What is Feng Shui and Why Do I Care?

Feng Shui is the art of balancing and harmonizing the flow of natural energies in our surroundings to create beneficial effects in our lives. These natural energy flows must be able to move about freely to have a good flow of life force energy in your home and workplace.

Blocking this flow causes the energy to get stuck. And your life will get stuck along with the flow. Clutter is one of the biggest obstacles to flow of energy. So if you have clutter in your home or workplace, you are blocking the flow of good energy.

CLUTTER

The Problem with Clutter:

• Energy stagnates when clutter accumulates—the natural flow is blocked, causing energy to be blocked and become stagnant also.
• Clutter can make you feel tired or lethargic—energy cannot flow freely if blocked by clutter. Unblocking the energy flow by clearing the clutter will transfer that energy to you.
• Saving clutter can keep you in the past—holding on to the past will keep you in the past. Letting go of the past will allow you to move forward with your life.
• Having clutter can affect your body weight—overweight people often have fears buried deep inside them and use their weight as protection from those fears.
• Having clutter can make you procrastinate—clutter stagnates your energy, making it difficult to do anything. · Having clutter can cause disharmony—if you live or work with clutter around you and others don’t, you may impede their progress or slow them down, causing disharmony.
• Having clutter can depress you—clutter stagnates energy, and feelings of hopelessness are compounded by this clutter. By clearing clutter, you are clearing the way for something new to come into your life. · Having clutter can put your life on hold—are you putting off a vacation or move or job promotion because of the clutter in your life? Clear the clutter and move on.
• Having clutter can be a health hazard—besides the fire hazard it can create, it can also affect your physical, mental and emotional health. · Having clutter can be a financial burden—think of all the money you spend maintaining your clutter. Is it worth paying a large mortgage on a large home to house your junk?

Why do we keep clutter?

• We think we may need it someday—but if that day hasn’t come in five years, is it really worth keeping?
• It identifies you—if you didn’t keep all those trophies and photos, how would anyone know the real you? Yet you aren’t identified by what you own—rather by who you are.
• Status symbol—how often have you purchased something for yourself or your children merely because your neighbor or a family member purchased it? But you don’t stop there, you have to get more than one, or the next best model. We have become a materialistic society, forgetting about the true worth of life.
• A sense of security—we are brainwashed by advertisers telling us we need their products, otherwise our lives are incomplete. And our basic nesting instincts want to create that perfect, secure home.
• Because that’s the way mom and dad did it—how often do we inherit the habits of our parents? They kept everything, so it must be okay for me to keep everything.

The Benefits of Clearing Clutter

• Cleaning up your clutter can clean up your life—lose bad habits, lose weight.
• You are your home—everything around you mirrors your inner self. So by changing your home, you can change your life.
• Emotional freedom—to do those things you were always afraid to do.

 Identifying Clutter

• Things you do not use or love—things you enjoy or love have vibrant, joyous energies around them. Things you don’t will stagnate that energy and bring you down. ·
• Things that are untidy or disorganized—being disorganized can create stress and confusion in your life.
• Too many things in a small space—could you breathe if you were surrounded by clutter from head to toe? Neither can your home.
• Anything unfinished—any unfinished project clutters your psyche or mind.

Clearing the Clutter

• Identify the clutter—whether it’s paper, things or emotions.
• Things you no longer use o Unwanted gifts
• Things you don’t like o Things that need fixing
• Doubles of things o Inheritances
• Mystery or unidentifiable items
• Empty boxes
• Clear the Clutter
• Do it at your own pace
• Do it anytime of day or night—what works best for you
• Set out boxes for sorting
• Begin small o Remember it’s safe to let go
• Dispose, discard or return
• Treat yourself when you are done
• Maintaining the Space
  • Find a logical place for everything—keep like items together
  • Use the filing cabinet for filing
  • Store what you don’t use often
  • Stop clutter before it starts again
      -Stop yourself and think before buying something
      - Empty the wastebaskets on a regular basis
      - Don’t procrastinate · Hire a professional

Clearing mental and emotional clutter

• Stop worrying · Stop judging—yourself and others
• Stop gossiping · Stop complaining
• Tidy up loose ends
• Catch up on correspondence
• Clear your calendar
• De-clutter your mind for restful sleep
• Keep up to date with everything

As you read this, you may think this is either impossible or too overwhelming for you. The important thing to remember is that you can start small. Every little bit can make a difference. And after a while, every little bit will make a big difference! Don’t get discouraged, and you will accomplish you goal for a healthy, prosperous life.

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