Evocative Objects

"We think with the objects we love; we love the objects we think with" says Sherry Turkle, author of Evocative Objects. She writes about the way in which objects inform our daily lives in this series of essays written by scientists, humanists, artists, and designers. "These essays reveal objects as emotional and intellectual companions that anchor memory, sustain relationships, and provoke new ideas." The book, published August 2007 by MITpress was written by Turkle who is Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT and Founder and Director of the MIT initiative on Technology and Self. A release from the MIT Press says that she "pairs each autobiographical essay with a text from philosophy, history, literature or theory, creating juxtaposition as once playful and profound."

Check out this blog for more info on the book and other topics, http://www.newscientist.com/blog/shortsharpscience/2007/05/evocative-objects.html

Congestion Reflection

Congestion Reflection

Don’t let stuff pile up. Don’t do it. Keeping the corners, attics, closets and under-bed areas free of unattended stuff is a key to keeping the flow of life energy moving through your home successfully. The home is a literal reflection of the human psyche. Wellbeing requires the same type of diligence in the emotional and psychological realm. From your home’s perspective, know what you have and why you have it in a general sense. If you identify an area of unkempt flotsam, spend a little time thinking about it and then take action to make an improvement. Pay attention, it is very likely that the action you take will bring to consciousness some aspect of yourself that has been somewhat congested and needing the light of day to improve.

Collection Connection

Chandelier collection at ABC Carpets in NYC

Collection Connection

Lately I have run into several people who are avid collectors. One person has an amazing collection of Japanese furniture and décor and yet another has a magnificent array of clocks. I admire personal collections because they give me a birds-eye-view of a fairly good sampling of objects in a genre in which I am usually not too familiar. But if I consider it from another angle, what does a ‘collection’ mean to the collector? What does it represent?

I notice in some cases the collection is a story line of where someone has traveled and where, in some part, their consciousness was during their travels. Objects hold information about culture and have a temporal language that is just as good as a diary entry. Other collectors who choose to focus on one type of object, clocks, for example, may indeed be fulfilling a neurological ‘sweet tooth’ of sorts to experience the shape, sound, texture—overall experience of an object repeatedly in various forms. This type of collecting has a sensation of intensity associated with it that would seem to reflect some aspect of the person doing the collecting.

Etruscan Chariot: An emblem of identity

City Scape* by James Mathis. Oil. 1964 courtesy of the National Archives

Spoleto, Italy wants its Etruscan Chariot back. J.P. Morgan bought it many years ago and it has lived in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for years. Now the Italian city wants it returned. The descendants of the Etruscans want the opportunity to reclaim an object that reflects their heritage. There is a debate as to whether it must be lawfully returned because it was purchased prior to the procedures in place that address the trade and sale of antiquities. You can read about this subject on National Public Radio's website @ www.npr.com. The article is dated 8/21/07.

This debate is a great reminder of the power we give objects to represent ourselves. It is no less important in our personal lives. Being conscious to the power of objects to reflect an impression of who we are can add depth and dimension to a life well observed. Objects are language without national barriers. They convey essential facts about how we live and the meaning we attribute to living.

Music Power

My 86 year old grandmother literally blares devotional music of all kinds every morning. She isn't deaf. She turns it way up and sends it all over her house because she has caught on the to the power of music to reset the vibrations in her household and in herself. She uses music to set the tone for her day. Literally. Sometimes I call her and have to wait while she dashes to her stereo to turn down the volume.

I love this about her. I love it that she caught on a long time ago what a little home engineering can do to set things in motion for a sense of peace and well being. She is a natural, actually. As I think we all are. She taught me by example that a clean, uncluttered home, in which objects have their place is one method for supporting a sense of comfort and connection.

What do you do to support a sense of heath and peace in your home?

Mekom Hanekhama

photo taken at ABC Carpets in NYC


Safe places are a necessity across life. Stop and think a moment about where yours is found. Hopefully you have a place established somewhere. At a conference today on death and dying I was introduced to the Hebrew term 'mekom hanekhama' which refers to creating safe places. In this case it was suggested that we need a place in our home that is a space to reflect, pray and process our emotions and thoughts. Sometimes this space is an entire room or area. Sometimes it is a chair or floorspace. Let the people who live in your home know the purpose of the location.

To establish a safe space consider including:

A comfortable chair or sofa
Candles
Objects with meaning that comfort you
A journal
Photos of loved ones

A great resource for information on grief can be found at The American Academy of Bereavement, www.bereavementacademy.org

Clutter Recovery

Whether you are conscious of it or not, objects have the effect of giving your home a peaceful and comfortable feel as well as the ability to give a sense of overload and chaos. It may be that how we are feeling on the inside translates to what our home looks like. Along the same lines, how we engineer our homes can have a significant impact on how we feel.

While there are a number of ways to approach setting the stage for a healthy and supportive home, one of the simplest and least expensive methods is to remove clutter. Clutter can apply to décor, papers of daily living, household items, storage, garage, attic, basement and closet content. It is amazing how often we manage to literally not see the clutter we’ve created. It seems that the brain has a method for limiting our conscious awareness of visual stimuli over time sufficient to help us become unaware of an overabundance of stuff.

There are many reasons we gather things. They vary from the practical to the emotional. Architects, Interior Designers and Psychotherapists have provided much written material on this subject. Without going into detail from that perspective, here are some steps to freeing your home from clutter and increasing the flow of comfort and wellbeing in your home:

 Go through each room in your home and get an overall feel of the space
 Choose an area in your home that needs improvement
 Identify the objects that appear to be causing discomfort
 Determine which objects need an organizing approach or removal approach
 Make a plan for organization and execute
 Make a plan for removal and execute

Remember to seek the help of a friend or professional if needed. Sometimes people are needed to help make decisions and solutions or to provide emotional support/coaching during the process. Make good use of the many organizations that take donation. Be sure to get a receipt for tax reporting purposes.

Living Well Takes the Form of a Consigment Business

Carmen Lopez, owner of Current Boutique


Carmen Lopez, owner of Current Boutique just exudes joy about her new consignment business in Arlington, Virginia. She should. She has made that leap from working in a corporate business environment to something completely of her own making. Now she arrives each day in her ethical, earth friendly and lucrative women's new and used clothing business. Certainly the skills she learned along the way have put her in the perfect position to go forward successfully with her own endeavors.

For years I have talked passionately with clients and friends about how important it is for our sense of wellbeing to express our truest soul's expression. Coming to learn about what that is can be a challenge. And a soul's expression can take many turns along the road of life. I am well into this journey myself and can, on some days, barely cope with the requirements of this process, other days I am filled with curiosity and delight. It can take years of inklings, impulses and various life experiences to bring someone to the point of making the transition from living towards the social consciousness to coming from the soul's consciousness.

Visit Current Boutique and with a little attention you'll easily pick up on the sweet sensations to be experienced when in the presence of all the right elements in place. From well done décor to well chosen designer and couture clothing and accessories, the feel is well balanced and complete. It strikes me that anything you take home from Current Boutique carries with it a little slice of the vibe Carmen has created. Check out her website at www.currentboutique.com or better, visit her on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington.