Baking bread = nurturing energy: and why we all knead more of it

From Laura Morris, Mindful Design Feng Shui School and Morris Feng Shui

For the third week in a row my grocery store has been sold out of yeast. Yesterday in the baking section all the flour was gone, just empty shelves, in both of my local grocery stores. People are making bread, a lot of bread. The satisfaction of watching dough rise and nurturing it, keeping it warm and happy is very appealing. As a feng shui practitioner this makes so much sense to me. Bread making checks a lot of feng shui boxes for increasing positive vibes. Making dough is a simple and gentle act that allows us to feed our family, warm our kitchen, and it gives us the chance to create something.

“Measuring, kneading and shaping dough can be a balm for the anxiety that has accompanied the virus.” Washington Post

In feng shui, cooking, baking, and nurturing others with food is connected to the earth element. Very simply, the five elements are the basic elements of life: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. In the ancient practice of Feng Shui, these elements are more than actual flames, or dirt, or pieces of wood; it is about the qualities of the elements. You can think of the elements as universal energetic essences, each with their own flavor of energy (qi).

The earth element is stable, supportive, nurturing, and grounding. Think about the earth below your feet: it’s always there to support you. The earth element is also connected to nourishment and how we take care of ourselves. So you can see how making dough and baking is a great way to bring more earth energy into your life and home.

All this dough and bread making got me thinking; what are other ways we can bring this same nurturing energy into our homes. Here are 3 simple ways to bring more nurturing earth energy into your home:

1. Add peace to the centre of your home: the centre of your home is connected to the earth element. It is also where all other areas meet and represents overall well-being. Two simple ways to focus on the center of your home: try sitting in the centre of your bedroom, take nine slow inhales and exhales visualizing a golden light radiated around you (repeat this nine times). Anjie Cho has a lovely guided space clearing meditation that you can do here.

You can also hang a feng shui crystal in the centre of your home or your bedroom. These leaded crystal balls modulate the qi and smooth the energy. Think of them as tiny, radiating suns. Set the intention to create ease and well-being as you place it.

2. Warm up your living room: adding accent lighting and warm colours like reds and oranges can cozy up a cold and gray corner. Reds and oranges represent the fire element and in the five element system fire supports earth.

3. Seed or plant some herbs: I have got the containers ready and will be ordering my plants for pick up. Working with the soil, digging, and planting connects us directly with the earth. It is therapeutic to get your hands dirty with potting soil and peat moss.

Let’s all find some ease, and lean into simple pleasures that make us feel grounded and nurtured. Make homemade bread, pizza dough, plant seeds, and then take a rest in your cozy living room with your family and watch some Netflix! PS. For all those bakers out there, I did finally find some yeast.

Laura Morris is the co-founder of Mindful Design Feng Shui School. She was the Feng Shui expert on the CBC’s popular lifestyle show Steven & Chris, and is also the author of Creating Change: 27 Feng Shui Design Projects to Boost the Energy in your Home. She previously served as the Board Chair of the International Feng Shui Guild.