Benefits of Black Tourmaline

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Where rose quartz is known primarily for attracting love, black tourmaline is the champion crystal of providing spiritual stability and protecting against various types of negative energy. For many spiritual and metaphysical healers, black tourmaline is known to be the best protective crystal available. Black tourmaline’s prized ability comes from a tendency to decrease internal negative energy within those who wear or use it. Not only does the crystal aid in releasing self doubts, anxiety and other negative emotions, it is said to encourage good luck, optimism and happiness as well.

One of the best ways to use black tourmaline is during meditation. When meditating for the purpose of grounding oneself, black tourmaline is a perfect addition to the process because of its powerful use in providing spiritual stability. Black tourmaline can also be placed beneath a pillow for cleansing of the body’s energy field and the surrounding space. On a physical level, black tourmaline has even been said to effectively reduce the pain of arthritis and spinal/muscular problems as well as strengthen the immune system.

Black Tourmaline & Clear Quartz together are like yin and yang, providing balance. Black tourmaline grounds, protects and purifies. It is especially useful for protection from electro-magnetic forces and negative energies. Clear Quartz is a powerful healer and can be programmed to enhance and improve imbalances.

Locate these four tumbled black tourmaline pieces, available in the Holistic Spaces store, in the four corners of your bed, any room or your entire home to create a grid of protection. Place the pointed clear quartz in the center of the grid.

by Anjie Cho

Mindful Design Feng Shui School

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

The Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Health, Happiness and Beauty

The sun is a star fixed at the center of our solar system — everything revolves around it. In many ways, the sun sits at the center of our lives, too. We orient our homes to capture its warmth. We keep time by its passage. It produces the heat and light that keeps us alive. 

These are obvious ways that we depend on the sun. But science tells us that we benefit from sunlight in surprising ways too. Did you know that sunlight can:

• Make you happy? 

• Help you to sleep better? 

• Boost your immune system?

• Reduce your risk of cancer? 

• Lower your cholesterol and blood pressure?

Research shows that a few minutes of sunlight each day can produce so many significant benefits. Health care professionals may not agree about how much sun we need, but they do agree that we suffer without it. 

The Science of Sunlight

The rising and setting of the sun has a lot to do with our body’s natural rhythm, known as our Circadian Rhythm. Our body’s hormones actually respond to sunlight. At night, our bodies produce melatonin to make us drowsy. Come morning, our bodies respond to sunlight by producing serotonin, a “feel good” hormone that stimulates our brains, influences our moods, controls our appetite, and fights stress. Without sunlight, our body can fall out of its natural rhythm. 

In response to direct sunlight, our body produces vitamin D – crucial for healthy immune systems and skin, brain activity, and bone growth. Vitamin D has also been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fight disease, and to encourage better sleep.

Disruptions (or lack of sunlight) can trigger a domino effect that leads to poor sleep, depression, and compromised immune systems – an obviously unhealthy cycle. Kind of makes you a little eager to get out in that sunshine, huh? It should. We have a long history (and healthy relationship) with the sun and that’s not going to change any time soon. 

So how can you add more natural light to a dark space?

• Add some shine

The more shiny surfaces you have in a room, the brighter it will appear. Add brass doorknobs and lighting fixtures, mirrors, silver frames, or acrylic furniture.

• Treat the windows

For maximum sunlight, keep your windows unobstructed. Choose sheer fabrics, or cover only the outer edges of the window to create a larger appearance without blocking any light.

• Go light and glossy

Lighter paint colors on the walls and ceiling – especially the glossier finishes – will reflect the most light back into the room.

by Anjie Cho

Things You Might Not Know About Coconut Oil

As a holistic designer and architect, I'm all about finding ways to incorporate natural, less-toxic substances into my daily life in place of those harmful chemicals we normally keep beneath the kitchen sink or in the medicine cabinet. One of my most recent discoveries is coconut oil. The holistic perks of this natural oil are incredible, and of course I want to share them with you. Some of my favorite uses are below!

In the Bathroom

Coconut oil is awesome as a natural hair serum. Adding just a small bit to your hair can reduce the frizz we so often deal with as ladies. Be careful here, as you don't want to overuse any sort of oil in your hair. Just rub a dab onto your palms, then distribute evenly throughout your locks!

Try mixing coconut oil with equal parts sugar to create your own simple exfoliating scrub for those long, nourishing showers. 

Coconut oil makes an easy lip balm too! Especially in colder, dryer months, our lips are susceptible to weather and have the tendency to chap and crack. Anyone who's ever experienced this knows it isn't fun! Next time your lips start acting up, try rubbing a bit of coconut oil on as a lubricating balm and soothing agent.

One of the most common beauty products containing toxic materials is deodorant. Unfortunately, this isn't a product we can really do without, unless we're all willing to deal with each others' body odor. Coconut oil can provide a natural remedy for this issue. Using the oil by itself as deodorant is very effective and eliminates the need for harsh chemicals that you may find in other store-bought products. 

Around the House

Aside from its numerous uses for the body, coconut oil also makes a super stain remover and furniture polish. You can rub the oil alone on a tough-to-conquer stain for some help, or mix the oil with baking soda for a non-toxic stain removal option. 

Back in the bathroom, coconut oil works wonders on soap scum, which is great, since bathroom cleaners can be some of the most toxic on the market. Instead of exposing yourself, and ultimately your family, to the toxic chemicals and VOCs in bathroom cleaning chemicals, try using natural coconut oil on a rag instead! 

There are literally hundreds of uses for coconut oil outside the most common uses in cooking. With an increasing number of cautious dieters and, thankfully, individuals concerned for the environment, coconut oil is becoming more and more popular, and with good reason! Next time you're near a natural market, stop in and get some coconut oil to get started on the many things you can do!

by Anjie Cho

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