Linda Varone | Nurturing Spaces Feng Shui

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Feng Shui and The Ergonomic Equation (with apologies to Albert Einstein)

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Feng Shui is about creating spaces that harmonize body, mind and spirit. Borrowing from the science of ergonomics in the service of physical harmony is fine. Sitting at a desk or computer for long hours is very fatiguing. If your body is not in natural, supported alignment you can experience back pain, stiff muscles, headache and eye strain.

A simple way to adjust your workspace for your best ergonomics is:  E² = MCK 

image of person sitting at desk in good ergonomic alignment
3 simple changes can improve your comfort when working

Ergonomic Equation = Monitor (or laptop screen), Chair, and Keyboard.

Starting from the ground up:

1. Chair

A $1500 status chair, all by itself, is not the solution to back problems. To prevent leg cramps and low back pain:

  • Your chair should allow your feet to rest flat on the floor,
  • With your ankles, knees and hips at approximately 90º or right angles.
  • The chair seat should be shallow enough for your feet to be flat on the floor while your back is supported.
  • It should be deep enough to support your thighs without the seat edge pressing into the back of your knees.
  • A chair on wheels with a five-point base is the safest.
  • Is there enough firm cushioning to feel comfortable?

And while you are adjusting your chair for optimum comfort, this is a good time to clear out the jumble underneath your desk and make room for your feet.

2. Keyboard

To avoid having your shoulders hunched while you work (a major source of muscle tension):

  • Your keyboard should be at a level that allows your shoulders to relax and your elbows bend at a 90º angle.
  • For most people this means an articulating keyboard tray or adjustable keyboard stand. A keyboard drawer may not provide you with the adjustable height that fits you.
  • If you work with a laptop, you may need a standard keyboard that you connect to your laptop.  The keyboard tray should be wide enough to hold your computer mouse and allow you to maneuver it easily.

3. Monitor or Laptop Screen

To avoid neck pain and headaches:

  • Have your computer screen adjusted so your head is balanced and not thrust forward.
  • Ergonomic engineers recommend the top of the computer screen be on the same level as your eyes when you are seated at your desk and looking straight ahead. The center of the screen should be 15º below that and the bottom of the screen should be 30º below eye level.
  • This allows for a slightly downward gaze that is less fatiguing for your eyes and can minimize dry eyes – because your eyes are not wide open.
  • This means your computer screen should be 3-4 or more inches above your desk.
  • You may require an adjustable monitor or laptop stand or simply a box, phone book or ream of paper to elevate your computer screen.
  • If you are short when seated or wear bi-focals, you may not need to elevate your computer screen.
  • The screen itself should be about an arm’s length from where you are sitting.
  • If you find yourself squinting or leaning forward or back to see better, you might want to use the often overlooked “zoom” function on your computer’s tool bar and adjust the font size to one that is easy to read.
  • Avoid positioning your computer screen or keyboard at an angle from where you sit.  A twisting sitting position is a set up for back problems. Have your computer screen and keyboard aligned right in front of you.

Chair, Keyboard and Monitor are the 3 components of Easy Ergonomics

Click here to learn more about office comfort and productivity

What  comfort challenges do you have when working?  Have you discovered solutions? Please share!

Feng Shui Holiday Happiness: Healthy Relationships

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The holiday season gets more busy and stressful every year. Marketers want you to believe money can buy happiness, if not your own happiness then the happiness of your loved ones.

“…luxury is not a requirement for well-being… I am convinced that healthy relationships are the real ‘stuff’ of human happiness.”– James A Roberts, author of “Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don’t Have in Search of Happiness We Can’t Buy”

I came across this quote in a book review. It couldn’t be more timely. Healthy relationships are the stuff of human happiness.

Make the time and create the space to connect with the friends and family you love most

  • Carve out time for a quiet cup of hot cocoa and real connection.
  • Steal time from the big festivities and share an enjoyable afternoon or at-home evening with your immediate family or “family of friends.”

In the spirit of the holidays and to help you strengthen your bonds of affection with the people you love, here are links to 3 articles to help you de-stress and have more fun:

Feng Shui and Make a Merry Christmas – with a recipe for Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies

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“ You don’t have a merry Christmas, you make a merry Christmas.”– Nikki Giovanni, Poet

I read this 30-plus years ago and it popped into my head last week. Happiness cannot be bought, but it can be shared.

This holiday season, slow down and simplify. Focus on people instead of things. Let your “gifts” be the remembering and recognition of your blessings. It’s all in the right attitude. Make yourself a Thankful Christmas and you will have a Merry Christmas – and Hanukah and Kwanza.

(I hope this red nose was PhotoShopped-in.)

Happiness May be Contagious

A recent medical study published in the British Journal of Medicine demonstrates that happiness is contagious. Happiness has a ripple effect and can affect people of up to three degrees of separation – that is one’s friends’ friends’ friends.  Other’s happiness positively affects you, but unhappy friends do not diminish the effect of happy friends. This effect is seen across all types of social ties. The effect diminishes over time, it needs to be replenished. The actual cause of this effect is not known. We can leave it to neuroscience and metaphysics to work this out. Perhaps there is Happiness Chi?  The bottom line: Share your happiness and it will come back to you.

Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

My Holiday gift to you is a recipe for my all time favorite and easiest brownie recipe – “Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies” – yes, THE Katharine Hepburn. She was a self-confessed chocoholic. Every time I make these, people ask for the recipe.  Mix everything in a sauce pan and dump it into a square pan, bake and you are done – just a few dishes to wash. Didn’t I say simplify?

“Hepburn’s Brownies”

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate (If you have Guittard or Giradelli chocolate, it will be even better.)

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 c sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

1/4 c flour

¼ tsp salt

1 c chopped walnuts [can be omitted with no decrease in deliciousness]

“First melt two squares of unsweetened chocolate and 1 stick of unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of sugar. Add 2 eggs along with ½ tsp vanilla and beat like mad. Stir in ¼ cup of flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and a cup of chopped walnuts – not smashed up, you know, but just chopped into fairly good sized pieces.”

“Now mix all that up. Then you butter a square tin (8×8 inches) and dump the whole thing quickly into the pan. Stuff this pan into a preheated 325 degree oven for 30-40 minutes [test with a toothpick for doneness]  After that take out the pan and let it cool for awhile, then cut into 1 ½ inch squares and dive right in.”

I can hear Katharine Hepburn’s voice in my ear whenever I am making this.  Personally I let my ½ tsp measuring spoon of vanilla overflow a bit. And I cut the brownies into nine good size squares of chocolate fudgy delight. Let the endorphins in the chocolate do their work.

photo by Aussie Gal

Feng Shui Simplicity, Thanksgiving Greeting Cards and the Madness of the Season: How to Opt-Out

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I just saw an ad for Hallmark Thanksgiving cards. At first I thought it was a typo, so I Googled it and according to Hallmark, Inc. 17 million Thanksgiving cards are sent each year: 63% are given to family and 23% go to friends. This years’ selection includes audio cards with “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, and the NFL “Heavy Action” theme.

Thanksgiving Greeting Cards
Do you want to add Thanksgiving greeting cards to your holiday frenzy?

What happened to getting together with family and friends for a wonderful meal, connection with each other, and a chance to count our blessings?  The media and the marketplace are saying that is not enough. You must serve a gargantuan meal, preceded by plenty of snacks to eat while the turkey is in the oven. All so we can eat ourselves to the point of feeling ill. But wait, there is more!

Not only do you have to cook a gourmet meal, you have to clean the house to spotlessness and then decorate it. Your dining table and coffee table and mantelpiece must be festooned with seasonal garlands and candles and figurines.

Now Hallmark, Inc is just one of thousands of companies that want you to do more and spend more for this once quiet holiday. You have a choice. You do not have to get caught up in this madness.

You want to make connection with family and friends the focus of the day/weekend. Make the meal and the day simpler for you. Take the pressure off yourself and Keep it Simple.

Clean your house, yes, but it does not have to be perfect. Martha Stewart will not be making a personal inspection of your home.

Make Thanksgiving a pot-luck meal. Simplify your menu and ask people to bring side dishes and desserts. If Uncle Stanley absolutely must have a particular dish, then he, or his wife Aunt Millie, can bring it. Just let everyone know in advance your kitchen is only available for pot luck warm up, not for food preparation. Share the culinary glory and the work.

Simplify your decorations. If you have grandchildren or nieces and nephews – ask them to bring the decorations. A hand-print turkey or drawing of the Pilgrims and the Indians is the best decoration. A few well placed candles – on your dining table and/or mantel – can add to the coziness of the occasion. If you have little ones running around, then forget the candles. Simply pull out the kitschy turkey salt and pepper shakers you got years ago and leave it at that. Remember, décor is to support a feeling of warmth and fond memories, not to create a “Wow reaction.”

Whether you have a family you truly enjoy or one that you can only tolerate, give yourself some time away from all the people and activity. Go for a walk before or after the meal; or the day after. Find a quiet corner to read, or take a nap – you deserve it.

The focus is connection with those you love. This is not a competition. The perfect food and the perfect décor will not make this a perfect holiday. You are not responsible for the happiness of others. We all make our own happiness. Take care of yourself: “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” (I say this because most of my readers are women. But this applies to men too.)

And remember – after Thanksgiving you have only 29 days until the next blow-out holiday extravaganza: Christmas! And, only six days until the first day of Chanukah. More on that in next month’s news letter.

Now I will step-down from my soap-box. 😉

Have a Happy and Sane Thanksgiving!

Feng Shui Holiday Spirit: Give Experiences Instead of “Stuff” This Holiday Season

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Stuck in Back Bay traffic last week, (it was the Speedo Santa 5K Run – don’t ask) I saw a sign on a church “Live the Gift”, which I misread as “Give Life.”  This is what I have been thinking during this hyped holiday shopping season. This time of year all the joy of the season gets trampled by the frenzy of shopping, holiday performances and obligatory social events. Instead of fighting the crowds at the mall give experiences that can be renewed during the doldrums of January and February. “Give Life” Experiences, they make the best memories. Sometimes it is good to have mild dyslexia.

“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” – Cesare Pavese

hot cocoa with marshmallows makes the best memories

Hot cocoa makes the best memories

The most powerful moments are the shared simple ones, not the big bang of going to Disney World or on a cruise. Instead of “stuff” that too quickly becomes clutter or big events that become endurance trials, give those you love the gift of you, your time and attention.

Write out a “gift certificate” or coupon with your gift written out. You can include a copy of the cookie or pizza recipe, a mini candy cane, a list of videos, a copy of the book to be read together, or a map of the hike path (even hand drawn is great). Include a date for the shared time together or at least an expiration date and follow-up to make time together, soon.

Here are some ideas for memorable shared moments:

  • Making cookies or pizza together in the kitchen
  • Bird watching or a hike together in the woods
  • Spend an afternoon at your local museum or historical site.
  • Snow is for more than shoveling – build a snowman or have a snowball fight.
  • Have REAL hot cocoa (not from a mix) with peppermint sticks or mini-marshmallows to warm up with afterward.
  • Find a hill and sled down – if you don’t have a snow sled or saucer improvise with a plastic trash can lid or a big piece of corrugated cardboard. Improvising adds to the fun and memories.
  • Read aloud from a favorite book – Harry Potter or Little Women can fill many a cold and dreary afternoon or evening.
  • Purchase admission to a class or lecture on a topic of interest that you share with a friend or family member. Go together, learn and have great fun.
  • Rent or borrow from the library some great classic videos and enjoy with homemade popcorn. Add grated parmesan cheese and/or cayenne pepper to your hot popcorn.
  • Have tea/coffee and chat with a good friend at a pastry shop or at your place. (It is OK to buy your delicacies rather than make from scratch.) The main thing is relaxed time together with your friend to catch-up.

What do you do to create shared moments with family and friends? The goal is connection with the people who are important to you, not a perfect event.

photo by gail at the pink peppercorn

Stress-Reducing Lighting for Your Office

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Your office space has a direct impact on focus and productivity.  Learn simple changes that make a profound effect on how you feel and function in your work place. Bring some LIIFE into your office for big impact using lighting, plants and workflow organization.

LIIFE is Lighting, Information flow, Inspiration, Feng Shui, and Elements of Nature.

Lighting

Work is stressful enough. No one needs to have their work environment add to this. A client of mine was troubled by severe migraines at work. We set her up with lamps with incandescent bulbs and minimized the overhead fluorescents. Her migraines disappeared.

Two lamps on a desk
Light your work space wisely

If you are working under acres of fluorescent panels or just one fixture, this can cause eye fatigue and headaches. The solution: a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. How can a simple Edison light bulb help?  Fluorescent lighting, and this includes an “energy-saver” or compact fluorescent bulb, operates by flicker. Usually you only notice it when a tube is dying.  The light flickers 60 times per second, as the fluorescent gas is “excited” by the pulsing 60 cycle per second electric current.  When fluorescent lighting was invented in the 1920’s it was thought that 60 times a second was too fast for the eye to see.  Recent research has discovered that the human eye-brain connection can see 50-80 times a second. Therefore you subconsciously “see” the flicker of the fluorescent light.

By placing a single lamp on your desk with a 60 watt incandescent bulb you will have a constant source of light on your work area, and this will counter-balance or minimize the flicker effect.  I recommend a table lamp rather than a “desk” lamp. You want a translucent shade that creates a warm pool of light on your work area.  Avoid a desk lamp with an opaque shade that creates a sharp line between light and dark on your desktop; that alone is a prescription for eye fatigue.

As a bonus, the combination of the “warm” color of incandescent light and the “cool” color of fluorescent light makes an approximation of full-spectrum light.

A simple change can have profound effects. Try this for yourself.  You will be delighted by the improvement it makes.

photo by newchaos

The Home Altar: A Place to Re-Connect to Your Spiritual Self

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An altar is a place for spiritual reflection, a focal point for remembrance or gratitude.

I often see altars of one kind or another in client’s homes. They may be as simple as a cluster of family photos, a statue or picture of a deity or religious teacher, a devotional book on a small table, or a vase of flowers. I am always touched how much these spaces mean to my clients. I would like to share some thoughts about how you can create an altar in your home or garden that reflects the deepest part of you.

Angel figurine and two candles home altar by Denise Linn

In China altars to the family gods or ancestors were often placed in the kitchen – the heart of the home. Today, it is not unusual to see an altar in a place of honor in Asian restaurants.

“…the primary function of altars and shrines has been to provide sacred and holy places amid ordinary life.”  – Denise Linn.

A wonderful book that will inspire you to explore having an altar or special place in your home is Altars: Bringing Sacred Shrines into Your Everyday Life by Denise Linn.  Denise is a woman of deep connection to heaven and earth who draws on many spiritual traditions. She is one of my favorite teachers. Her book is filled with beautiful color photos of altars and dedicated spaces and many creative ideas on how to create and use a home altar.

Denise Lin writes about “subliminal altars.” This may be a grouping of personal treasures that remind you of the people, places and events that you love most. It can be family photos, both old and new; heirlooms to remind us of where we come from and who came before us; or beautiful objects, natural and manmade, that touch our souls.

Conscious altars are for meditation or spiritual exercises. It is a sacred space in the midst of our everyday lives. It is a reminder to connect with the sacred within and around us. It is a site for celebration and manifestation. When an altar is consciously created with love and attention it can be a reminder of what we are seeking.

The objects on an altar “give form to the formless” according to Denise Linn. The images on the altar and their personal meaning are imprinted on your subconscious which has a powerful influence on our feelings. The physical objects represent a belief, idea or relationship. They touch the inner knowing, the inner spirit within us all.

When time is spent at your altar meditating, praying, lighting a candle or incense or simply touching the objects placed there, that space accumulates positive energy. Any ritual you may do at your altar connects you with all the beings, past and present, who have done similar rituals. You are not alone.

Denise Linn writes about many kinds of altars, among them are altars for healing – physically, emotionally and spiritually; life-transition altars – recognizing that life change is not a single event, but a process that needs time to unfold; and manifestation altars – a space to seek deeper clarity on your dreams. Once you have this clarity, then you can place objects and pictures on the altar that represent your wishes.

Where to put your altar?  It can be in a quiet place where you can be undisturbed. One client had her altar in an emptied closet. Another had hers in the bedroom overlooking a still lake. The altar itself can be a small table, shelf, or a desk or bureau top.

A funny thing happened on the way to finishing this article. I inspired myself!  I jumped up from my computer and rearranged some photos in my bedroom and added a few new things. Grouping together images of those I love the most and making that collection a conscious altar gives a whole new meaning to those objects for me.

Although Denise’s book Altars: Bringing Sacred Shrines into Your Everyday Life is out of print, it is available at Amazon.com.

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