Feng Shui & Self-Transformation- Eliminating Clutter

July 9

I have an issue with “letting things go” in terms of my home because I really dislike seeing things go. Where do they go? When I donate things, are they mostly being thrown into a trash heap? Am I contributing to the expanse of the island of refuse that swims the ocean? Of course I am. It makes me feel anxious to know that I contribute to the problems of waste...even though I have been practicing mindful wastelessness for decades. I feel guilt about throwing thing away when I know so many people have so little, therefore I hold onto things because I might find a new owner.
It’s important for me to not allow my false justifications to keep me from letting go of stale objects. I need to get over the fact that my place in Western civilization in the 21st century is not going to make or break the environmental impact that the last 200 years has had. I can only hold myself responsible for what I have power to control.
Another serious issue I have is the multitude of art projects I have abandoned. The materials for these projects and the bones of the projects are weighing down my future because they hold me to the past like friends with their hands outstretched, wanting me to grasp onto them, saying, “Remember me?” but I have already moved on, and the artistic process/the relationship is over. I love the excitement of beginnings and I love to create, but I have the most difficult time completing projects after the initial glow of the concept has subsided. Then I end up with unfinished works that collectively turned into baggage.
Holding onto these unfinished projects creates a negative dialogue in the back of my mind about how I never finish anything, I failed because I didn’t finish, I wasted money buying materials, blah X 3. It’s important for that dialogue to stop now and for me to say, well, too bad I didn’t finish, the sun’s still comin’ up tomorrow. Guilt, go away.
Another area I want to look deeper at is the shed. But more than just looking deeper, I want to look through the shed. With two small areas of my home cleared, and lots of practice with other areas on the way, I will have the flow of discarding things once I get to the shed. It will be glorious and I am really looking forward to the process now, rather than dreading and ignoring it!