Space and Health
Architectural design with a compass and a book on it
Feng Shui and Wellness Architecture, having its origin in the theories of Chinese Medicine, deeply integrates the concept of a holistic view of a person’s health, according to which the human being is a system in which body-mind-space-emotions influence each other. For Chinese Medicine, body and consciousness are two sides of the same coin-human beings, inseparable and inseparable aspects that human beings reflect in their relationships, home, and life.
Therefore, the technical and interior design of spaces, from the study of plan form to the style of the environment manages to link the quality of space to the quality of health through three macro areas of well-being:
REDUCE THE STRESS SYSTEM through the technical and stylistic design of space that (re)understands the dialogue between space and body and uses the appropriate ways to properly arrange the aforementioned analogical elements (lights, colors, shapes, materials, full-and-empty, open-and-closed, etc.. ) avoiding wrong combinations that put the limbic part (particularly the ‘amygdala and hypothalamus) of the person in a state of vigilance and thus maintaining a sense of ease and relaxation that reduces the unconscious stress of alertness (whether true or only evoked), which in turn reduces adrenaline-and-cortisol-induced production. These neurotransmitters and hormones are produced by the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys. For Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are the most important organ in the body because they contain all of our lifeblood that is given to us at birth (JING), which is depleted over a lifetime (determining our greater or lesser longevity), with no possibility of regeneration. It just needs to be conserved as best as possible. Reducing stress on the adrenals reduces stress on the kidneys and conserves lifeblood longer, allowing us to live longer.
STRENGTHEN THE ENDOCRINE IMMUNITARY SYSTEM AND THE ENTIRE CIRCULAR CYCLE SYSTEM through precise and careful technical and stylistic design of the bedroom, and do you know why? Because these biological systems and functions are strengthened and regenerated through quality rest.
STRENGTHEN THE ENDOCRINE IMMUNITARY SYSTEM AND THE ENTIRE CIRCULAR CYCLE SYSTEM through precise and careful technical and stylistic design of the bedroom, and do you know why? Because these biological systems and functions are strengthened and regenerated through quality rest.
The human being is a mammal, and the limbic part whenever it is in the moment of letting go of tensions and letting go of all hold, as in the moment before falling asleep, entering the world of dreams and the unconscious, must feel a great sense of security, control, ease and relaxation. In addition, the bedroom is archetypically related to the function of representing the quality of intimacy (again to procreate and send the human species forward), so the proper design of the bedroom is crucial (and good intimacy strengthens couple, family complicity and support).
STRENGTHEN THE ANCESTRAL FEELING OF SAFETY through precise and careful technical and stylistic design of all elements that allow the inhabitants of the house to control the “territory” represented by the house itself. The human being is a diurnal mammal and therefore, in analogy and integration with the Nature that hosts us, Feng Shui uses principles, patterns and analysis priorities to design and furnish the positioning of housing functions primarily at the technical level and of the furniture at the interior level to meet the need for control and security that we need at the level of the reptilian brain.
Architecture and Neuroscience – Hints of PNEI and EPIGENETICS.
PNEI
PNEI, an acronym for Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology, is the science that studies the bidirectional relationships between psycho-emotional dynamics and biological systems such as the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system, human apparatuses that are stimulated and alerted based on stimuli also received from outside. I refer you to the link https://sipnei.it/cosa-la-pnei/ for further discussion and to the scientific bibliographical reference “Epigenetics and Psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunology” by Francesco Bottaccioli Ed. Edra.
The PNEI System is thus a network system, discovered through laboratory tests in the 1970s by the famous neuroscientist and research pharmacologist Candace Pert. In her wonderful book, “Molecules of Emotions,” Pert explains the discovery of neuropeptides and receptors and all that at the biochemical level is produced by the body in the face of experienced psychic and emotional stimuli, finally offering that scientificity and replicable laboratory evidence, to the holistic view of a person’s health whereby emotional management is involved in the health care process.
Space arouses states of mind, acting at the emotional and behavioral level, therefore it becomes an activator of the PNEI System.
EPIGENETICS
Epigenetics is the discipline that studies changes in gene expression, not caused by changes in DNA sequence. It is the study of those changes in the expression of our genes, which are not caused by true genetic mutations, but by the environment and behaviors and which can influence an individual’s risk of disease and can be heritable, that is, transmitted from parents to children.
An epigenetic modification can take place in response to external environmental stimuli that relate, precisely, to the environment around us, our lifestyle (including diet, exercise, exposure to chemicals, age, etc…) and our health status. In a sense, an epigenetic modification can be understood as an adaptive change operated by cells.
For further study, I leave you the link with a well-done article for the “layman” and a couple of scientific bibliographical references: “Epigenetics and Psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunology” by Francesco Bottaccioli Ed. Edra and “Meditation, Psyche and Brain” by F. Bottaccioli and A. Carosella Ed. Tecniche Nuove.
So it is not only what is written in our starting genes, inherited from our parents, that counts, but also, and more importantly, the overwriting that takes place in these basic genes through our lifestyle: what we do, how we eat, whether we exercise, how we manage our emotions, whether we sleep properly, how we relate to others, whether we live in a healthy space or not; all of this is written as new notes on the gene expression in our endowment.
The quality of the Home and Work Space, in which we live, work and sleep, becomes an important part of creating favorable conditions aimed at leaving positive “gene notes” conducive to physical-psychic-emotional well-being.
Conclusions
The quality of life can be changed, by applying the principles of Housing and Organizational Wellness.
Conclusions
Quality of life can be changed by applying the principles of Habitational and Organizational Wellness.
Habitational Wellness makes use of Feng Shui and Wellness Architecture, which studies the influence of Space on the Body-Mind-Emotions System and provides the tools to design, furnish and create harmonious and balanced environments.
Organizational Wellness makes use of the Psychology of Space, which studies the ways in which people bring back their dysfunctional mental and emotional patterns in the management and handling of objects, using the tools of Decluttering and Organization to overcome them and promote psycho-physical-emotional balance.
