4 Reasons why warmth is a lifestyle

I have casually encountered the word warmth in innumerable conversations. Many of them have met me with a smile, a sigh, or a feel-good reaction. As humans, we want to live in spaces of comfort. We want to engage in conversations of acceptance. Maybe there is a reason why people are happy in warmer places and yearn for baked goodies and home-cooked food.

Warmth produces the best in us.

Let’s make an attempt to understand four reasons why warmth should envelop characteristics of our everyday routine.

Warmth in decor

As humans, we welcome and experiment with warmth by creating warm cozy spaces around us. One of the key elements that make a person swoon over design is the warmth it exudes.

Warmth is usually a product of an organic aesthetic. Using wooden tones with burnt brown, yellow, and mustard hues could be yes for any design style. Thick velvet material, chunky knit blankets provide an unparalleled vibe to a room. Layering could give a different dimension to a room, as we experiment with our favorite tactile materials.

Experimentation with ambient, task, accent lighting could help lighten the mood of the room. These details could make all the difference in our lifestyle.

Tapas in Yoga

The Yoga Sutras speak about ‘Tapas’ through yoga, meaning to ‘tap into’ to ‘burn with intensity’.

Tapas produces a desire which makes us go beyond our negative energy, voices that stop us from achieving our best. With this fiery discipline, one can let the warmth of tapas steer us towards our goals. It glides us along the rocky path of discipline and routine making.

The revelation is the growth and expansion within. The austerity that makes you meditate longer, practice asanas regularly, or practice a skill is because of the ‘tapas’ that comes from inner engineering.

As stated by Iyengar, “A worthy aim makes life illumined, pure and divine. Without such an aim, action and prayer have no value. Life without tapas is like a heart without love.”

Agni in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, the idea of ‘Agni’ helps us to understand health. Agni is digestive power that creates heat to implement good health.

A robust Agni ensures good functioning of the body. Detrimental lifestyle, poor diet ruptures Agni and produces ‘Ama’ or imbalance in our doshas. Ama accompanies a variety of imbalances, from low energy to fatigue to emotional disturbances.

The understanding of this digestive fire helps us understand the importance of this life-giving force. Agni can be sharpened through exercise, yoga, and inner work. Our functioning, metabolism helps connect the mind with the body. Hence, heat, sweat, and warmth are needed in our everyday lifestyle to function better.

Warmth in relationships

Warmth in relationships can be understood by reading into the human aesthetic and appreciating the intrinsic qualities of humans.

An intrinsic quality speaks about our thoughts and belief systems. The human aesthetic provides an opportunity where we speak and ideate through trust in dialogue. People who find themselves in an environment where they are heard, trusted for their unfiltered selves through empathy and love are at peace. They experience warmth in relationships and are always open to inviting people into their circles.

Intrinsic sharpening of skills and engaging in inner work through dialogue could be an interesting medium to welcome warmth in human relationships.

All images by Richa-@richsoulseeker on Instagram and Pinterest.