The Gaia House

..... The sense of feeling deeply connected to the natural world is fundamental to our well-being. Indeed, we are biologically in partnership with our planet earth. The ancient Earth Goddess of the Greeks, Gaia, is known as a self-sustaining and eternally creative entity.
..... The idea that the earth is a living organism is not new—philosophers, shaman and wiseman of ancient civilizations, from the Bushman, to the Hindu, to the Native American have always spoken of a “world soul.” They honored and respected the dynamic and circuitous flow of energy connecting man with the earth, cosmos and spiritual realms.
..... Apart from the obvious need to live in a home that is healthy for the body, is a deeper and age old desire to dwell in a home that is healthy for the mind and spirit, as well. A “Gaia” house takes this proclivity one more step, balancing the precepts of ecology (derived from the Greek oikos, meaning house, and logia, meaning study), health, and spirit to create a home sanctuary integrated with the natural world, and therefore, a healing space for mind, body, spirit and planet. This vision of a Gaia home gives us a down to earth version of a future home integrated with green living and a sustainable lifestyle.
..... You can create a Gaia house, designed for harmony and spirit, by incorporating and utilizing the following guidelines:
• Site and orient your home to conserve resources. As much as possible, use the sun, wind, and water for your energy needs.

• Use materials and products that are produced locally and manufactured with a minimum impact on the environment.
• Use materials that are nontoxic, nonpolluting, biodegradable, reusable or easy to recycle.
• Design control systems that efficiently and intelligently regulate energy, heating, airflow, lighting, cooling, and water usage, and prevent pollution.
• Integrate your home with the local geographical ecosystem. Plant indigenous species of flowers and shrubs; compost organic materials; use
natural pesticides; collect and use rainwater;
recycle graywater.
• Design the home to blend with the surrounding environment and community.
• Incorporate the elements of feng shui, sacred space, and home sanctuary.
• Use harmonious and appropriate proportions.
• Use all-natural materials, when possible.
..... Theologian Matthew Fox speaks of the “original blessing” of creation, as it is characterized by the mythical Garden of Eden. Part of the mystique of this blessing of creation is the idea of a sacred planet, with every life form a piece of the paradise. A planet sanctuary.
..... When we care for our planet and our homes as sanctuaries, we are creating a sacred place in which, like the Divine, we can pour out our love and creativity. A place where we become awakened to our own fundamental oneness with the Universe.

Portions adapted from “The Natural House Book” by David Pearson.

The preceding article "first appeared" in the March/April 2000 issue of
Healing Retreats & Spas Magazine