Saturday, June 28, 2008

setting the intention

ive been giving a fair amount of thought to intentions, lately. intentions are powerful things - properly focused, they are prayer with punch. a prayer, as far as i can tell, is something you ask for, then allow for the will of the divine to work. an intention adds an element, at least for me, of MY will into the mix. it represents a conscious joining of my Self with the Divine Flow.

not just thy will, but mine, as well, be done, so to speak.

and so, as i've been clearing and decluttering and simplifying (three big garbage bags filled today, in fact) i've been giving thought to my intention, to what sort of home i wish to create, to the idea of our home as an entity of its own, to what sorts of energies i wish to call to me, and what kinds i wish to release.

i've been trying to think of six adjectives i'd like my home to evoke. so far, i've come up with warm, welcoming and comforting. Beloved has suggested eclectic, colorful and spiritually-awakening. i like the last, but find eclectic and colorful too verging on chaos for me.

so what about you, gentle reader? what six adjectives would you use to express your home's chi - for lack of a better phrase - and would you care to share?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, Annie... I live (by choice) about 99.9% of my life in solitude, and my home's ambience co-creates and supports the goals of my life. I've taken great care to make my home and garden peaceful; calming; filled with light and color in an artful, not random, manner; cozy but in a sparse, uncluttered, contemporary way to match the house itself. It is a private, safe haven, a shelter in every sense of the word.

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

Ah, there's a meditation for me ... THANK YOU ... I'll get back to ya ...

Stacie said...

I love clearing and decluttering! I do it all the time.

I definitely found your home to be warm, welcoming and inviting. And definitely eclectic - with Don's abstract art, the gemstones, all the books, the different gardens, ponds, etc. I didn't so much see it as colorful, since to me that means big, bright, bold colors, and although I can't remember what colors your house is decorated in, it seems to me they were subdued.
As for spiritually awakening, I think I'd have to spend more than 2 hours there to know that.

My friends and family describe my house as minimalist and simple. I try to keep it clean and clear and free of clutter. I like tidiness and open spaces. But it still seems like there is too much stuff in here for my liking. My ideal living space would be only the bare necessities - much like the way Henry David Thoreau kept his cabin on Walden. But since I live with other people, I have to respect their needs as well.

Stacie said...

I remembered two other adjectives people often use to describe my home - quiet and peaceful. I like those too.

So the six adjectives I'd use to describe my home's chi are clean, clear, open, inviting, quiet, and peaceful.

Unknown said...

hmmm...must give that some thought. Currently doing a major summer cleaning. I aspire to have what cynthia describes.

Martha Hughes said...

Hello Annie:

Here is my home is six adjectives:

Safe
Calm
Lively
Comfortable
Fun
Welcoming

I love concentrating on the positives of my home - it's a refuge from the outside world for me and my family.

nici said...

This is very thought-provoking; I am in the process of decluttering (yet again-- three kids makes repeated attempts necessary) but I never considered what I am trying to evoke here. So, adjectives I can come up with are: relaxing, inspiring, intriguing, soothing, creative, different. (hmm...funny...uncluttered did not come up...I wonder if it is because I suspect that will never happen?)

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

Nice engaging blog BTW!

I missed ya! Almost called. They said, "none to worry." So, I didn't. :)

Kim said...

I've been pondering your question all night. I will ponder some more to come up with six. I'm constantly decluttering and simplifying. It is hard with a houseful and paper that seems to breed but... When people walk through my doors I want them to feel comfortable, welcome, safe and at home. At home in the sense that some houses are so clean and sterile that it is more like a museum than a lived in home. I also want them to be well fed through my love of cooking taking into account guests likes and dislikes.