Got Clutter? Who doesn’t!

Recently I launched a couple of free trainings about our conscious and unconscious accumulation of physical and psychological stuff. L have been working with the first step to creating positive, healthful chi by helping people rid themselves of clutter.

Technical glitches and perhaps a poor choice of timing prevented me from reaching many people. Maybe I had not clearly said why I am doing this and with whom I really want to work.

The Why

The world has become fast food, rushed, instant gratification expectant, having more stuff of less value, polarized. There’s little time to consider where we want to go, and less time to think about how to get there. We’re so busy we don’t often know where we are headed. It is a dangerous course to be on. I see few signs of any correction.  I’m convinced solutions will not come from above. If we want a sustainable future (which apparently the majority are not concerned about) each of us is going to have to do our part. Whatever that part might be.

Being sick and tired of my own passivity, I see Rome starting to burn. I spent years in an ashram where women ran the operation top to bottom. My Master would not allow men to run things – he knew far to well what men would do from our male dominated past. I learned something there – something important.

Here goes my rant.

In the “normal” world, we are caught in a patriarchal society where big is better; war is good for profiteering; corporations are people. This sets off alarms in me big time.  In my book it’s time to let women into the game in a real, substantial way.  Women don’t think war is good for business. Women don’t think the highest goal is the accumulation of money. At least, none of the women I know. Having been mothers, women know things men barely fathom.

But women are caught. Women who are breaking the glass ceiling too often are wearing suits, acting as if a man were running things. Even though they are playing by men’s rules,  they are still often subtly shut out – of the golf games where things get done – of the hunting trips (where they can get drunk and blast their friends in the face…) Alarm bells are going off.

What if each woman could see what her gift is for the world? What if she knew her powers sourced from the Divine Feminine? Could we then change the world before we go over the cliff? I think we have the possibility of a better chance through embracing the Divine Feminine than continuing on our currently imbalanced road.

Am I advocating women should rush the halls of power and seize control? Not really.  Many women I’ve met, having tried the corporate vision of success or not, are aware that that is not their God-given perspective or destiny. Small businesses they know. Services they get. Creating networks they understand.

Who are the women I resonate with? They are bright and interested in co-creating. They don’t have to have it all themselves. I’ve been able to do this wonderful dance where my wisdom meets theirs and beautiful things happen: like clarity; like emerging purpose; like apparent magic.

I want to reach more of those women. But rather than touting some big transformational course or gathering, I want to start with something simple that so many bright women can benefit from:

Knowing what is clutter and what is not.

Knowing how clutter holds a woman down and prevents her from becoming all she can be.

Knowing that the trap of unfettered capitalism has produced a suicide economy.

Not all clutter is of our own making. We are continuously bombarded by advertising on our televisions while we’re trying to relax, on the radios we listen to while driving, popping up on our computers when we log onto our favorite sites, in our email boxes – even with our spam filters. Madison Avenue has convinced too many that if we just buy this or that we will find fulfillment.  If we just take this new expensive pharmaceutical, we will solve any physical, mental or emotional problem.

How much advertising is directed at women? Most of it is because women do most of the buying in this country (60-80% depending on the source). That, interestingly enough, includes buying men’s clothes. Yet most advertising campaigns are created and directed by men. If that isn’t manipulation, what is?

Women bond and socialize differently than men. There’s a hard wiring that comes with the female that is different than that of the male. One of the most import aspects of that difference is that women share and collaborate easily. Therein lies an immense power.

The power of the group.

Alcoholics Anonymous has demonstrated the power of the group for almost 80 years. Whereas medical science has never has found a cure for alcoholism, AA has generated thousands of sober, responsible people who no long use alcohol. It’s done with 12 suggested guidelines and the power of a commonly held intention: not to take a drink today.  Simple, yet utterly profound. More powerful than all of the “miracles” of modern medicine.

The What

I’m going to start a series of telephone conference calls – fun and easy.  Each one will examine one aspect of clutter and how one might eliminate it. The call will include input from participants sharing their personal experiences and what they have observed about the way clutter holds them back.

The call will close with my take on how Feng Shui plays into each aspect, and how we can use this ancient art and science to transform an environment.

Sound too simplistic? Perhaps. But the journey of a thousand miles begins putting one foot in front of the other. The benefits of Walking the Camino aren’t accessible to those speeding by in a Ferrari. It’s a beginning.

From years of teaching I’ve learned a great way to create a new freedom, a new clarity. And it comes, paradoxically enough, by getting rid of stuff.

And the cost?

Nothing. Free. You call, listen, and participate – either anonymously or as a named participant (your choice.)

There will be replays available for a very limited period of time. I know perfectly well not everyone who would like to be on the call can make every one. Busy life. But one caveat – just listening to a replay, while valuable, doesn’t have the power, the positive effect, nor the support that live participation has.

Commonly held intention combined with focused interaction equals amazing change. Freedom. Creativity. Clarity.

I will also have guests join me to add their wisdom and their experience. Women like my friend Aline Munsch who’s working in Saudi Arabia and quietly showing women how to realize their power. and there are others, perhaps not as dramatic, but equally qualified to share their wisdom.

I’d really like to hear your reactions and suggestions about this series of live calls before I finalize how and when.

On What’s Happening you’ll find a note that will put you on the list of get weekly notificationsof the dial in number and the day and the topic.Please do not worry about your contact information – it’s kept lovingly under secure encryption and never rented, sold or shared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Push Declutter so much?

Why do I keep talking about reducing/decluttering (however you want to call it)?  It’s simple: one big reason is we are in an avalanche of new knowledge.  If you want to understand just how big that avalanche is, take 5 minutes to watch the video at http://tinyurl.com/bhcjkco. Your comments are welcome.

Fall Colors and You

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have had a spectacular Fall. The variety and intensity of colors has been beyond magnificent. I found myself resonating with the golds and the reds against the green backgrounds. Have you resonated in this way?  If you have, you may been learning what colors make you feel positive, happy.  If the golds and the reds lift your spirit, consider your wardrobe. How much of it reflects those colors?  If they don’t, not to worry. Review the year and think of the colors in which season got you stoked – and then take a look at your wardrobe: how much were those colors reflected?  What you’re doing is learning the Feng Shui use of color which can help you realize you most effective, most nourishing way to dress. Play with this and let me know what you discover.

It’s amazing how serious sickness or surgery can change our lives. I recently had spinal surgery (five weeks ago) and watched my life move in a radical new direction. Email was no longer important. Cleaning the house took a backseat. Many of the things I thought were important, lost their importance. What emerged instead was massive attention to this body that carries  my spirit through this ephemeral world. Connections with friends achieved prominence in my attention and appreciation I have not known before. In other words, priorities got rearranged in a massive way. Not that I won’t return to the business of feng shui, clutter elimination, and reclaiming our lives, but then will have a different order in priority. I invite you, dear reader, to share any stories of this or a similar nature. It may prove to be a valuable lesson for us all.

Synergize the new system

Diving deep into our excess ‘stuff’ keeps showing me more and more levels on cleaning and healing that need sto happen before ou lives can Really be under our own control. But many minds are so much better than just one. Are you willing to jump onboard and help me? I want to know where you have the most problem – where you get caught as you try to clean up and clean out the clutter in you life.  Be specific so we can explore it together.  This is a very rich field, one ready for the mining. come help me unearth the Gold!  Many thanks.

A Diet for Email

Recently I have begun to realize that I spend far too much time going through my inbox. To be sure, 500 unread’s is not manageable, much less 1000. In an effort not only to simplify, but to allow me not to be overwhelmed on a daily basis, I had to put my email on a very strict diet. This is no easy task, as many of the lists I’m subscribed to are invaluable – or at least so I think. So once a day, I have to unsubscribe from a list, or tell a friend to take me off their distribution. If you have this problem, I’d like to hear how you handle the flood of email.

Seen Your Animals do Feng Shui?

Why my connection with animals and the energy work that I do did not connect before now is a mystery.  But no matter – the 11 years ago that I took the formal Feng Shui training made me wonder how limited or how broad Feng Shui might be. Since then I have continue to look at where else there are keys to understanding unseen energies. I’m not into woo woo, yet at the same time there are things quite beyond our logical mind that work. I think our logical mind wants to call things not logical woo woo, when all they really are is bigger than our mind. I do judge much of humanity as arrogant, thinking we can understand what makes the universe work – but that’s a whole separate discussion. Coming back to where else I see Feng Shui at work, why was I not paying attention to the incredible places I go with animals?

One thing where we all can start (for the doubters in the crowd) is how the animals we associate with – noticing how each one has a district personality. If they were just “dumb animals” they would probably not have a district personality. But they do. I’m reaching out to my readers who have experiences with their own animals which are above and beyond. I want to hear from you. Do not be embarrassed, I want to start a conversation. Be sure you get the next issue of the newsletter, it has examples of what I am asking about.

Animal Feng Shui

Some years back I did a newsletter about pets and Feng Shui. All of a sudden, it’s a major blitz on the International Feng Shui newsletter!  Only confirming what I realized quite some time back. BUT, rather than stroking my ego, I wanted to say this next issue is going to be about the Feng Shui of animals. Fo instance, my alpha cat Bhodi does Reike and there’s a story around that. If you have a story about your animal that includes how well they read energies, I’d like to get it. I will include them in the newsletter (depending on how many show up!).  Please send them to me just by clicking here.

Quantum Theory

Do you think Quantum Theory has anything to do with Feng Shui and vice versa? And who cares anyway? Well, the more I study Feng Shui and the world, the more connections I’m finding between the two. At a recent celebration of Chinese new Years, I explained to about 80 people the connections I have found between the iChing, Feng Shui and Quantum Theory. It’s my thesis that the two are arriving at virtually the same place, one 3,000 years before the other. Which tells me 2 things: Westerners who dismiss Feng Shui are the same ones who feel horse drawn plows are better than tractors and much more efficient. And for friends born in the East if they think that having the bamboo flutes and the money frog will bring them luck, these folks belong with those who prefer Twinkies to a good solid meal. Either way, we need to knock down phony barriers and realize we are onto something very profound.

The 12th Day of Christmas

We’re through the holidays – now what? If we notice that Feng Shui follows the natural patterns of Nature, we’ll see that this is a quiet time, a time for drawing in. Nature is resting now, renewing. Covered in many places with a blanket of white, and in other with a blanketed in cold. In either case Nature is quietly rejuvenating. Follow the pattern, and let it be OK that we are not frantic with activity. A good book, a quiet fire, an intimate evening with friends – all these are incredibly nourishing. If you find yourself sleeping an extra hour a day or taking naps, Good!You’re allowing the natural flow of energy to slow, relax and rejuvenate. You’re recharging your batteries.