Decorating for the holidays can bring more joy than you realize when one finds their ideal seasonal decorating theme by using their major chakra! We visited with Cyndi Dale, Chakra Rūpa founder and author of 28 books on chakras, energy healing, and spirituality, as she offers seasonal decorating tips inspired by décor styles matched to each of the 7 chakras.
KCH&S: What is Chakra Rūpa and what does it have to do with decorating for Christmas?
DALE: Holiday decorating can be stressful! There’s a lot of pressure to cultivate an idyllic, festive atmosphere. If you are overwhelmed and not sure where to start, try designing via your major chakra to create a festive environment that reflects your true, inner self.
Chakras (think yoga) are subtle energy centers along the spine that manage every part of our lives. But chakras do more than govern our internal well-being, they also determine the type of environment we feel most comfortable in, and we each have one major chakra through which our true personality expresses.
Once you identify your strongest chakra, you can design a holiday scene that truly reflects your inner self by applying the aesthetics – the lines, colors, and textures – that relate to that chakra… Chakra Rūpa.
KCH&S: How do you determine what your major chakra is?
DALE: There is a simple quiz that outlines the traits characteristic of each of the seven, in-body chakras. Select the list of traits that best describe you and then see the answer key to determine your major chakra and the label that suits you best. You can check it out on my website cyndidale.com/services/chakrarupa
KCH&S: Why is decorating to Chakra Rūpa important?
DALE: We are spiritual beings undergoing a physical experience. And the more soul-based décor we surround ourselves with, the more joyful, productive, healthy, abundant, and love-filled our lives are. You can match your chakra with its corresponding aesthetic to find the design style that best reflects your inner self, which will in turn make you feel happy in the holiday design style you select for your home.
KCH&S: Can you give us some ideas of the type of decorations that would best suit our chakra?
DALE: Yes, let’s take a look at some decorating ideas, starting with Second Chakra people. Second chakra people are creative, emotional, and totally Bohemian in their decorating style. Anything eclectic (think not matching) and unique (think folksy). Ideas for the Winter Holidays: Why decorate the tree by yourself? Assemble a lovely and unusual box of ribbons, buttons, unpainted ornaments, and paints and have at it before dinner! Dollar stores are a great site to raid, where you can also buy pom poms and make your own mini-trees and garland. Don’t hang the stockings with care – be carefree. Glue on tassels and glittery ribbons, and make sure every present is wrapped with a different paper. Kwanzaa colors of green, red, and black can be naturally snazzed up by wrapping Kente cloth around a wreath mold – add a few colorful feathers – and kids can make their own mock menorahs by painting blocks or using glowsticks.
KCH&S: Wow! Those are great ideas. How about for those with the sixth chakra?
DALE: Sixth chakra individuals are aesthetic, visual, and all about appearances – in a good way. After all, how you look – or what you see – determines your reality. Think decorating with Regency or Art Deco. Go wild with color and form in these ways for the winter holidays: Try blending Marilyn Monroe/Andy Warhol-kitsch with metallic-futuristic. Then add in a little 9th grade geometry. Confused? Don’t be. If you do a tree, create at least a few metallic or geometric ornaments. For all religions, wrap presents in chrome, gold, or silver. Glass lighting and vases work no matter your worship focus and you can always select violet, green, or blue – perfect sixth chakra hues.
