Vitamin F September 5 Fall, 2008 To Get your
daily does of Vitamin F: Nature's Remedy for Emotional
Energy. Personal Fulfillment Expert Reveals Flowers Fuel the
Soul and Create Inspiring Spaces
From A to E, vitamins are
responsible for strengthening our senses, bolstering our
bones and invigorating our bodies from the inside out.
Research proves that flowers, being dubbed by some as
Vitamin F, help feed our need for serenity, inspiration,
wellness, gratitude, love and optimism.
Gratitude
Mind and matter are interconnected, according to personal
fulfillment expert and best-selling author Jayme Barrett, as
she points to university research studies linking flowers
with happiness, creativity, compassion and tranquility.
Barrett’s interiors expertise coupled with the floral
investigations demonstrate that flowers hold an intrinsic,
natural energy that, when used throughout the home, can
create positive shifts in emotions, and lead to truly
inspired living.
“People and flowers both have a life force that needs oxygen
to thrive, and light and water to live. And, when we are
surrounded by nature, our emotions are calmed and
harmonized,” says Barrett, who has applied the principles of
Zen and feng shui to floral design. Her philosophy is that
we can cultivate idyllic atmospheres by purposefully
integrating flowers throughout our living space.
In fact, research from America’s leading universities has
cemented the connection that flowers have both scientific
and emotional powers. As early as 2000, Rutgers University
found that flowers create instant delight and happiness, and
increase enjoyment and life satisfaction. Most recently, a
Harvard University study introduced small bouquets of
flowers into people’s morning routines and discovered that
respondents immediately perked up, much like they would with
a morning vitamin.
Wellness
“We need and deserve simple ways of creating homes where
we feel happy and harmonious by disconnecting from the
hectic pace of the world outside,” says Barrett.
“Flowers are a wonderful way to ease the stress of
everyday life and refocus our emotions more
constructively.”
So that anyone can introduce a range of positive floral
energies in the home, Barrett shares a simple,
do-it-yourself guide to creating Vitamin F arrangements.
Her seven soul-stimulating energies include gratitude,
wellness, inspiration and motivation, love and romance,
new beginnings, serenity, and prosperity. Her floral
formula factors in color combination, shape and
significance, vase style, placement in the home and
flower variety.
Barrett’s Blueprints for Mood-Boosting
Vitamin F
Gratitude: Reminds us to be grateful for the little blessings in
life
Key Colors: A low, clustered arrangement in all shades of pink
symbolizes opening the heart and making others more receptive to
you.
Vase Style: A glass container of any size is fitting, as its
transparency exhibits openness.
In the Home: To start and end the day counting your blessings,
place this depiction of gratitude on a nightstand, dresser or in
the kitchen.
Wellness: Evokes balanced feelings of mind, body and spirit
Key Color: Yellow is the primary color for this emotional
energy, as it represents the sun, life force and health.
Supplement a big burst of blooms with greens, which induce
nature’s healing energy, and white, which reflects serenity.
Vase Style: Choose an oval or round, terra-cotta, wood or bamboo
container to replicate the Earth’s element, providing grounding
and balance.
In the Home: Locate this energy in the living room or family
room to enhance the space of relaxation, meditation and family
connection.
Inspiration and Motivation
Inspiration and Motivation: Infuses the soul with rejuvenating
energy
Key Color: Red epitomizes motivation, fame, courage and power.
Design an up-shooting spray that also includes sensuous, rich
orange and fuchsia, which suggest enthusiasm and exuberance.
Vase Style: A tall mirrored or shiny metal container of any kind
will stoke inspiration. Mirrors boost positive energies and
bring good luck, which will circulate through all endeavors.
In the Home: The home office is an ideal place to inject
motivational energy — or the power of now. Anyone will feel
encouraged to reach for the stars and live life to the fullest.
Love and Romance: Sparks intimate connections and blossoming
love
Key Color: A tight bunch of flowers flush with burgundy and red
embodies feelings of passion and romance. Incorporating lush
pinks and peaches will help invite love and inspire kindness.
Vase Style: A circular vase is the perfect shape for
never-ending love.
In the Home: Spark feelings of adoration during a meal in the
kitchen or dining room. As you nourish your body, you will be
dually energized by love and encouraged to show your affection
throughout the day and night. Flowers are a great addition to
the bedroom too.
New Beginnings: Welcomes change with open arms and mind
Key Color: Stimulate joy, enthusiasm and excitement with a
simple arrangement featuring the color orange. Complement it
with white — the color of purity and freshness — and green,
characterizing new opportunity and growth.
Vase Style: A square, ceramic vase brings an earthy energy,
proclaiming that while the sky’s the limit, it’s good to keep
your feet firmly rooted on the ground.
In the Home: Put the spirit of new horizons on display on a
mantle or coffee table, where it will instill faith, creativity
and endless possibility.
Serenity: Allows our minds to unwind and release tension,
bringing a sense of calm to our lives
Key Color: Loosely arranged hues of blue, violet and lavender
evoke serenity and will help clear the mind of stress. Blue
represents the ocean and sky, while shades of purple invoke
spiritual energy.
Vase Style: A cobalt blue glass vase represents inner wisdom and
will help add balance. The blue is yin (soft, curving, cyclical)
and the glass is yang (straight, shiny, linear) for a perfect
equilibrium.
In the Home: Setting this in the entryway will set the tone for
tranquility as you step inside your home from the chaotic world
outside.
Prosperity: Stimulates action and indicates success and richness
Key Color: Let red or deep purple dominate this abundant
arrangement, intimating accomplishment and wealth. Accent with
shades of gold, the preeminent color for good health and
fortune.
Vase Style: Select a metallic, perhaps golden container,
representing a pot of gold.
In the Home: Give your home a boost by placing this
inspirational bouquet where you welcome guests or potential
buyers.
“We all strive to surround ourselves with positive energy, and
nature is a powerful and proven tonic,” says Barrett. “Anyone
can let Vitamin F fortify their home, whether it’s a refuge,
haven, retreat or sanctuary.”
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About Jayme Barrett: Jayme Barrett, the leading authority on
inspired living and best-selling author, empowers individuals to
design their lives for increased balance, energy and motivation.
Barrett specializes in techniques for personal fulfillment,
prosperity and integrated health. She has appeared on numerous
national television shows and been featured in print
publications. Barrett is also a recurring speaker and workshop
presenter at Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. studios, and for
numerous corporations, retreat centers, resorts and nonprofit
organizations around the world.
