Indoor Nature Aquariums Can Improve Our Well being
Google and many other companies are betting that productivity, focus, creativity and stress can be heavily impacted by adding nature inspired elements to the work environment.
Google’s ‘Living Lab’ will include lots of natural sunlight, green trees & plants, and a gigantic aquarium.
The modern term for this is ‘biophilia’ ~ the love of all living things based on our innate emotional affiliation with nature. The ancient term for the same nature inspired environmental solutions is ‘feng shui’.
If Google can do it, you can too!
I often refer my feng shui clients to http://www.albanyaquarium.com for their famous planted fish aquariums which focus on eco-systems which integrate healthy live fish with living green plants from around the world ~ no plastic please.
In Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods , he refers to nature deficit disorder, NDD especially with children who are spending less time outdoors resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems.
Ideally, it is best for everyone to get outdoors, but we can also benefit from bringing nature into our environment.
An ecologically balanced aquarium is not only a joy to watch, but is a great teaching aid to get kids engaged with the natural world at least at the micro-level.
A true natural aquarium is a miniature enclosed world. We can experience the rhythms of nature by observing the fish moving in and out of the plants.
Natural Aquariums as a Balance to the Digital Devices
This is very zen: a great way to take a break from the mental activity of work and/or learning in school.
And, of course one can be very creative about where to place each beautiful plant to show off the different colors and textures of the leaves which bend with the movement of the fish – great lesson on flexibility. Throughout the world where the natural systems are highly valued, people compete in having the healthiest and most beautiful aquariums.
Aquariums as a Yin element in our life can provide calmness and time to slow down for quiet reflection. This is a great balance to the Yang action oriented digital devices we are now addicted to.
The Green Movement reduces human harm to our natural systems.
But, the missing link is reconnecting with nature again in order to understand and value the uniqueness and fragility of Mother Earth.
A small aquarium or a big one like Google’s, can get us back onto
the path of
personal well being.
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