Each week in The Wisdom of Change blog series, I share the original artwork and unpack the insights and meaning behind one of the 44 cards in The Wisdom of Change oracle deck.
It’s the week we take delivery of the 40-foot container crammed with all our possessions returning from Dubai. It felt odd being separated from pretty much everything we own as we waved goodbye to our desert dwelling existence but having spent the past six weeks living out of our suitcases, we’ve been reminded of just how little we need on a daily basis. Somehow the imminent return of our belongings feels a little cumbersome, daunting and overwhelming.
The prospect of a de-clutter feels like the perfect opportunity to lighten the load; a necessary rite of passage as we transition into this new phase of our lives.
Before boarding the last repatriation flight, stepping aside to let the removal company do their job, we sorted through every cupboard, drawer and ‘hidey hole’ for extraneous stuff that we gifted to grateful new owners before we departed. I was fairly certain that we would only have what we need when we unpacked in the UK, but I have a sinking feeling at the prospect of being re-united with the weight of my own possessions. I lay in bed this morning calculating that I have made 8 house moves in the past 10 years, so you would think I’d be an expert in the art of minimalist living, but alas no! I’m sure I’m not alone in my ability to amass, acquire and attract items into the home space.
We have an energetic attachment to everything we own.
This insight was a revelation at the start of my exploration into profound personal change. I was feeling especially stuck, sluggish and unable to manifest the things I was longing for in my life. I was overweight physically and overwhelmed emotionally. I couldn’t think straight and with hindsight, I had enabled several ‘hangers on’ in the form of toxic friendships, demanding clients and unsatisfying relationships. My mind and body mirrored the clutter stored in pockets around my home. I had collected a plethora of unnecessary possessions by default. My own purchases joined gifts, donations and inheritances. Some of these things were of huge sentimental and practical value, but a great deal more were neither. My life felt as cluttered and eclectic as the things I owned. When it was suggested to me that I might rid myself of items that represented an aspect of my life that I was ready to move on from, a light went on.
De-cluttering is a way of saying ‘I have space and I’m ready to receive more’.
I was certainly ready for the right kind of ‘more’, so I embraced the task of thinning out my possessions and was rewarded with an immediate sense of clarity, lightness and wellbeing. It seems I had not gone far enough, and a house fire followed a few months later to further streamline my life to surprisingly great effect. For those of you wise and proactive enough to not wait for the universe to decide how to relieve you of extraneous clutter, I recommend the book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up’ by Marie Kondo to guide you in a gentler but no less effective manner than extensive smoke damage. Her wisdom to keep only things that are useful or that ‘spark joy’ is an excellent rule of thumb in my experience.
I have space and I am ready to receive more.
This sounds like a fitting mantra as I prepare a list of essential items to unpack into our rented house in Devon while we search for our ‘forever home’. I will have fun mentally working through our container to identify those things I can’t or don’t want to live without. With what remains, I will challenge myself to justify their place in storage and see what else I can let go of that no longer serves us.
While I’m at it, I may as well do a quick audit of any unresourceful thoughts, outdated goals, or unhelpful patterns; it couldn’t hurt, could it? 😉
Why not inspire me and share what needs de-cluttering from your life and how you plan to do it?
Sending you love and lightness for the journey ahead.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s connection to your inner wisdom.
As always, I’d love to hear your comments below.
If you’d like to learn more about The Wisdom of Change oracle deck you can find out more here.
If you'd like to find out more about a Wisdom of Change reading with Wendy please click here.