The more I read and the more videos I watch about our power to heal ourselves and our families, the more it stands out to me when people use the word “environment” – we are not only what we eat, but what we breathe, what we hear, what we see; what we smell and what we touch, and all that we process around us.
Physiologically, there is the fact that all toxins get processed through the liver. Yet there is a lot that we can do to protect this vital organ and our entire body.
What measures can we take within our personal space?
- We can open windows, at least one per room, widely, when outdoor air smells fresh. If it smells cleaner than our indoor air, this is particularly important.
- When we close windows, run a good-quality air filter that supports the square footage of your space.
- We can use green cleaning products – we can make our own for pennies.
- We can stay on top of everything that accumulates germs and airborne particles without obsessing over it, just as part of the day. (Some of us need structure, and once-a-day or twice-a-day resets will maintain stability without usurping too much of our precious time.)
- We can drink clean water and install filters/water softeners where necessary, like on the shower head.
- And of course, we can consume nutrient-dense foods. If this is not your typical practice, it is best to move slowly, switching one toxic food for one healthy food until it is natural. Then pat yourself on the back and adopt another switch.
If you do these six things, you will see and feel improvements!
And just as important as our physical efforts are, we also need to consider the more subtle aspects of the environment. A Healing Home is created through both the physical environment and the subtle atmosphere – the seen and the unseen working together.
Energetically, all that our senses experience gets processed through the mind, and this affects whether we are in a relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system) or a stress response. We like to keep cortisol and adrenaline under control, and we like to tickle that vagus nerve, which triggers the body to produce acetylcholine, GABA, serotonin, oxytocin, and parasympathetic hormones that collectively:
- Lower inflammation
- Stabilize the heart’s rhythm
- Support digestion
- Improve sleep quality
- Lower blood pressure
- Support wound-healing
- Calm neural activity and reduce anxiety
- …and much more.
So what can we do in the home, energetically, to support a relaxation response?
- Choose an alternative to “the news.” Get your “news” from neighbors and community.
- Choose alternatives to high-action or violent videos, gaming!, and music. Opt for light comedy, educational series, documentaries, cooking shows, birdsong, classical music, silence (difficult for many but necessary sometimes), whatever allows you to relax.
- If you love animals, adopt a pet from your local shelter (please! not from a pet store, but from your community).
- If you live with family, practice the Love Languages – know everyone’s preferences: words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, physical touch, and receiving gifts.
- For every type of disruption in peaceful relationship dynamics, adopt a counterbalancing practice.
- Whatever your spiritual or philosophic preference, immerse yourself in it regularly – even just ten minutes a day.
These, combined with the top list, make a firm foundation for a Healing Home – atmosphere as the first medicine – which is the ultimate goal of Hearth Mysticism.
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