In a recent dialogue with a fellow traveler on the spiritual path, we discussed what it meant to clear out our physical space, the place where we dwell. We both had gotten the sense that a sort of detailed cleaning was in order. Not necessarily Spring cleaning, which is more like a "hafta do". But a kind of wellness cleaning, done more with a sense of finishing up old business.
It made me realize that as I prepare for what I anticipate to be an eventful 2013, I have to do some fine tuning. I want to further lighten the load of debris in order to give myself that feeling of freedom. As a Feng Shui consultant, I can assure you that I don't do clutter. Never have. Even in college, before settling down at the kitchen table with my Selectric Typewriter to work on a paper, I had to clean the entire apartment in order to concentrate on anything. If I needed to study, I couldn't have any distractions.
Removing excess material possessions, objects and accumulated memorabilia from one's home (or garage, or attic or from under the bed) is very important for a variety of reasons. In any Feng Shui practice, getting rid of clutter, junk, useless accumulation of memorabilia, etc, is the absolute first step for creating change. In fact, if you implement any Feng Shui changes without first clearing clutter, it stands to reason that nothing much will happen. That's because the flow of chi in the space is terribly blocked by clutter. And if the only thing you did was to clear clutter, then you have made an enormous improvement in the flow of chi of the space.
Which brings us to the reason we need to clear clutter -- cleanliness and order create an environment of harmony and flow. All the stuff in our lives reflects back to the time that it represents. And if we are eager to move forward into higher frequencies of existence, then we need to let go of the past. The frequency of energy in a space is simply the vibration - the denser the vibration, the muckier the feeling it gives us. The higher the frequency, the lighter we feel; we can focus more easily because our immediately surroundings are finely tuned.
Flow. Not only does it represent the past, but the actual physical-ness of the stuff has its own energy. Unless we are using it, it is not a bad idea to let it go. Because not only is it taking up space in our homes, apartments, lofts, offices or automobiles, it is taking up space in our minds. If you are a serious students of meditation, for example, clearing the mind is key to a healthy meditation practice. But this rule applies to anyone. Much of the stuff that is creating clutter holds us back as it takes up space in our psyche, our subconscious, our emotions. We should wish to move away from that which no longer exists because it runs the risk of becoming a hardened callous on our personal timeline. If it no longer serves our higher good then it is time to reconsider its value.
Perhaps the biggest reason for holding onto stuff is sentimentality, we have grown attached to that part of our history. There is a part of us that thinks we "should" keep that possession forever. When I let go of something that has been sitting in the drawer for way too long, and is from a time that was positive or loving, I always think that I am simply getting rid of the thing, and not the goodness or the love or the beauty from that time, And the more I clear my physical space, and thus my mind, the more I am allowing myself to be in the present. I want to be in the NOW more than anything, so I do what I can to facilitate that. The more I am in the NOW the less the past oppresses me. And if I am not oppressed by the past, then my future looks bright and unobstructed. I can move more freely, unconfined by a definition of me that resides in the old paradigm. Harmony.
It's a beautiful thing to have our surroundings reflect who and what we are. We should be proud and joyful for what we have accomplished and earned. Having symbols of important and precious times in our journey here supports who we are and what goals we hope to achieve. So long as what we display around us conveys positive imagery and evokes positive, uplifting Chi. This then would be the opposite of clutter. Clutter is stagnant. It is trapped energy that creates an environment of lethargy and carelessness. When we clear stagnation we are shifting into a vibration of unencumbered clarity. Removing that which has lost its usefulness makes room for the new.
Which is what is desirable if we want to contibute to the world around or just our own - we want to make room for more light and more guidance and more wisdom. But we must start somewhere. Clearing up our environments actually supports our material and spiritual path, one that is unobstructed and easy to traverse. As you find yourself hauling stuff away, bless it and thank it. Let the energy move on into the vast universe to be transformed into light, and feel the freedom.
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