Hello!
Have you ever walked into a space and instantly felt a shift in mood? Maybe a room felt unusually heavy or the opposite, light, airy and deeply peaceful.
There is ancient wisdom I constantly return to in holistic interior design that is both deeply intuitive and scientifically backed by the laws of physics and that is, Energy flows where attention goes.
When we direct intentional thought, warmth and emotion into a physical environment, the space itself begins to hold that resonance. Recently, I came across a story on Instagram by Rue Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Kelli Lamb, that illustrated this concept so beautifully, it made me question: Why aren’t more people practicing this?
It involves rebuilding after tragedy, pizza on exposed wooden framing, and a 5,000-year-old home blessing ritual I learned during my Vaastu certification.
So this month I put together a quick read on how merging modern intentions with ancient spatial rituals can completely transform the energy of your home before the furniture ever arrives.
Sending lots of love,
Rebuilding After Loss: Kelli Lamb’s Pre-Housewarming Celebration
After tragically losing her home in the Altadena fires, Kelli Lamb, Editor-in-Chief of Rue Magazine, began the deeply emotional process of starting over on her land and documenting the entire journey. But before the walls were closed up and drywall was installed, she did something remarkable.
She hosted a "pre-house-housewarming" party.
Kelli invited her closest family and friends to gather on the site, eat pizza, give everyone a tour and invite loved ones to draw all over the exposed wooden framing and back walls of her unfinished house. Laughter filled her future office, children drew on the walls and a toast was shared.
Before moving in a single piece of furniture, Kelli and her partner imprinted the barebones of her home with love, joy, connection and community. She gave her focused attention to life, renewal and hope.
In Conversation with Kelli Lamb: "Home is a Feeling"
When I reached out to Kelli to ask how this tragedy shifted her perspective on spatial design and home energy, her reflection captured the heart of holistic design:
"I have always been of the mindset that 'home is a feeling,' and losing our home, our safe place, has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced... Our home and our lives are meant to be shared and we feel we have a unique opportunity and perspective on what our home will mean, not only to us but our community, when we move back."
Instead of treating the new build as a sterile structure, Kelli consciously chose to infuse it with energetic history before the walls were even sealed:
"Up until then, this house has been a structure. It’s been a dream, a set of plans, a hard-fought pain... But as our guests poured in, the house pivoted from a structure to a home. The energy shifted and I felt some of my heartache and pain start to soften...I was writing a quote on our back exterior wall and I could hear laughter erupting from my office as my girlfriends snuck funny quotes on the walls behind where my desk will go.Hearing that laughter, I closed my eyes and knew one day, we’d hear the same laughter in the home... I wanted to move home and already have memories 'pre-loaded,' to already have it infused with good energy... Our community quite literally has held us up with their love and support the last 18 months, so now they’re holding the house up too!"
Photos by Amy Bartlam via Kelli Lamb
As I read her story, it immediately reminded me of one of the most sacred, ancient home blessing traditions in Vaastu Shastra that I was fortunate to take part in while I was getting my certification in Vaastu.
The Ancient Vaastu Ritual in the North-East Corner
In Vaastu Shastra’s ancient Indian system of architecture and spatial harmony, the physical structure of a home is treated as a living, breathing energy body.
One of the most foundational Vaastu practices is Garbhadhana, a sacred ritual performed during the initial construction of a home. In Vaastu design, the North-East corner (known as the Ishanya zone) is considered the most sacred quadrant of any property. It governs pure consciousness, spiritual growth, clarity and fresh beginnings.
During this traditional ritual, items representing purity, prosperity and elemental harmony such as copper vessels, silver wire, healing crystals and written prayers are buried directly within the foundation of the North-East corner.
My Experience Participating in a Sacred Vaastu Ceremony
I was fortunate enough to take part in one of these rituals during my Vaastu certification and the energy was truly palpable.
We spent the day inscribing bricks with sacred Sanskrit symbols representing positive qualities that would be added to the altar in the foundation. We brought fruit and flowers as offerings, lit incense and listened as ancient texts were chanted while we called out the positive qualities we wanted to infuse the home with.
Before we finished our teacher told us that typically hours after these ceremonies, it begins to rain. And sure enough, just as we made it back to the house we were staying at the sky opened and a downpour ensued. Minutes later when the storm passed we were blessed with a full rainbow.
3 Simple Rituals to Shift the Energy in Your Home
You don’t have to be rebuilding a home from scratch to tap into this ancient wisdom. Whether you live in a new apartment, a historic house, or a temporary rental, energy flows where attention goes.
Here are three simple, powerful practices you can try this week to pause and infuse your living space with clear intention:
1. Clear and Awaken the North-East Corner
Because the North-East corner of a home governs mental clarity and fresh energy flow, keeping this area heavy or cluttered can leave you feeling stuck. Dedicate 10 minutes to decluttering the North-East zone of your living room or bedroom. Dust the area, open a nearby window to let fresh air circulate, or add a healthy green plant or natural crystal to lift the room’s vibe.
2. Write Hidden Intentions (Your Modern "Foundation" Blessing)
Afterwards, embrace the spirit of Kelli’s wall-writing and the Vaastu foundation ritual. Take a small piece of paper and write down three core qualities you want your home to foster (for example: deep rest, abundance, unconditional love). Slip this note beneath a rug in your entryway, or inside a drawer in the North-East corner of your room. It acts as a subtle, hidden anchor for your home's energy.
3. Practice the "Threshold Pause"
Before you step through your front door at the end of a long day, take five seconds on your doorstep. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and consciously release the stress, noise, and busyness of the outside world. As you turn the handle, step over the threshold with gratitude for the shelter and peace your home provides.
Designing with Intentional Energy
Kelli’s intentionality didn’t stop at the wooden studs. As her build continues, she is carrying that same energetic awareness into every design decision, decor selection and piece of furniture entering the home:
"All of our furniture, lighting, accessories, millwork—all of it—is being carefully selected with the energy in mind, carefully selecting from makers and brands with loving, joyful energy. For example, Kim Salmela was an incredible help to us after the fire—she and a group of her friends quite literally clothed us—so we’ll be hiring her to make as much of the upholstered furniture as possible."
Final Thoughts: Designing with Intention
Our homes are far more than just shelter, drywall, and furniture. They are reflections of our inner worlds. From the hidden intentions beneath our walls to the hands and hearts behind the objects we bring inside, when we intentionally offer our homes our presence, gratitude, and care, they hold space for us in return.
