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Feed your fire. Alchemy in the kitchen

LOVE kitchen / photographed by Adrian Louw

The kitchen is the heart of the home, a space of alchemy, transformation and magic, where we work with the ancestral element of fire. That is one of the reasons why, in many cultures, a kitchen is considered a sacred and holy place.

Many homeowners often go to lengths to create a beautiful kitchen for this same reason. It could be something as simple as remodeling the kitchen countertops (check the likes of Stone Boneyard for the same) or changing the paint color. It is essential to keep the kitchen in the best condition at all times since it is where most of the family gathers for small talks. Many people do not just stop there. They take care of this place even when it ages with time. From getting the sinks and pipelines repaired (perhaps with the help of handymen from the likes of City Plumbing & Rooter- https://cityplumbingandrooter.com/service-areas/) to getting the cabinets repolished, they do it all to take it to its former glory. Honestly, the reason why the kitchen is cared for so much is that here we witness the metamorphosis of ingredients turning into unique concoctions.

Growing up in Peru, the kitchen was a communal place in the home, a space of storytelling, where different flavors mingled to express themselves. Native and Spanish as well as other cuisines influenced the exquisite mélange that is the earthy comida criolla of Peru.

I come from a lineage of women who made and continue to make magic in the kitchen. It is therefore natural for me to see the ancestral space of the kitchen endowed with a special kind of magic: love. Like books, food made with love has the power to melt the frozen seas inside us. The intention that sustains soulful cooking and eating is not meant to numb our soul but to nourish our life force so we can grow more awake, conscious, and alive. Similarly, the looks and aesthetics of a kitchen often matter while cooking a nutritious and delicious meal. A beautiful kitchen generally has spacious cabinets, a wide countertop (if interested, have a look at countertops in Denver), and modern appliances.

A sacred space of alchemy

In these times of always feeling rushed, the kitchen invites us to slow down, be present, connect and enter the meditative and sacred art of cooking. The kitchen is the one space in the home where our hands are in direct contact with the fruits of the earth, fruits that were touched by sun, soil, air and water, as well as the invisible hands that planted and harvested our food. When I let my creative juices run wild in the kitchen, I enter a state of flow. Our mind naturally quiets in the kitchen because its environment engages all of our senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. For a delightful exploration of the senses, read A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman.

If you want increased vitality in your life, spend some time in the kitchen. It will feed your fire. Here we are not only speaking of fire in a figurative way-to mean passion-we are essentially working with fire in a sensory, sensual, visceral way.

Create a well-functioning, vibrant, and invigorating kitchen that speaks to your soul and invites flow. Eliminate toxins in your kitchen, grow your own aromatic herbs and/or produce if you have a garden, go to farmer’s markets, recycle, compost, waste less, buy organic, go wholesome!

Only a few subtle changes to the design of your kitchen can shift its energy and invigorate its soul. Invite natural materials, color, light, patterns, views, art, plants & flowers. Keep it spacious and flowing. Here are some examples of kitchens with soul:

Color

Love the light and the playful pops of pastel colors in this kitchen. Photo by Yvonne Eijkenduijn, The Yvestown Blog) via lolalina

Yellow in the kitchen. A dash of yellow can enliven any space. Love the retro Smeg refrigerator. Photo via at-hermans

Clean and bold use of color with Color Blocking creates an invigorating space. Photography by Jean-Marc Wullschleger | Living Agency for Real Living, via brightbazaarblog

Spacious and light-filled black and white kitchen. Lovely fruit and flower details. Photo via avotakka

“I really wanted the kitchen to be a place where the atmosphere was lively & inviting,” via design sponge

Love the vibrant splashes of electric red in this kitchen by Diego Montero of studio m+. 19th century home in Uruguay. Photo via sfgirlbybay

Vibrant turquoise table in the kitchen of Sarah Lavoine’s home in Paris via carnet-interior.

Pattern

Beautiful tile, designed by Mats Theselius & bright turquoise chairs in this kitchen. Photo via 79 ideas

I love the tiles, high ceiling, light and pops of color. Kitchen from decorator Montse Esteva who lives in Barcelona, Spain. Via Syle-files

Views

Slanted windows with views of nature and a lovely mandala table. Earthship kitchen via frommoontomoon via observando.net

Kitchen with a beautiful view. Photo via tumblr

Natural Materials

Love the clerestory windows, the spaciousness and natural wood floors in this Palm Springs Kitchen via sfgirlbybay

Light and spacious kitchen with natural wood and lovely views. Photo by Mark Roper via dustjacketattic

Light & Spacious

Love the clarity in this Kitchen in the home of he Australian Stylist Kara Rosenlund. Photo via 79 ideas

Art

Love the photo art, geometric rug and light fixture in this Potrero Hill flat, in San Francisco, CA, by Antonio Martins via flodeau

Chalkboard wall in kitchen of Wendy Haworth via onekingslane

Plants

“Love, eat, party” while you cook with plants in the window; they don’t block the light in this lovely kitchen via apartment therapy

Love this intimate kitchen with small plants and pops of orange in the art and kettle. Via apartment therapy

Kitchen with plants featured on covet garden via sfgirlbybay

“Happiness is a kitchen with plants…and your things.” Photo via sfgirlbybay

May you feed your fire and experience magic in the kitchen!

My birthday is tomorrow! I dedicate this post to the great Spirit that gives us life, to my beloved ancestors and ancestral land, my loved ones who support my path, to all beings who have generously fed my body, mind, and spirit along the journey of my life. To love, the most powerful, healing current in the universe. And to all of you, beautiful alchemists,