Clutter & Feng Shui

Before getting down to the exciting and potentially life changing process of bringing Feng Shui adjustments into your home, it is vital that you clear the way for these changes to occur. Hanging a well intentioned crystal in the window of your room to bring a bigger and brighter charge to, for example, your relationships corner could potentially make the problem worse until you have cleared the stagnation. Many of the adjustments that you can make to enhance the Chi in your home will readily enhance the vibration that is already present. If you have found that the sector that you need to work on has piles of old books, old photographs, dusty correspondence - then simply placing a crystal in this area is only going to emphasise and enlarge the problem. Before putting into practise any of the ideas and suggestions in the ensuing sections of this book, please take time now to reflect on how you need to prepare your home.

What is Clutter?
Basically, clutter can be defined as possessions that you either don't use any more or do not love. These are often possessions that we believe may one day be useful, broken items that one day we intend to repair, spares that we accumulate for a potential breakdown, unfinished projects and unwanted gifts. Everything that we own has its own vibration and is energetically connected to us.

Bowls, plates, notes, clothes - every item within your house. When the daily utility of many of these items ceases to be charged by usage, their accumulated Chi energy can begin to clog and interefere with the flow of energy in your home and life. You have to question whether what you own is worth the vibrational wait that it puts on you in terms of your health, your spirit, your intellect and your emotions. Keeping things simple is the key. Having our wardrobes, drawers and kitchen cupboards filled with regularly used items that bring us joy is far better than having too much. Remember that everything that we own has the potential to raise and heighten our Chi.

Clutter brings with it a sense of disorder and confusion. It undoubtedly disturbs the Chi of our home and that of our own health and vision. Naturally, if the Chi in our home stagnates through excess clutter, it will definitely permeate through to us, leaving us unenthusiastic and tired. You find yourself in a "catch 22" situation. You know you need to do something about it but you do not have the energy or the enthusiasm to do the job.

Motivating your own Chi in this situation requires an enormous amount of effort initially. There is a parallell here between getting your Chi moving and pumping water from an old fashioned pump. In order to get the pump to work, you need to prime it in the first place with about a litre of water. The paradox is that what you require is water but in order to make the process possible, you have to find a litre of water in the first place! Once the pump is primed, the water flows effortlessly. It is the same situation with stagnant Chi.
Feeling, tired, despondent and overwhelmed, what you need is a litre of enthusiasm! Pulling that out of the thin air is difficult but, once the process is under way, you will feel recharged and invigorated.

Three Kinds of Clutter

Physical Clutter
This relates to the obvious mess and jumble that can accumulate in our homes. Begin by deciding what you really need to keep and what you need to store and what you need to get rid of. On a practical level, keep what you need on a daily basis as simple as possible. Store away items of clothing that are only used seasonally. Be ruthless about getting rid of what you really do not need. Since every possession we own has its own vibration, think carefully before you pass it on to a neighbour. Do you really think they need it? Charity shops and recycling centres can make good use of your unwanted jumble.

I do encourage you to keep the entrance to your home a clutter-free zone. Remember, that it is through this "mouth" that new opportunities and fresh Chi enter your space. Paths, doorways and entrance halls need to be free flowing to allow access of new Chi into your life. If you happen to share a hallway with another neighbour, then do be responsible for keeping it clean. If you have asked them for co-operation before and it is not forthcoming, then simply be responsible for it. It only takes a moment to pick up those unwanted flyers that come through the letterbox. The kitchen is another vital area to keep clutter-free.
Pay particular attention to the fridge and make certain that you regularly check every recess for old and out of date food. Get in behind the cooker from time to time and have a good clean up around the edges. The one area I love to check is the cupboard under the sink! Given that the kitchen is the source of the creation of our health through the creation of our daily food, then it is a paradox when this same important space can also harbour agents of death and destruction! Heavty duty bleaches, disenfectants, ant powders, wasp sprays and other potentially hazardous chemicals need to be found another home away from the kitchen which is such a vital centre for your health and wellbeing.

Do check the bedroom for clutter! Out of sight is definitely not out of mind. Stuffing everything into wardrobes and drawers does not simplify the problem. The stagnant and disturbed Chi is still present. Be ruthless and decide what is useful, what is storage and what needs to go to the jumble sale. The very worst place in your home for clutter to be stored is under your bed. It has potential to disturb your sleep, attract dust and mite and needs removing today! Finally, go through your desk and filing cabinet and get rid of those notes and scraps you think may one day be useful. Keep everything current and useful. Having dustbins/waste baskets in every room is not a problem provided you empty them frequently.

Vibrational Clutter
This pretty insidious stuff and has enormous potential to block your progress. It could be as simple as unfinished conversation that you had with someone recently. It left you feeling that the issue was unresolved. Pick up the 'phone and resolve the issue. Are there unpleasant rumours or gossip circulating about you at present?
If so, do what is necessary to resolve the situation. Have you recently broken an agreement or have somebody renege on their agreement with you recently? If so, do your best to resolve it as soon as possible. Do you owe anybody anything? If it is a financial debt, then make very clear your proposed plan to resolve it. Have you borrowed something and not returned it? Do you have a pile of unanswered letters on your desk? If just looking at them disturbs your Chi, then you know you have problem! What about those messages accumulating on your answerphone? What are you doing about answering them?

On a sub conscious level, this kind of clutter definitely brings a sense of disorder into your space. Put aside a few hours to do your very best to resolve these outstanding issues. Once the "blockage" is removed, then it allows new possibility to arrive.

Internal Clutter
In Chinese medicine, the element Metal governs the function of the lung and the large intestine. Both of these organs are connected with:-
Accumulation/asborption/elimination
The highly charged and active organ - the lungs (Yang) are connected with the assimilation of the Yin element oxygen. Its partner, the large intestine (Yin) is connected with the assimilation of solid (Yang). When these two organs are functioning well, we feel positive in our outlook and energised. However, if they become weak or stagnant, we easily mirror this by becoming despondent and depressed. A sense of hopelessness and lack of motivation is one of the key symptoms. Fresh air and plenty of exercise helps to stimulate the lungs and bringing fresh plants into your environment brings with it a freshly oxygenated atmosphere. Getting things "off your chest" is also vital for the well being of the lungs. Making your feelings known, letting go of old resentments and not smoking all support the healthy function of the lungs. For the colon, avoid eating late at night (at least 2 hours before you go to sleep), chew your food very, very well as the digestive process begins with the initial breakdown of the food in your mouth by saliva. Avoid overeating and reduce the consumption of heavy baked flour products such as flans, pies and pastries.

Prevention
Once you have effectively cleared the clutter in your home, what can you do constructively to prevent it from recurring again? The best advice is to have a periodic spring clean. A change of season is always the best time. However, the most powerful time would naturally be the Spring equinox. Do make your springclean a special occasion. Try not to regard it as a chore but as a ritual that will become part of your life. A deep cleanse of your space will also have a profound effect on your own Chi, new ideas will come, inspiration, as well as physical changes in your wellbeing. Initially you may feel a little tired, stiff and irritable but these cannot be regarded as side effects of the elimination process! Put aside the requisite amount of time that you know the job will take and avoid being distracted or disturbed. Make it a meditation! Once each room is "declared" clean, then emphasise this by lighting a candle, placing a vase of fresh cut flowers.

Another aspect of prevention is to really question items that you are going to buy and bring in to your home. What purpose do they really serve, are they going to be useful and are they likely to become clutter in the near future? The dynamics of Yin and Yang would suggest that when you let go of something, you create the opportunity for new possibility. Do not be guilty of taking a car boot load of junk to your local dump and coming back with a couple of useful items that you found there!

Remember that clutter attracts clutter. Do you recall as a child that you would never dream of walking across your mother's newly washed or polished kitchen floor! How many times have we visited friends' newly carpeted homes and asked whether we should remove our shoes? However, it is not uncommon when we enter a space that is untidy that we give little thought to whether we are making the situation worse. Even walking down the street, we would always look for a rubbish bin to get rid of that disused bus ticket. But how many times are we tempted to throw it on top of another pile of rubbish if we can't find a litter bin? There is no way we would throw it in the street but we are certainly tempted to throw it where there is more clutter.

Do be aware of accumulating other peoples' clutter for them, on their behalf. Friends often ask if they can leave a couple of boxes of books while they go to the USA for a few months or while they move flats. Before long, a few weeks or months can run into a year or so. Do you really need their clutter as well as yours to contend with? Equally, have you got some clutter accumulated at someone else's home? The favourite place to check is your parents' attic, basement or garden shed. What effect is your clutter having on their lives? If any of the issues in this section apply to you, then try to resolve the situation soon.

Feng Shui and Space Clearing

It is a relatively simple process to change our own Chi if it becomes stagnant. Typical symptoms could include tiredness, depression, loss of appetite, moody or withdrawn. A bracing walk, a shower, a refreshing meal or some stimulating and strenuous activity all have the potential to change your Chi quite quickly. The Chi of a building can take longer to change as it absorbs stagnant energy much deeper. Concrete, bricks, stone and wood have the capacity over time to absorb stagnant Chi and because of their Yang nature, it takes longer to discharge. One of the major factors that is taken into consideration in Feng Shui is known as the "predecessor energy". This is the vibration left behind by the previous owner - a reflection of their health, their moods and their Chi. Next time you leave an empty flat or home, notice the pathways that are ground into the carpet where the previous occupants have walked to and fro. It is easy to spot the main thoroughfares in the major rooms and areas where the furniture was and corners of the space that have been relatively inactive.

On another level, all of us have experienced walking into a room where two people have just been engaged in an argument. We can literally feel the atmosphere and cut it with a knife. Similarly, we are all aware of the energy of staff in a shop or an office when we enter. Sometimes the Chi is bubbly, efferevescent, enthusiastic and at other times you feel greeted by a wall of gloom, despondency, fear or complacency.

Space clearing is a ritual found in almost every traditional or native culture. It is the skill of changing the atmosphere in the home from one of stagnant Chi to one of vibrant, health promoting and spiritually enhancing Chi. Space clearing before moving in to a new home was considered a vital part of any move in traditional cultures and is still practised in some form today throughout the world. In the west, it is probably linked more to having a good spring clean and a house warming party to enliven the new home.

Since Chi is always changing, it is important to remember that this is reflected within our space. Here are some examples of when you could consider space clearing beneficial in your life:-

• When you move into a new home to help remove what we call the "predecessor energy" in Feng Shui.
• After physical or psychological illness. If you or a family member have been ill, then the vibration of the home is undoubtedly affected. We have all
  experienced visiting someone who is ill at home and noticed how there is an atmosphere of stillness, caution and subdued expectation. Even after a full
  recovery, it is worth considering brightening up the space.
• After big life changes. Bereavements, separations, divorce or a change in job are all major stress factors in our lives. They all have the possibility of creating an atmosphere that can block your progress unless the Chi is changed.
• Clearing conflict in the home. If you have been burgled or robbed this can
  create a very negative feeling in the home. Many people report feeling
  uncomfortable when entering their home after such an event. Admittedly,
  some of this is related to their own fear but at the same time, their space has
  been violated. Similarly, if you have had any violent arguments or quarrels
  within the home, these undoubtedly leave their mark in the atmosphere.
• Making a fresh start in life. What better way to initiate new changes in your life than to have your home cleared on a vibrational level. This can set the
  tone for new enterprises, new relationships and a whole new beginning that is not embedded in the past. Good space clearing can provide a fresh new
  space for your new adventures.

There are as many different methods of space clearing as there are cultures in the world. The rituals that have been used include the use of herbs, chants, potions, symbolism, spiritual ceremonies, rituals, blessings, sacrifices, gifts, fruits, plants, holy water and sometimes the timing to coincide with the planets or moon cycles. Space clearing can be drawn from the Native American medicine wheel, Celtic ceremonies, early Christian rituals and Balinese methods. For further insight into how to utilise space clearing in your life, I highly recommend Karen Kingston's book "Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui" or Denise Linn's book "Sacred Space".

There are usually 3 steps involved in space clearing. Firstly, it is vital to give the home a really good clean. This involves primarily at each spring clean while at the same time removing all the clutter. Following on from spring cleaning your space is the use of ceremony in purifying the space further. The usual method is to use the 4 elements of:-
Water - holy water, energised water or purified water
Fire - candles or even an open fire
Earth - plants, flowers, crystals, salt
Air - essential oils, incense, feathers, Native American smudge sticks, bells, drums, music or chanting.

Offerings are usually made by placing these different elements in parts of the house. A skilled practitioner will usually start and finish at the front door moving from room to room using one of the air elements - incense, drumming, chanting etc - to move the Chi.

The second step, once the stagnant Chi has been moved, is to refine and lift the atmosphere of the home. This is usually done with a good quality bell or music, prayer or chanting.

The third and equally vital step is to set the "intention" of the space. Once the space has been cleared, it is raised to a higher vibrational level and rather like a void, it is ready to be filled. Here lies the opportunity to set the tone of your new space. Chi energy will naturally follow the intention. Some kind of ceremony is vital now to set the tone. Practically, this can be done by standing at the centre of each room and allowing your energy to expand fill the space while at the same time declaring your intention.

Space clearing is not recommended when your own Chi is low - you feel run down, tired or ill. It is never wise to space clear somebody else's home - this is much better left for a professional. Details of how to contact a professional space clearer are available in the Resource Section at the back of this book.

sourced from Jon Sandifer Guide to Feng Shui