Last week in yoga class, our group was graciously reminded of the importance of creating a sacred space in meditation.

We were exploring the first chakra and the related earthly benefits of security, being grounded, physically healthy and having a strong foundation.

As a compulsive designer, my meditative thoughts naturally brought me back to homes. I reflected on the natural connection between creating a sacred space in the body or in the home.

Your earthly connection and sense of well being are centred in your first chakra. Located in the energy field at the base of your tailbone, it provides the firm foundation necessary to living and establishes personal access to everything needed for survival and growth on the physical plane.

I feel most grounded and at peace when my home is in an organized state. Recently, my friend Shannon came over for a consultation. She is a professional organizer who has an innate understanding of how to manage chaos. Within a few hours of working with her, we had the pantry and kitchen reworked to function far more efficiently. She had also lit a proverbial fire under my first chakra to organize every other closet and drawer in my home! I have looked at every closet and drawer with a more analytical approach to improve its functionality. The joy of conquering any small space is great. The effects of this short consultation have been long lasting. The state of perfection comes and goes, and I try to embrace those imperfections as “living”. However, there is no greater pleasure than that moment when at least our periphery looks perfect, and we can truly enjoy.

A great tip Shannon shared with me was to store similar objects together. She said to think about daily functions and accessibility of the most used items to find the perfect place for everything. As a professional organizer, she knew what type of container was most efficient for storing of different items.

She is helpful in making every corner count and helped to maximize tight spaces.

Most importantly, Shannon is respectful and not judgmental of the dust mites or the chaos! She encourages purging in environmental ways that recycle excess items to people who need it.

A recent design consultation I enjoyed was an intimate visit with a long-standing, beautiful and grounded client. She had labouriously folded her husband’s underwear and socks into a beautiful, red cupboard. I was breath taken at the loving and time-consuming gesture. It was heart warming to hear how thankful he was for this small indulgence. We can find great joy and appreciation in lovely details.

As Frank Lloyd Wright said, “If you foolishly ignore beauty, you’ll soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you wisely invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.”

Life is cyclical and we can enjoy the mix of balance and calm along with chaos and adrenaline. Both states bring about appreciation of the yin and the yang.

Sandra Young is a Calgary designer and owner of Willow Studios. Phone: (403) 230-9226 or www.willowstudio.ca