BEFORE you set an intention to begin anew, you must be willing and ready to LET GO of anything you might be hanging on to, and create space for the new to come in! How do you do this? Being the Feng Shui enthusiast that I am, I always stress the importance of the most important but simple technique of de-cluttering. De-Clutter stands for: Detox Environmentally – Clear Life Up Through Tidying & Eliminating Rubbish!
When you consider the way energy moves, it enters through the front door of your environment, which is known in Feng Shui as the “mouth of the chi.” From there, you want it to move through your space like water down a stream; it should flow nicely. Unnecessary objects blocking this stream, or “clutter,” disrupts this flow. Clutter can be very draining on your being, and like a river dam to a creek, it can slow energy from reaching you or even completely block energy from flowing to certain areas of your life.
When you imagine yourself in an ideal setting, or your favorite place, where is that? I am guessing it is not a beach full of litter, or a room full of boxes? It is probably a clean, clear, and peaceful place. A place where you feel at your best, with a clear and healthy state of mind. When you are in this clear space, you allow for the new to come in. Yes it can be an emotional process. Letting go isn’t easy, but it will truly help to allow for the new to come in! So what are you waiting for? Let’s do this!
THE FRONT DOOR: A good simple place to start is the place one would see first when coming to your home, your entrance. Clear away anything behind your front door, so that it is able to open fully allowing for abundant and loving energy to come in easily. No clutter should live behind the door, and if you have a closet near the entrance ensure that it is clutter free, organized, and only occupied with things you currently use. (If it is summer, you don’t need winter coats there). Be sure the view from the entrance is pleasant and clutter free. The threshold to the front door is also important, and it should be in good condition. If you or people coming into your home trip on the threshold, the energy coming into your space does the same thing. Fix it!
YOUR BED: Assuming your bedroom is where you rest at night, this is where you spend most of your time and should also be considered an important place to start. I completely understand how storing things under your bed makes sense. I would say 75% (if not more) of my clients do this. It is a hidden place, with a lot of room, and it makes sense to use this as storage. This clutter under the bed acts as a block however. Chi needs to be able to circulate your body fully and completely while you rest, and storing items under your bed prevents this from happening. Keep your bed free of clutter from not only under the bed, but if you tend to throw things on the bed, come up with another system. The bed is a place where your insoul’s energy recharges, and rests. It should be treated this way.
THE STOVE: The stove is one of the largest inlets of energy in your space. If you have a stove in your space, make it a point to keep it clean and clutter free to invite the energy coming in, to come in easily. When you use the stove, try to remember to rotate the burner that you use so that each inlet is used in balance allowing for as much chi to come in as possible. If you keep pots and pans out on the stove, find a new storage space for them.
DRAWERS AND CLOSETS: De-cluttering your drawers and closets can a big undertaking. This I suggest doing day by day, or room by room. Most of what you don’t actually need gets shoved away in drawers and closets. You do the same with emotion that you are not ready to let go of; shove it away. This can be an emotional and symbolic process, and as you let go of things, you let go of emotion. The goal of de-cluttering is to only keep things that continually serve you. I have a 3 month rule. If I have not used it or worn in the past 3 months, I probably won’t, and I let it go. The beauty of this … I open space for the new to come in!
ELECTRONICS: Just because it doesn’t land in your physcial space doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you. Consider your computer documents, photos on your phone, contacts, and text messages. Make a whole ceremony out of it! Read my article “iShui; Feng Shui for all Things Electronic,” to go deeper in this area.
Having said all of this, there is only one thing left to do. Start. If it is de-cluttering, cleaning, organizing, tossing things out, your are moving energy. Come on this journey with me, and share your progress. I promise it will give you a kick start to the change your are seeking. It has for me.
As I was on a reflective nature walk, thinking about all I am ready to let go of, I came across this message on a pole:
I saw this and thought “it is time to de-clutter and let go.” I did. I let go, and truly let God. I am sharing it in hopes you feel similar motivation.
Let go, and invite new Divine magic to come in and open doors of opportunity!
Please let me know how it goes, either here, or on my faceboook page! Many blessings to you!
