I recently watched one of my all time favourite childhood movies with my kids, FernGully.
It's about an Australian rainforest that is being chopped down by foresters and a creepy entity (voiced by the creepiest, Tim Curry). One of the foresters is shrunken to a fairy sized human by one of the fairies and evidently ends up helping the fairies save the rainforest.
The end shot is a panning of an incredible beautiful landscape and encloses with the text 'For our children and our children's children'.
Whoo wee that got me good.
This is not going to be a lecture about 'saving' the environment.
My view point does not come from a desperation point of fear but a desire to see and be a part of the Earth thriving.
As we are part of Earth we like everything need/want to consume and that's ok! It is part of the joys of being alive. There is enough for everyone to have what they need and more, but how can we determine 'enough' if we are not conscious of what we have and what we really want.
Here are some examples of conscious consumption.
THE HEALING SPACE OF A BATH TUB
Baths have a heavy weight history, all across the world. From Japan to Egypt and a place in Europe literally called 'Bath' famous for its Rome built baths.
Bubble baths and body wash's tend to contain a few nasty's that our bodies really don't need to absorb and can irritate sensitive skin, like eczema and psoriasis. For a gentle bath that soothes fiery skin, bentonite clay is a lovely option to moisturise, detox and calm.
For a healthy bath treat, try quarter a cup of baking soda, a half cup of epsom salts and a few drops of lavender oil or flowers.

VISION SO CLEAR
In Feng Sui, cleaning your windows represents clearing your mind and vision for the future.
I love having my windows clean, it seems to gain priority in my house over many tasks but I have not bought window cleaner since 2012.
For indoors, in an empty spray bottle, use a cup of white vinegar, about 20mils of dishwashing liquid and top it up with water. I add peppermint and lemon essential oils to deter bugs and have my spray smelling fresh and lovely. At first it looks like a hot mess but rub in circles with paper towels and the bubbles fade along with the streaks dirt and dust.
No harsh chemicals, no extra 'fragrance' in the atmosphere.
'FRAGRANCE'
That brings me to my next point, fragrance.
The label fragrance - according to begoodorganics.com, 'can refer up to an incredible 3100 chemicals, most of which are synthetic or artificial. Many of these chemicals have been proven to cause asthma, respiratory disease, skin irritations, cancer, and disrupt the nervous, immune, endocrine, hormonal, and reproductive systems'.
Now there are incredible natural perfumes hitting the health stores that don't hide ingredients and smell insanely good.
SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
Sustainable shopping isn't necessarily about making selections that can be disposed of in an eco way, it can be considering what was involved for this item to be in front of you in regards to its travel, is it repairable and will it last.
Furniture choices for example may cost more to be locally or made in your country, but it is a purchase that supports the economy and will hold much more value in years to come if the item is of quality. Shopping locally makes you feel good and for good reason.
Now more than ever it is important to support the local artist, furniture maker, jewellery maker, tradesman, independent store owner. Investing in your own backyard is a sustainable choice in its own right and will keep artisans creating soulful pieces that make a space genuinely authentic and expressive. I truly believe part of our purpose is to simply enjoy each others creativity.
EXPERIENCING GRATITUDE
I could write about keeping a gratitude journal or trying a 21 days of gratitude exercise and these would be wonderful things, I also want to point out that sometimes these exercises can turn into a box tick or a clock up of achievements with underlying expectation for more.
So I mean taking a moment and really allowing yourself to feel true thankfulness for something in your life, taking a moment to really feel 'wow aren't I so blessed to have.. imagine if I didn't. Healthy lungs and fresh air, a loved one, favourite slippers that let you drink your morning coffee outside, a piece of art work you love, a great memory.
BIOPHILIC DESIGN
Biophilic design is the integration of direct or indirect nature references in architecture and design. A direct reference may be big glass sliding doors that open up to an intimate alfresco garden with an abundance of plants that can be seen from inside. An indirect reference maybe an organically shaped wallpaper pattern, natural materials and natural colour palette.
Biophilic Design aids in our wellbeing because we are meant to be connected to nature and our environments, we are meant to live in beautiful spaces!
These options, I believe make a positive impact on our health, the health of the planet and our joy in the mundane. So that we may slow down, be aware of what is in our lives, the costs, possibilities and potentials to live richer, healthier lives.
'For our children and our children's children'.
Have a fabulous day, designing your life x
Lauren Shiels - The Healing Spaces Project.
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