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Clear the Clutter
Last week I invited you to “Turn down the Noise” and then reflect upon any effects this may have had for you as we seek to move From Fog to Flow. If you found this a useful tool, please continue to engage in quiet moments each day. The more you engage in this practice, the more opportunities will arise to become centered and grounded and to “know thyself.”
Part of moving from fog to flow is about gaining a lightness of being. Such a lightness can exist, does exist, and is quite glorious! You likely have experienced moments of this - when everything seems to shine two shades brighter and there is a vibrancy in everything about you and within you. Why not move toward flow where these moments are longer lasting and the rule versus the exception?
So what else can one “do” to move the dial toward greater flow and lightness of being in life? Let’s try something very practical: clear the clutter. Okay, I know this has been said a thousand times and written about even more. But it warrants attention yet again because it is low hanging fruit - something very doable with big payoffs. And we can even add valuable twists here.
Level 1: Just Clean and see what happens
Yesterday I decided to get a head start on some organizing. I chose two drawers in my bedroom. One drawer held t-shirts, shorts, nightgowns, and workout pants. The other held swimming suits, sarongs, and dry fit shirts. It took all of five minutes to lay everything out, rearrange the contents in a new way and remove the pieces that could be set aside until winter or given away. Along the way I decided to try on some shorts that had been unwearable this time last year. It turns out that the weight I have lost means that I can wear them again comfortably. Ultimately, that experience turned out to be the most valuable. I realized that the changes in my eating have benefitted my body in a tangible way. That feels good. I feel stronger and more empowered. I certainly didn’t know I would have that experience when I began the low-hanging fruit drawer clean out.
So one of the benefits of cleaning, organizing and clearing is simply whatever arises by chance. A random choice. A random benefit. A little thought. A little bonus on top of a cleaner space.
Level 2: Cleaning and clearing with intention
But what if you became a little more intentional. What if you tapped into the power of symbolism? Let’s try something. Take a moment to quiet yourself and your mind. Then imagine yourself tackling a drawer or a closet. Which one pops into your mind? Go with that!
Set aside 5-15 minutes today to clean that space out. But do one more thing: As you are cleaning and organizing, allow your mind to think about any symbolism that arises. Does a particular object hold an association with something meaningful for you, for example? Does your choice to keep, throw, or feature that item in your home also bear some greater significance?
A few weeks ago I was rifling through a closet when I found a silver tea set that has been in the family for some years. It recently found its way to my home and to the hall closet. One day I took it out, polished everything to a shine and set it on our living room coffee table. I didn’t have anything particular in mind, but it felt like the thing to do. And then earlier this week, our study began to transform. The next thing I knew I was putting that silver set on a family bureau next to a chair that had belonged to my grandma and given to me by my father. The whole space took a new shape that honored parents and grandparents. It speaks to the heart of family and relationship and love. And I shall use it for morning tea.
Could organizing my external spaces benefit me internally?
I’ve come to believe that to some degree the space around you reflects the space within you. It can actually be a quite useful tool for checking in on loved ones (or vice versa). For example, while I know it is unlikely my oldest son will become a neat freak, the degree to which his room was kept or unkept during his teen years often provided clues to the state of his mental health, so I didn’t see a huge benefit in yelling at him about a messy room. But when he did have a sudden burst of desire to clean his space and find the floor again, I took it as a sign of hope that something inside was shifting and being released.
But could choosing to clear and clean a space actually trigger internal clearing and cleaning? If it is done with conscious intent, I believe so. We’ve seen this to be the case with people who hoard finding a new lease on life when assisted with clearing both their surroundings and their lives. Why not allow for that next drawer or closet to be an opportunity to unstick a few things inside your mind, body, heart or spirit, too? Be curious. What meaning do the objects hold for you? Do they hold the same meaning now as they did? Are there particular feelings intertwined with certain things? Is this something you chose or was it chosen for you? Asking questions out of curiosity may bring you valuable insights. Doing this with a loved one or partner may have further benefits.
Another interesting thing to consider is why an object is yours to begin with. Did you purchase it intentionally or because culturally it was the thing to get at the time. Was it gifted or passed down to you or is it even yours? If so, do you really want it or need it or are you keeping it out of obligation or guilt? All of your responses to questions such as these are valuable. Consider giving yourself permission to surround yourself with those objects or items that truly hold value for you right now while letting go of those that are no longer needed or valued. If something holds sentimental value but you are also feeling ready to let it go, consider taking a picture of it, blessing it, and sending it on its way. If you find something that has no real value for you anymore but could for someone else, consider giving it away. The act of giving is a noble one and often a route to its own healing.
Level 3: Clearing using the energy field.
While certainly clearing an actual space - a drawer or closet, shelf, or room - is a quite literal act, on the far end of the spectrum is energetic clearing or realignment. Here we get into cleaning and clearing emotional gunk that has taken up residence in your body or your energetic or subtle bodies. Science has found the mind-body connection to be quite real. Emotions that get absorbed in the body and never fully “digested” or processed quite literally become disease. If this sounds interesting or desirable perhaps you would be interested in an energetic clearing. There are many energy practices and practitioners in communities and available online. Acupuncture, reiki, Body Code, Emotion Code, applied (energetic) kinesiology, qigong, singing bowls and gongs all work with energy directly. The results may surprise you! You can feel more balanced, centered, and lighter as well as experience physical healing.
What can happen
Some years ago I first became introduced to energy and energy healing through a physical therapist/acupuncturist/energy healer. I had a frozen shoulder I wanted to heal. During the course of many sessions with Alice, I experienced the miracle of stuck energy being released. Sometimes it was a very physical release and healing. Sometimes it was an emotional release that had been stuck in the body and came through as tears - lots of tears. A few times Alice put her hands on my feet to move stuck energy; strangely I would respond with a physical flushing of crud that would quite literally have me on a toilet for some hours later that night. But the result was undeniable healing. I was shocked and amazed and a believer in this New Age/Ancient healing. May you find yourself called to clear clutter and crud this week that will aid in your own healing.
Reflection Prompt:
What first comes to mind when you consider clearing or cleaning an area in your home or office?
Make a short list. Decide which level of clearing you are interested in.
During the week and/or at the end of the week, log your process, insights, understandings, or responses.
Next time: Life School Mindset
You can find all of my series in the archives:
Parenting 101 Coupons: A Gift from your Parents
Partnering 101: A Deep Dive into Leaving Kindly
Me-Time: Self-care in the time of Covid
Reasons for Hope
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Brenda BraykoWriter. Teacher. Gong Player.
Find more of my writing at GreenBaytoKorea.blogspot.com
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All photos by © Brenda Brayko 2022.