Taking care of our space is an ideal task for Fall. We talk about spring cleaning, but fall is just as good a time to get rid of stuff. In some ways it’s better because you know you’ll be inside your place more. It’s a good time to rethink the stuff that’s sharing your space. I’m really sold on de-cluttering. I used to be the tchotchke queen and now you wouldn’t know it, and I like my living space so much better. Don’t think that it’s all cold blank minimalist, but it is clear and comfortable (or at least that’s my standard). So I’m going to devote more than one post to this topic. First some background:

Decluttering is very much a part of feng shui. There’s a good book called Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui . It is a good down-to-earth useful resource and the best value is that she talks you out of your stuff. She gives you all the reasons why your reasons for holding onto junk are as useless as the junk itself. That helps you start to mentally do inventory while you’re reading to get you in the mood. She does get a little uber-gleeful in parts, but you can’t doubt her commitment to the subject.

So the Feng Shui thing boiled down, is about energy. You know how you can’t wait to get to your yoga mat when you feel tight and stiff and pockets of energy have holed up in your body? Your house feels the same way. The piles of magazines, useless tchotchkes and depressing items your ex gave you do the same thing. Stuck energy glues to the things in your house making your space feel heavy, sodden and tired. When you get rid of the clutter then the energy moves more freely - your place feels brighter, lighter and more spacious. You make room for good things to come into your life.

Another component of Feng Shui is the baguas. I didn’t really trust Feng Shui initially because I thought they were just too simple - like I put a plant and a mirror in my “love” corner and ohmygod now there’s a hot man in my life?? Come ON. But my Feng Shui guru Grace MacKnight told me that it’s all about intention. And thanks to yoga I get that. If I want to make a change in my life, reflecting my committment to that intention in my space will continually remind me. Even when it’s an unconscious reminder, it’s really powerful.

And I think that’s the value Grace and her Feng Shui skills brings to table. She works consciously on the elements that affect us unconsciously - and her touch results in a really *comfortable* space that works harmoniously. Even if you’re not sure why. I went to her house once to walk her labyrinth. She lives in a straw bale house in the forest on a lake. I walked into her place and felt like I could have dropped into a seat and immediately fallen asleep. How often do you feel like that at someone else’s house? Heck, how often do you feel like that in your own house? Her place was comfortable and spacious and yet cozy. If had the solid feeling of a cave with natural light. And I know she planned it that way. It made me realize how powerful intention can be in a living space.

But let’s get back to the beginning and talk more about clearing clutter in the next post.