Reflections- a different perspective

Hello friends, we all know that Perspective has a Latin root, meaning "look through" or "perceive". All the meanings of perspective have something to do with looking and observing. Observing however, is more of conscious looking and time and again we designers have been taught to observe and not just ‘look’ or ‘see’.

Today morning I was trying to capture through my lenses some exotic birds that visit our locality these days. Small 3 inch green warblers drank from the sahjan flowers dipping their beaks in and an equally small pair of shiny metallic turquoise blue & black birds kept jumping from branch to branch and wouldn’t sit still to get photographed. The squirrel sprang about making its queer squeaky noise and exotic colourful  butterflies hovered above the flowers! The shiny blues, the bright yellows and oranges, brown and white spots were the adornments of the butterflies.

I am very sure that these exotic creatures kept visiting our surroundings always. But it is only now, when we have slowed down enough to ‘stand and stare’ and observe, that we are able to see them and enjoy their beauty! To enjoy the beauty of nature we do need to slow down and have patience.

My recent browsing through the ocean of internet threw up a new concept of SLOW. ‘Slow’ is an acronym for Sustainable, Local, Organic, and Whole. Well that is a beautiful way of phrasing it I thought! So I wanted to share with you this perspective of slow living!

The phrase “slow movement” was coined by Carl Honoré in his 2004 book, In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed. So I learnt today that “Slow living is a lifestyle which is going back to a simpler and mindful approach to life.”

Well, we can Design Homes with slow living in mind and make space for a life that emphasises on “being in the moment” and create a space for the things that transport us into a portal of pleasure and happiness. The interiors of our homes have much to do about our mental and emotional health. Now with this global pandemic affecting our lives, we have been advised to stay at home for our own welfare and the welfare of our fellow humans. We are spending our days inside our homes and how well our homes are designed will definitely have an impact on our physical as well as mental health. However, do not fret over a creased bed linen, a chipped bowl or a fading curtain – not everything has to be fast, polished or showroom-perfect.

What we need are: (1)    Maximum natural light and ventilation. (2) A decluttered home to remove distractions and improve our productivity. (3)Some plants in living areas to improve air quality, relaxation, inspiration, and focus. (4) Balanced natural elements (fire, earth, water and space and air) for more interest and depth (5) Energy flow pathways with no roadblocks from one  productive area to another and (6) Balanced use of ‘Colours’ in our spaces.

In this manner we can build a home that reflects our life, rather than passing fashions and trends. With small adjustments our homes can transform from a source of stress or isolation to a sanctuary for calm and comfort. These tips are also enumerated in our ancient science of ‘Sthaptya Shilpa and Vastu Shashtra’ in Atharva Veda where the designs are intended to integrate architecture with nature.

Oh! How the thought process flows in myriad directions.. have I deviated from watching nature to designing our homes ? J Maybe! But I am just sharing my thoughts with you as it keeps flowing. In the images attached with this post are some pictures I clicked of the sky and the nature as reflected on the Car windows visible from my balcony J So starting from observing the nature and reflections of the sky and trees I end up pondering about the interiors of our homes.. J Hope you enjoy my musings..

Dr Anindita Roy, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi