With the arrival of spring, outdoor living is not far behind. Spring brings with it great anticipation of everything new, full of life, abundance and growth. Spring is thought of as the most hope-filled time of the year because of all the new energy bursting forth from the ground up as flowers poke their heads through the soil, trees bloom and birds sing.
However, with spring’s arrival comes the realization that gardens need planting, flower beds need weeding, old shrubs and trees need replacing and lawn furniture needs restoring. Dead plantings, broken sidewalks and overgrown footpaths are filled with negative energy and block positive prosperity energy from entering your home and life.
Whether your outdoor retreat is a small porch with room for two chairs or is large, lavish and lush, it is truly and extension of your home and needs to receive the same consideration and treatment for safety, comfort and energizing you would use inside. In fact, it should reflect both your personality and lifestyle as well as provide you a retreat from the world.
Your choice of plantings, the color and size of your furniture as well as their location should be evaluated carefully and placed to offer you a pleasing view, proper flow of energy and the maximum amount of relaxation.
Energize Your Retreat Now
Decide what your retreat should look like this year and how it would best serve you from an energy point of view. Take into consideration how you use your outdoor retreat and what you want to accomplish while spending time there. Then you will be able to energize it using some simple steps that will provide you maximum enjoyment and relaxation.
The place to begin in the outdoors is the same place you begin indoors – get rid of anything that is chipped, broken, unhealthy (sick or wilting plants, overgrown shrubs, dead grass) and anything you don’t love. This step removes the old negative energy and allows new uplifting joy-filled energy to enter.
Closely evaluate all the plants, bushes and mini trees. If they are unhealthy or dying from winter weather, replace them with lively colorful new ones – uncluttering and removing negative energy chaos provides great new positive energy
Reinvent the reason for your outdoor retreat. It is an extension of your home; use it as an outdoor sanctuary to re-energize yourself.
Restore any outdoor furniture to its original beauty, functionality and safety. Beauty and safety provide nurturing energy.
Replace any older furnishings that are threadbare and weather-worn. Remove the furnishings that you no longer love. They carry old unhealthy energy and should be disposed of as soon as possible.
Rebuild or replace any accessories such as water fountains or bird feeders if they are not working properly or are broken. Utilize in their place new items that you love, and will provide you uplifting energy
Rekindle family traditions and friendships by spending time in your outdoor retreat. Nothing energizes an outdoor retreat more than good food, family, friends and laughter. Not only do they provide instant good energy but also great memories for the future and bring back wonderful nostalgic positive energy from the past.
Encourage energy to flow throughout
Place furniture in your outdoor retreat to preserve the openness and views. That will allow energy to flow better. Use gliders and benches in smaller spaces instead of individual chairs. If you see the back of a piece of furniture from the inside of your home either make sure it looks nice or camouflage it with a lovely large plant. Not enough room for a plant? Add a colorful throw.
To make your retreat more expansive in a small yard, place a small bench in the opposite corner under a tree to provide an additional focal point. If your retreat is not secluded enough, plant small bushy trees or make an instant green privacy wall out of large shrubs planted in tubs. If your view of the yard is the focal point, keep the furniture simple. If the view is not the greatest, invest in nicer furniture and some accessories like a water fountain to create the ambiance and view that you desire. This will generate that missing energy in your retreat.
Take advantage of spring’s wonderful uplifting energy. Outdoor retreats can provide hours of seasonal relaxation and revitalization energy.
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Pat Heydlauff, a “flow of focus” expert, speaker and consultant designs home and workplace environments that unleash the flow of focus and maximize performance while creating balance and increasing prosperity. She is author of the forthcoming book, A Look Within, and published books, Feng Shui, So Easy a Child Can Do It, Beyond Engagement: Seven Ways Leaders Fuel Tomorrow’s Sustainability, and Selling Your Home with a Competitive Edge.