Eliminate Clutter and Change Your Life

West Meets East ©Caroline Patrick 2001 • 11-04-01

Feng shui, the ancient art of creating a peaceful environment, takes into consideration several layers of self-examination.

Not only are the rooms of a home or business evaluated but also the deeper levels of who you are. A self-analysis begins to emerge. Maybe a current situation has suddenly changed leaving you in deep thought about life, its joys or problems. Rarely do I find individuals willing to change or shift, without a swift kick from behind.

Affirm to yourself and maybe the family, it’s time to move on and let go of emotional, mental, spiritual and body clutter. It’s safe to change.

Sorting through objects is a great way to start. Clearing clutter is about letting go and trusting the process of life bringing to you new ideas and creativity. Anything you are keeping just in case, you are keeping out of fear.

Karen Kingston, author of two best selling books Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui and Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, recently held one of several workshops in the bay area.

I decided long ago that feng shui has many facets, most of which I’m still learning. Karen’s quick British wit and humor balanced with her down-to-earth Balinese living intrigued me. I enjoyed interviewing her several weeks ago and wanted to learn more of her techniques for helping my students and clients release old stuff! The three tried and tested main methods of clutter clearing are as follows.

  1. The Let-Nature-Take-It’s-Courses method (also known as the abdicating of decision making technique).
  2. The Wait-Until-You-Die-And-Let-Your-Relatives-Sort-It-Out Method
  3. The Go-For-It method: Take responsibility for the stuff and clear it yourself. "This is the only method I recommend." Karen stated.

Just as my daughter taught me years ago, gather three boxes: Give Away, Sell and Trash. Karen suggests five boxes: Trash, Repair, Recycle, a Transit box for things on the way out and a Dilemma box for when you’re in a bit of a dither about whether to keep it or let go of it.

Slowly but surely your personal energy begins shifting. I’ve found this to always be the case with my feng shui clients.

What part of your home is keeping you from moving toward success or health?

Choose the space or room connected to the current blocked situation. How? One way is learning feng shui. Several times a year I give basic workshops on how to determine which section or area is connected with the blockage.

Drawing out the floor plan beforehand and bringing the "map" to class gives you a head start on the issue.

The aspects of life are divided into nine equal sections. The front of the house or entry is the starting point similar to a children’s board game. START — front door. Laying a bagua or color-coded grid over the house plan we find the troubled areas. Job opportunities are correlated to all the rooms that face the street (usually). The middle rooms are designed for cushioning the home. Family, Health and Children zones are the nurturers of the household unit. The rooms facing the back yard are considered power zones. These powerful rooms are used for prosperity, reputation and partnership.

Again, check for the worst cluttered space. Take action there first.

Yes, garages do count! Yes, landscapes do count. Yes, the kids toys scattered all over the back yard do count. Having playhouses, bikes and barbeque pits in the partnership or far back right section of the backyard impacts your relationship.

Next walk into the entry hall of the home. What does this open space say about the family?

Karen recommends a bird’s eye view of your living space. Pretend you are a bird flying over your home. What are you keeping that is so special? Objects hold energy. Check out the items below. The description of my feelings was "Look at all that stuff! How could I possibly be attached to all those heavy thing?" Make a house check of your life.

Today a woman called for a consultation and as I was booking her appointment, I casually asked what was the main area of her life and home she wished to work on. "Oh, I’m doing great," she proclaimed "No real problem; I just need a tune-up." Knowing there is usually a deeper reason for change, I began to go over the areas for consideration. Career? No. Family? No. Money? No. Children? No. Health? No — she emphasized again, a little louder. I cautiously questioned one last part of her life "Partnership?" "No" she replied, "I just kicked the bum out and that took care of that clutter!"

Yes, I thought we could all use help with eliminating excess baggage, wherever that might exist!

Sign up for on-going classes in feng shui, fountain making, and creating altars — for any religion — to bring peace into the home. A four-week acrylic painting class will begin in mid-January 2002 at the McBride Center in Vacaville. Trained staff is available at Caroline’s Arts to assist you with your questions. To schedule a consultation or request more information about upcoming classes call 707 748-1127 or stop by the Shoppe at 129 First St. Suite K in Benicia. Open 1-5 Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday.

Caroline Patrick is an artist, herbalist and feng shui consultant. She combines these three areas of expertise into a unique practice.