside appearances everything looked in perfect order. Once into the Syncro-alignment meditation it was revealed that she was pedaling like crazy under the surface. She reluctantly confessed every drawer and closet in that office was filled with mountains of unknown papers and files. Her business was growing, yet she had no clue how to keep it organized, or how to turn a profit. The room felt out of control to her, though by looking at it you would have never know her secret. This is also how my client felt about her life, she was making a good appearance, but beneath it all she wasn’t feeling as calm as she looked.

When I asked what the hidden clutter represented to her, she said, “I have never really taken my business seriously, I have always just played with the idea of being a business owner.” 

The clutter represented to her a laissez-faire approach to her career. She wanted be more serious about her work, and so has decided to clean out every file and shelf, to create an office that supports her dream of running a more professional business. Through Synchro-Alignment she discovered the personal energy motivator that will help her accomplish this goal.

 Interior Alignment believes a space and those who inhabit that space are reflections for one another. So what is your home or office communicating about you? Take some time to listen and meditate with it, there is much to be revealed.

Minnie Kansman is a Master Teacher and Practitioner of Interior Alignment. She can be reached at her business Eco~Balance Humanity in Harmony with Nature at 616 897 5340 or balance@altelco.com


Spring Cleaning With Intent

by Deborah Redfern, MTIA

 I don't know about you, but I don't naturally whistle while I work, especially doing those repetitive tasks like washing dishes and sweeping floors. This is a pity, because simply put, cleaning shifts energy. It has an uplifting effect, making each room sparkle. I found myself thinking that since house cleaning on its own shifts energy, cleaning with Intent would have even more powerful effects. I put my theory to the test and found some simple and effective suggestions to make spring cleaning not only more meaningful, but more enjoyable.

 1. Set your Intent while you clean. Take some time to consider your Life Vision and hold that thought as you go about cleaning. To set your Intent, hold a vision of how you want your life to be. That vision might be a home that exudes love and harmony. Or perhaps you want your home to be a creative sanctuary. When you clean with your Life Vision firmly in mind the energy this creates actually goes into your living space. 

2.  While you clean, try using these affirmations, or write some of your own. 

 With each window I clean, my inner vision becomes more clear and focused.  

As I polish and dust my furniture I give thanks for the blessings in my life.

As I wash my dishes I let go of any self-limiting thoughts.

As I sweep the floors, I affirm that this work creates a sanctuary for all who enter this house.

 

3.  Use imagery to psychically clean your house.  For instance, imagine a column of pure white light from the sun (moon, stars) that comes shining through your roof and fills your home until it glows. Imagine this cleansing, renewing and healing light pouring in until you can sense a shift in the energy. 

 

4.  While you clean, invite the healing forces of the four elements into your home – air, water, fire and earth. Not only will it help you clean your home, but it has a powerful cleansing and renewing affect on your body, mind and soul.

 

Air (Sound and Scent) Did you know that sound waves pass through physical forms and change the vibrational frequency of your home? As you clean, choose music to suit the mood and make your task lighter and mood brighter. Especially effective are recorded bird song; classical and baroque music such as Bach, Mozart, and Brahms; and human voice such as Gregorian chant. For scent, try aromatherapy. I have included some recipes at the end to show you how you can make your own natural cleaning products using essential oils.  

 

Water.  Water is essential for our survival. It is obvious that we use water when we clean, but how often do we take it for granted? To give water its rightful respect, consider making 'special' water. Pour a pitcher of water and send it prayers. Add a few drops of flower essences (such as Bach Flower Remedies), or environmental essences to create elixirs with healing properties. Ceremoniously drink the water, or use in it in special cleaning rituals. However do not use essential oils in water for drinking purposes since some are toxic.

 

Fire.  The main source of fire in our lives is sun, and the sun governs the cycles of nature and the changing of seasons. Spring was historically the logical time to clean because in days past, homes were heated by coal or wood and by the end of winter they were coated with smoke and grime. Spring brought warmer weather when the hearth fire could go out and everything in the home given a thorough cleaning. Still today, the associations of spring and spring cleaning bring a sense of renewal and new beginnings for many of us.

 

Earth.  The energy of Earth provides us with an important source of belonging and grounding. I believe it anchors the energy of the other elements. To work with the energy of the earth in your home, try a salt ritual. Salt is cleansing and grounding, and believed to have the ability to neutralize negative energy. To begin, toss sea salt around the room on the floor, especially in the corners. Leave to sit for several hours or overnight and then sweep or vacuum it up.

 

Smudging

Aromatic plants can also be used to shift energy. The Native American space clearing technique of smudging uses aromatic herbs that are lit and allowed to smoke. This is done to remove negative energy fields around people, or to clear undesirable vibrations out of homes, to promote health and to give a blessing. Different dried herbs and plants are used such as sage, tobacco, cedar, juniper, lavender, sweet grass, pinon, red willow and mesquite. The herbs are bundled and tied (called a smudge stick), or braided in the case of sweetgrass, or they can be used loose. The smudge is lit and as the herbs begin to flame brightly, the fire is blown out and the smoldering end is blown on gently to encourage the herbs to smoke. The smoke is brushed all over the body, front and back, with your hand or sometimes with a feather. You can pass the smoke over yourself or have a friend do it. You can then proceed to clear your entire house by brushing the smoke around the parameter of the room, paying special attention to corners. Needless to say you should always use a heat proof dish to hold the herbs, even with a smudge stick, and make sure they are completely extinguished when you are through. Also disconnect your smoke alarm (although there may not be enough smoke to actually trigger it, it definitely breaks the mood if it does), and remember to reset the smoke detector when you are through. To smudge with Intent, hold the outcome firmly in your mind and recite (or mentally repeat) words such as “I am a sacred child of God (the Creator, the Universe)” and picture yourself and your home surrounded by golden, protective energy. 

 

Cleaning with Essential Oils

The aroma of essential oils can influence the state of mind, most notably they can reduce stress and induce relaxation. Less known perhaps is that essential oils are antiseptic and kill germs and microbes on surfaces, making them ideal for cleaning and disinfecting your home. You can use any essential oil you are particular fond of since almost all essential oils have germ killing properties, but I rarely use more than 3 different oils in a cleaning blend. You do not need to use top grade oils for cleaning purposes. Always keep in mind the general safety considerations of essential oils: keep out of reach of children, and be aware that cats and birds are very sensitive to essential oils. Do not use essential oils directly in your cat's/bird's environment. Some of my favourite cleaning blends are:       

 

  • tea tree, lemon and lavender

  • lemon, clove, and cinnamon

  • pine, eucalyptus and orange

 

Good Chi Spray

I use this as a room spray to instantly lift the energy in a room. You can also use this spray to wipe down countertops, door knobs and sink taps – or anywhere germs lurk since it is also a disinfectant, targeting airborne and surface bacteria, viruses, fungus, yeast and mold. Shake often during use.

 For a 4 oz (120 ml) water in a spray bottle add 80-100 drops of essential oils.  For a smaller bottle, adjust the number of drops of essential oils accordingly.

Bathing Beauty Tub Cleaner                                                                                                        

This is a non-abrasive cleaner for tubs, porcelain and countertops. Mix ½ cup baking soda with enough liquid detergent or soft soap to make a thick texture (like cake frosting).  Add 5-10 drops essential oil. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface and rinse.

 Deborah Redfern is a Master Teacher of Interior Alignment, a Soul Coach and owner of Estel Interior Alignment.  For more information on her practice, visit her website at www.estel.ca

Copyright © 2005 Deborah Redfern. All rights reserved.

 

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