The Mindful Home

Index

acceptance 27

adolescents, diet 117

aesthetics

architecture 41

golden mean/ratio 41

mindful buildings 42, 45

Affluenza: The all-consuming epidemic (book) 202

air conditioning 204

air quality, indoors 192–3

allostatic load 81

Alzheimer’s Disease 137

ambience, peaceful and welcoming 145–6

ambient sounds 87

anxiety, acceptance of 28

appliances, electromagnetic fields 192

architecture

aesthetics 41

influences on 38–9

mindful buildings 42, 45

postmodern 45

artificial lighting, treatments 68–70

artworks/artefacts 57

attention

quality of 129

see also paying attention

‘attention deficit trait’ 23

attention regulation 27

attitude

consumerist 202

leisure at home 135–6

auditory environment see noise pollution; sound environment austerity 166

awareness see mindfulness

beauty, explained 72, 74

bedrooms

healthy 187

leisure space 138

meditation in 157

body scan, meditation 228–30

bookcases, as display units 56–7

books, buying 49

brain, pleasure centres 98

breathing, meditation 231

budget, measuring 221–2

cathedrals, mediaeval 38–9

chemical exposure 187, 189–90

Chesterton, G.K. 64

children

electromagnetic fields 192

full of interest 64

in gardens 208

interaction with adults 151

susceptible to environment 189–90

the tactile world 102–3

‘chores’, enjoying 135–6

cleaning products 190

clothes, become clutter 49

clutter

decluttering 166, 168, 170

in the mind 165

mindful sorting 168

outdoor space 178–9

clutter-free space 140

colour, effects of 70–2

colour chart 71

comfort, environmental 146–7, 149

Commoner, Barry 199

communication

lack of face to face 151

unmindful 63–4

see also connection community involvement 224

‘complex multitasking’ 24

conflict 72

Confucius 73

connection

with community 222–3

good for health 223

how to increase 224–5

see also communication consumerism 202

contemplation exercise 16

core, inner 19, 32

craft activities 160

curiosity 27

cushions 56

daily life

mindful 159–61

sounds of 161

decluttering 166, 168, 170

decor

creating beauty 54–7

holiday house 55

meditation space 158

‘default mental activity’ 86

diet 117, 122

dishes, putting away attentively 161

distractedness, state of 23, 26, 30–1

distractions

dealing with 80

working with 82–4

eating

changing patterns 117

mindful 120–2, 122

mindless 117–19

eating space 139–40

ecological footprint 200

ecology, first law of 199

electricity suppliers 204

electromagnetic fields 190, 192, 195

electronic media, as entertainment 151

Emerson, Ralph Waldo 41, 72

emotional health 223

endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) 190

energy, measured use of 217

energy efficiency 203–5

entertaining space

indoor/outdoor 150–1

outdoors 181

entrance to home 145–6

environment

broad scope 182–3

current focus on 198–200

practical choices 201

essential oils 113

exercise

benefits of 181

general guide to 215

exercises

contemplation 16

evaluation of things 52

leisure time experiments 138, 141

listening to music 90

outdoor mindfulness 178

in paying attention 31

‘raisin exercise’ 120–1

‘urge surfing’ 119

extroverts 223

eyes, how they function 63

fabrics

chemically treated 190

untreated 195

family

mealtimes 118–19, 139–40

together activities 220

feng shui

entry to home 146

explained 43, 45

home reflects self 186

Fibonacci series 38

financial management 221–2

floorings, healthy 193

fluorescent lights 69

food

growing your own 180, 206

healthy choices 216

preparing 208

formaldehyde 190

freedom vs measure 220

fresh air 106, 110

functionality, need for 41

furnishings

choice of 55

meditation space 158

soft 56

Gandhi, Indira 156

gardens

ambience 145

children helping in 208

connection with 180–1

Japanese 74, 74–5

not valued 177

pleasures of 113

watering 206

geometry 38, 41

golden mean/ratio 38, 41

Hall, Conrad 74

Hamlet (play) 78

harmony 43, 45

health

current observations 189

social and emotional 223

healthy buildings 193–5

healthy nutrition

adolescents 117

changing taste patterns 117, 122

hearing, sense of 78

holiday house decor 55

home

alignment principals 45

cluttered 165

core of our being 19

entrance to 145–6

fostering mindfulness 32–3

healthy 193–5

meaning of 14

really seeing it 64

separate work space 134

toxic environment 187

working from 128, 131, 133–5

hygiene, household 112

incandescent globes 69

indoor air quality 192–3

industrialization, drawbacks of 79

inner quietness 32, 160

introverts 223–4

isolation 224

Japanese gardens 74, 74–5

kitchens 140, 150–1

LED (light emitting diode) lights 69

leisure

attitude towards 135–6

as mental stimulation 136–8

mindful experiments 138, 141

mindless activities 137–8

screen-based 137–8

taking time for 218

leisure time, relationship with work 129–31

light 65–70

light globes 68–70, 204

listening

meditation 231

really listening 82

man shed 136

mathematics of nature 37–9, 41

McDonald, Narelle 182

meals

eating space 139–40

family 118–19

‘measured life’ 213, 215–21

measuring

the budget 221–2

energy expended 217

mechanization, drawbacks of 79

meditation

common assumptions 164

feeling guilty about 160

inner silence 93

meaning of the term 212

mindfulness meditation 98, 227–31

regular practice 219

space for 155, 157–8

memory, good use of 164

mental transition, between work and home 131

mindful, reasons to be 24, 26

mindful buildings 42, 45

mindful eating 120–2

mindfulness

benefits of 26

cognitive aspects 24

common assumptions 164

in daily life 159–61

described 23

experiment in 31

informal practice 24, 28, 30–1, 57

outdoors 178

practising 27–8, 30–1

see also paying attention

mindfulness meditation 98, 227–31

mindlessness see unmindfulness

mobile devices, in social situations 151

Morris, William 48, 49, 57

multitasking 24

music

listening to 90

negative effects 88

therapeutic effects 87–9

musical training 87

natural light 65–8

nature, sounds of 86–7

New Classical Architecture 39

noise pollution

effect on wellbeing 81

managing 82

the modern world 79–82, 84

ways to reduce 84, 86

nutrition

healthy 122

need for 117

openness 27

oral tradition, aims of 13–14

Ornish program 216

outdoor lighting 69

outdoor space

creating your own 177–8, 180–1

flow from indoors 150

importance of 175

types of 174

pain, living with 97–8

paying attention

to daily chores 161

in home environment 101–2

smells around us 113

Plato 24, 36, 87

pleasure

gardening for 180

living mindfully with 97–8

position, meditation 228

possessions see things

postmodern architecture 45

procrastination 217

produce, growing your own 180, 206

product choices/purchases 194–5, 209

‘raisin exercise’ 120–1

reading activity 160

recycling 202–3

regimentation

helpful 213, 220

unmindful 221

rest periods 219

resting consciously 159–60

SAD 65

screen use, in social situations 151

screen-based leisure 137–8

Seasonal Affective Disorder 65

seeing see sight

self-mastery 98–9

senses

engaging them 28

gateway to present moment 58–9

hearing 78

physical/subtle aspects 124

smell 106

touch 96, 102

see also sight

sensory environment, for meditation 158

Shakespeare, William 32, 86

sick building syndrome 192–3

sight

dependence on 62

first sense to engage 64

function of eyes 63

and seeing 63–4

silence 93, 146, 159

sleep

effect of light 69

and rest periods 218–19

smell, sense of 106

smelling with awareness 109

smells

artificially introduced 112

everyday life 106, 107

habituated to 109

of nature 113

olfactory environment 113

sensory overload 112–13

social interaction 223–4

social isolation 223

social situations, mobile devices 151

social space 144

socializing

comfortable space 146–7, 149

mobile devices 151

Socrates 12, 15, 166

solar energy 204

solar panels 201

solitude 223–4

sound environment

effect on wellbeing 81

freedom from sound 93, 146, 159

managing 84, 86

parental control 93

see also noise pollution

sounds

ambient sounds 87

of daily life 161

of family life 146

of nature 86–7

space

between activities 161

clutter-free 140

concept of 124–5

dedicated to leisure 139–40

fifth physical element 124

in-home work 134

for meditation 155, 157–8

too much 149

storage space

decluttering 166, 168, 170

main elements 170

storytelling, aims of 13–14

straw-bale calligraphy studio 41

sunk-cost bias 222

sunlight 65–6

Suzuki, David 189

tactile experiences, fewer opportunities 103

Tao Te Ching (ancient Chinese text), quote from 99

taste

calibration of 122

changing patterns 117, 122

sense of 116

technology

controlling 134–5

as entertainment 151

mobile devices 151

time free from 141

temperature regulation 204

The Republic (book) 87

things

of beauty 54–7, 57

being useful 49, 51

clinging to 170

objective evaluation 52

see also product choices/

purchases

time

between activities 161

conducive for meditation 158

touch

conscious 102

sense of 96

tactile experiences 103

toxic environment, in homes 187

toxic products 203

transport, energy conservation 204–5

Triple Bottom Line (TBL or 3BL) 201

tungsten-halogen globes 69

‘uni-tasking’ 24

universe, physical laws 37–8

unmindfulness

in communication 63–4

cost of 26

eating 117–19

examples 24

leisure activities 137–8

regimentation 221

‘urge surfing’ 119

usefulness of things 49, 51

Virgil 188

vitamin D3 65

volatile organic compounds (VOCs) 190

waste disposal 202–3

water usage 205–6

weight management interventions 119

windows 66

wisdom traditions 98

work

choosing direction 130

measuring 216–17

not enjoying 130

relationship with leisure 129–31

taking breaks 217

taking it home 133

working from home 128, 131, 133–5

work/life balance 133

worry 133, 165

xenon globes 69