Spring Cleaning - De-Cluttering Your Inner Life

The great winds of spring are both a paean of victory and something of a farewell. Winter is gone and good riddance; it is indeed time for something else,...
Henry Beston, Northern Farm

Today the sun poured it’s blessings from a blue sky. The daffodils trumpet their yellow song whilst the tulips take their time and bees drone up and down the furry willow stems. Spring calls me out into the green and tells me: take a break, unfold yourself into the light, breathe, dance slowly until you catch the rhythm, it’s time to come alive. 

Confessions of domestic chaos

For many years – from being a teenager until well into my thirties - I tolerated my own messiness. I told myself that I liked the clutter, the piles of clothes, the books lying face-down and open at a vital page, the higgledy piggledy of a hundred and one things not put away. But then I realised: when I wake up in a clear, bright space I feel better. Somehow the way that my home looks affects the way I feel about life and gives me room to make plans and do stuff, without spending hours looking for a working pen, a needle and thread, a clean pair of pants, or whatever else I need in order to get going. That clear space gives me space to think, and gives me the pleasure of being able to appreciate the colour I chose to paint my walls (I like vivid, not pastel), the objects and pictures that I love.

But this is not a post about spring cleaning your home, I leave that to domestic gods and goddesses (I may have got the hang of a tidier home but I still have quite a high tolerance for grubby!)

What interests me is this – if cleaning and tidying our physical space allows us to think more clearly, is it possible to do something similar with our minds?

The First Step to A Clearer Brighter Mind

Well, without actually advising you on 1001 uses for vinegar, I think the first step might be the physical cleaning and tidying. Because it does make life seem more manageable and give space for thought. So grab the buckets, brooms and brushes. But make it fun to do and make sure you don’t do too much at one time. Put on your favourite music (loud), put drops of your favourite essential oils in all the cleaning water and dance your way to a fresher space. Imagine you’re sweeping all your old stuff – mental, emotional, spiritual baggage as well as physical dirt – out of your life. Making room for something new.

Now Your Room is Sparkling…

If you really want to clear your mind of old patterns, habits and thoughts that no longer serve your well-being, you will have to be patient. Unlike the domestic spring cleaning, de-cluttering your mind is an ongoing process.

Most of us don’t really like change, even though we want it. We tend to cling to what is familiar, and so we get stuck in old ways of being, afraid to let go of what we know and venture into the unknown. Firstly, you must acknowledge this and be kind to yourself. Be as patient and caring as if it is your best friend you are helping.

The Power of the List

How my logical left-brain self loves a list! And if you don’t use lists then I suggest you give it a go. For our de-cluttering campaign lists can be used for several purposes:

• Make an honest appraisal of where you are stuck emotionally, behaviourally, spiritually. And write it all down.

     What is holding you back from being really alive?

     Are you clinging to a relationship or situation that no longer serves

     your best interests?

     Are you still carrying baggage from your past, which affects how you

     deal with the present?

     Are you stuck in self-destructive behaviours?

     Have your spiritual practices become empty?

• Make a list of goals. What do you want to achieve?

     Make your goals positive – rather than ‘I am going to stop shouting at my partner’ try ‘I am going to nurture a more positive and loving       relationship with my partner’.

     Keep your goals SMART. That’s:

     S-Specific; M-Measurable; A-Achievable; R-Realistic; T-Time-Bound.

Now You Know What You Don’t Want…

Now you need another inventory: of resources that can help you with these changes. Don’t be too ambitious with the SMART goals. Give yourself plenty of time and make small changes – they will add up, and you’re much more likely to be successful. When we successfully make a change, we build our confidence and our ability to make more changes.

Look within yourself – have you ever successfully dealt with a similar issue in the past? How did you do it? Perhaps you just think you’re stuck, when all along you had the power to change right there, in the filing system of your mind. If you really don’t think you have what it takes to make the changes on your own, consider help. Here are some ideas:

• Books, magazines, movies, online videos, articles and self-help sites on the internet – all good sources of helpful ideas for change;
• Your friends – they may want to make some changes too and you could support each other;
• Self-help groups – like AA, NA, AlAnon, Bereavement groups, Women’s groups etc (try the library or community centre boards for useful information on local groups);
• If you require support and trained help with some of your issues – look for a counsellor/psychotherapist who you can trust;
• Learning physical skills that help free the mind like: yoga, relaxation, tai chi, five rhythms dancing etc;
• Meditation – just 10 minutes a day will work magic in helping you let go of all your unnecessary stuff;
• Tuning in – take a moment, whenever you remember, to tune into the present. What are you feeling? Thinking? Experiencing through your senses? What’s going on around you? It’s like a holiday from your preoccupations!
• Learn to set boundaries and say ‘No’ to other people’s demands. Allow yourself the time to relax, to go within and sort out your priorities for life;
• Start a journal/diary and write down all your thoughts. Be really honest and you may learn a great deal about yourself;
• Take a break every hour or so and just tune in (see above) take some deep breaths, move your body around, shake out the tension, come home to yourself;
• Spend time in the natural world: walking down a leafy lane, sitting under a tree, gardening, going to the beach, star-gazing. Nature is healing and given the chance she can put many of our woes in perspective;
• Spend time loafing around, doing absolutely nothing. It’s good for you!

Judgement

As I have been putting this post together I’ve had one tarot card in my mind the whole time. So rather than think of any others that are relevant to this theme of letting go of the old to make way for the new I’m just going to write a few words about the card that’s usually called Judgement.

In traditional tarot decks this card is based on the Christian myth that at the end of the world all the dead will rise to be judged by God. The card usually depicts an angel blowing a trumpet and the dead rising up. But there is no judgement in the card – it is full of joy and celebration. Here we find resurrection, rebirth and redemption. It is about a profound awakening to the unlimited possibilities of life. This card heralds a great positive change, a spiritual awakening and offers blessing and guidance. It seems to go with the whole idea of liberating ourselves from the past and waking up to the present with all its gifts.

I hope some of these ideas for mental, emotional and spiritual de-cluttering might be helpful. I have tried them all at some time and found each of them to work in a different way. Of course, I am still working on my own de-cluttering, and I think it’s an ongoing process – part of our dance towards wholeness and being fully alive.

If you like this why not check out my website? http://www.inner-self.ie

Wishing you wisdom and joy

Rachel