Emotional Baggage? Try clutter clearing.

I once worked with a client who felt extremely overwhelmed and stressed, and the holiday season had several triggers for her that would bring her spiralling down into sadness and depression. She missed how her family used to get together at Christmas. She missed her parents who had crossed over. She missed the parties, the sing-alongs, the cooking and the traditions. She loved decorating for the holidays and was an avid collector of snowy village scenes, and she mentioned that her house was filled with boxes upon boxes of decorations.

We started disentangling her thoughts and her feelings through Holographic Reiki sessions. One image that really stood out for me was that when I placed my hands over her Sacral Chakra, I received a clear image of my client in a place that looked like an airport. She was trying to go somewhere, but she had too much baggage. Looking around in this vision, I saw hundreds of stacked boxes that belonged to her. All this baggage was overwhelming for the airport staff; there was no way to catalogue or scan all of these boxes of stuff and memories. A feeling of panic and hopelessness accompanied the vision. I knew that this vision was a metaphor for the emotional baggage she carried, and I knew that a Reiki session could only go so far without her taking action to clear physical clutter in her life.

My mentor, Denise Linn, teaches that clutter clearing is modern-day alchemy: it's the fastest way to transform your life and shift energy in a space. According to Feng Shui principles, clutter stops good energy from circulating in your home and as a result you will feel bogged down, disorganized, stuck and even depressed. It can even manifest physically as excess weight! Think of it: if your clutter constantly reminds you of all those old emotions, beliefs and hurts weighing you down, you'll find it very difficult to find joy and to create abundance in your daily life.

Are you ready to take action and shift toward greater joy? Your task this week is to de-clutter one area of your home or office. Start with one drawer or one closet. Decide how much time to want to spend de-cluttering, and set a timer. Use the following 3 principles to help you go through your stuff:

• Love it: Pick up an item and determine if you really love it, and if your energy goes UP when you touch it. Does the item still fit who you are, and who you are becoming? If you really love it and it brings you joy, make sure it's in good shape. Make necessary repairs and find a way to display it in your house without creating clutter. If you can't repair it or if it will create additional clutter, pass it on to someone who can love it as much as you. 
• Use it: Are you still using this item? Will you miss it? Does it support you in your personal and business arenas? Does it support your dreams and desires? Are you using it with love or with a feeling of "having to"? Is it in good repair? 
• Release It: If you don't love it and don't use it, then it’s time to pass it on. Discard, recycle, donate. 

I have been de-cluttering my entire home since August - when the dishwasher decided it was time to renovate the whole kitchen... I love the feelings of joy, empowerment and creativity that are increasing in my household. I can feel stagnant energy leaving the house, and I can feel my inner heart-space shifting and expanding. It's not always easy work to get rid of old stuff... but the exercise is well worth it!

Are you up for the challenge? You'll soon find that your joy increases and your soul sings! Share your experience with me.

Surrounding you in Love & Light.