A climate demonstration went by the beach last week chanting in French that the Earth was warming and we need to ban plastics. I reflected on the sand we were sitting on, pondering that it is really particles of rock, glass, wood with some shell ground together in rough salt water to become the earth. Earth in the Bagua map represents the grounding of Chi energy in the home and focusing on the centre. The Earth element is also in the Relationship and the Knowledge/Self-Cultivation sectors. It is about knowing yourself and what is truly important to life. Consider the Chi cycle where earth polishes metal and wood grows in earth but earth muddies water and fire burns wood to become the earth. This element stabilises and offers balance but too much earth makes us sluggish and lacking in clarity.
Self Knowledge & Cultivation
As we settle in to Antibes local life, a key goal has been to set down roots and ground our life. It is interesting to note that Antibes is an ancient stone fortress and the houses echo this as do the old ramparts. We lived for five exciting years in New York which is a metal city – all action and bluntness. A piece of me will always be there but as I get older, the earth element is attracting us. This Bagua sector is in our tiny but efficient kitchen. Black tiles and a black stone sink combined with wood bench tops and earth toned cabinets offer a chic warm area and it has a comforting feel.
The Relationship Corner
Our bedroom is here and it is a warm combination of soft coffee tones with white, and the hints of pink in art work create a soft, enticing room. As pointed out in previous posts, there are few couples who could manage pink or red in the bedroom. However, if this sector is a lounge, balcony, garden space or other area, red could be a chic combination to add. Earth decor with ceramics, clay, terracotta and linen are ideal here and adding the metal element in picture frames, curtain rods and door handles creates an ideal partnership.
If you are renting think more about your art work and decor. If you can, ask your owner if you can paint the walls. Earth tones are usually acceptable as they aren’t exactly bright blue or black! You can always paint it white before you leave. Otherwise, buy some cheap pots, coffee coloured cushions and put up some warm-toned curtains.
Down to Earth
As we look forward to a short holiday within the ancient walls of Avignon where soft honey coloured walls surround the old Papal palaces rich in history and built to stand strong, I land on the words of Henry Beston. Escaping from his First World War experience, he wrote a famous book about solitude on the coast of Cape Cod. “The three great elemental sounds of nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a wood and the sound of the ocean outside on a beach.” The need to touch the earth and stay grounded is a powerful pull for all.
