Declutter Your Living Space For The New Year

Do you know the type of people who are obsessed with owning every little thing which they hold on to, or the people who have very little of belongings but are slighty more zen, because they are free from all the repressed energy and mind-cluttering objects and ownings? I do know both types of those people and, as it is horrible to admit to myself, I am both.
I can be the worst procrastinator in the world when it comes to owning stuff and sorting them out. Everybody is to a point, I'm sure. And as I am spending the New Year's Eve in my fortress of tears amongst my old property and saved bills from 2013, I have serious work to do before the year has ended! Here's hoping that in 2016 I've learned to throw out the things I don't need anymore slightly faster.

   FENG SHUI IT UP: AIR AND LIGHT

Open the windows often and let the fresh oxygen in. You will sleep better in a more cooler bedroom, and in the mornings let the bedroom have some new air. Have air-purifying plants around. Natural light and air is vitally important in Feng Shui.

 

MAKE SPACE FOR NEW

 

Get rid of everything you don't actually need. Try not to just fill empty space with something less worthy. Toss out the gifts you never wanted in the first place. An emptier living space will make you a more imaginative and structured person. Feng shui is all about "what you want in life you have to create space for it". Space will allow movement and energy of Chi. If there are no space, there are nowhere to grow, and no room for anything new.

RETHINK YOUR ART 

The energy of your bedroom mirror your health and well-being, and Chi works subtly but powerfully. Try to avoid paintings or pictures of agressivity or destructiveness as they create anxiety instead of calmness. The best art at least for your bedroom would be soft, relaxing and pleasant.

 DECORATE WITH DELIGHT

After clearing out your spaces, decorate with purpose. Decorating jammed spaces are meaningless from a Feng Shui viewpoint. Beautify your surroundings with the things you absolutely love and want to look at every day and remember to leave space for ether. Decorate each room accordingly: bedroom with relaxed deco, kitchen with something fresh and green, and the office with innovation and with the things that will put you in a working mode.

 By: Johanna

Ethical Pampering for New Year's Home Spa

Hello! 

It’s almost time to welcome in the New Year. So I'm reflecting the year gone by and focusing my energies in appreciating what this year has allowed me to learn and experience. And in this mood of thankfulness, cheer and joy what better time is there to pamper yourself in an ethical and organic way that allows you to take in the new year with fresh perspective and a calm sense of relaxing joy and good vibes.

Here’s an easy way to pamper yourself with nature's remedies and ethical skincare products that will leave you feeling great. DIY HOME SPA.

If at all possible, enjoy the benefits of SAUNA and a sauna-whisk called vihta or vasta, which is a bouquet of small birch branches that you massage your skin with by gently hitting yourself while bathing in the sauna. Sounds brutal but I assure you it relaxes the body and soothes the mind. Sauna-whisking helps remove impurities and dirt from the skin. It stimulates the skin's blood circulation while relaxing the muscles and softening the skin. If you can’t get a hold of a VASTA you can wash your hair using Mádara’s vegan organic shampoo to experience a beautiful forest-like aroma therapy sensation while cleaning your hair. Another way to do that is to add a few drops of birch sauna scent to your sauna water bucket and enjoy the aromatic experience. 

Cleanse your skin with ethical and organic skincare products. My favorites at the moment are Mádara’s CLOUDBERRY OAT MILK hand and body soap, COCOA BUTTER shower cream by  The Body Shop and BLACKBERRY WHITE CLAY clarifying face soap by Mádara. When I'm using organic and ethical products, my skin gets the best ingredients without any added harmful chemicals.

cinnamon, indian sugar and honey

Next, allow your skin to absorb nutrients from a FACE MASK using organic and ethical (in my case 100 % Fair trade certificated) honey. Mix three teaspoons of raw honey and half a teaspoon of cinnamon together and apply to your face. You can also use sugar (I use Indian sugar) or coffee grounds instead of cinnamon.

Leave the mask on for 10-30 minutes before washing it off. HYDRATE. Enjoy a glass of cucumber or lemon water, or as I did, a cup of warm Chaga mushroom superfood drink with mint and rose hip by Four Sigma Foods to build up your immunity. 

After you've washed off your DIY organic face mask it’s important to moisturize your skin properly. I recommend using Jojoba oil as your day or overnight facial moisturizer. Use 5-7 drops on your skin as a daytime moisturizer and a little more for overnight mask. If using natural oils on your skin as a moisturizer is a step too far from your comfort zone, use natural and organic cosmetics like Dr. Hauschka. For my combination skin I use Dr. Hauschka’s Melissa day dream to calm, hydrate and balance my complexion. 

And after you've pampered yourself, take some time to meditate and strech lighty, and enjoy the relaxation. Now you're ready to take in the New Year with love, patience, generosity, compassion and forgiveness. 

 By: Jenna