Have you ever wondered why we surround ourselves with so many things in our lives? How much do we really need to function comfortably in this world? Does having more make us more; make us better, safer or happier? There is always enormous pressure to buy more with the promise that our lives will be perfect once we own this object or that outfit. We fall for that trick and later discover that it did not work. We are still dissatisfied and yet we continue to keep trying to make it work, we keep buying more and more. A never-ending cycle of illusion. Am I alone in believing that less is best?
My motive for my life is use it or lose it and I practice that in everything, from the obvious bric-a-brac that is so easy to accumulate, to clothes, Jewellery, DVDs, crockery, cutlery, books, papers and even food. My fridge at the beginning of the week is full of fresh food and drinks. Enough to last the week and I try to use everything before I venture back into the supermarket. I regularly tidy up my wardrobe, and at least once a year I clear out all my documents and bills etc. What does it do for me? I feel lighter. My life is simpler. It is easier to find things as I now have less choice. I spend less time in the shops looking for replacement items and more time on things that matter, that make me happy. Holding on to old invoices and records of the past simply keeps me stuck in the past. It’s amazing how liberating it is to throw away financial history.
I have always taken great pride in keeping everything around me neat and tidy. So, it came as a real shock when I discovered that I was hoarding books and training notes. It was as if I did not trust myself to remember what I had read or learned and was intent on holding on to every piece of information I could. The day I spring cleaned my filing cabinet and book shelf was quite a shock to my system. Having to let go of all that "learning". Would I ever be the same again?
In Reiki we are taught to have an attitude of gratitude for all things. I like to think that even the sofa wants to be appreciated for its role in my life. Who am I to say that just because it is not defined as a “living” thing, that it does not need to be recognised for its role in existence. It’s obvious that running water, electricity and waste disposal are services that we definitely cannot live comfortably without, and yet how often do we take them for granted? When the taps run dry and the lights go out, our angry indignation that we have been denied a basic right, highlights our ingratitude. It’s only when they are not there that we realize how much we take them for granted. Think about it. Take a tour around your house and thank each and every item for its contribution. If you find when you get to the fifth set of saucepans or 8 tins of beans that perhaps there are too many items sitting there, doing nothing, and often exceeding their sell by date, perhaps you could consider downsizing!
Even in Feng Shui it is recognized that clutter in the house causes energetic stagnation. It’s obvious that a full glass will spill over when we try to add more water, so why do we keep on pouring? The same applies to other areas of our lives. Someone who has taken on too much, in terms of work or emotional stress, will eventually collapse. It is the natural law of nature that all things need to be in balance. The fairy stories of our childhood teach us through characters like “Goldilocks and the three bears” that the bed should not be too soft, or too hard, but just right, in other words, in perfect balance. Imagine if the trees held on to their leaves or the apples refused to ripen.
Clutter is not only in the things around us, but also in our heads. Information overload can be just as damaging as hoarding material things. I read somewhere that the average Western person receives more information in one day than our ancestors used to read in one year and it is increasing at a rapid rate. This information does not cause clutter by itself. It is the things that we mean to do with it and postpone, the thoughts that we constantly think and don’t let go of, the intentions we decide to have and never action,that cause blockages in our minds. All this amounts to a huge dam in our flow of energy and is responsible for more modern dis-eases, like stress, than most people realize.
What is fog? A collection of unhealthy and polluted air, which hangs around and prevents us from seeing clearly. Imagine that fog as your thoughts. The more you allow them to stagnate the blinder you become to the possibilities in your life. The negative words we use pollute our mind and ultimately the atmosphere. We all have an experience of someone using derogatory words towards us. Do they help us to see more clearly or do they contribute to the foggy haze of fear and confusion in our lives?
There is a wonderful exercise in coaching, which we call “Feng Shui of the Mind”. It helps us to identify and weed out the excess in all areas of our lives. Once clear, we are free to move forward in positive and enlightening ways, which not only help us individually but collectively. It’s simple. It can be done immediately and it costs nothing. Yet the savings in our health and happiness are enormous.
De-clutter yourself today and contribute to the greening of our society and the cleansing of the cosmic fog. Go on! I dare you.
