If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed a number of posts about decluttering and minimalism. Over the past year, I’ve been re-assessing my relationship with “stuff,” and finding that having less makes me happier. When I moved in March I kicked my efforts into high gear. I took this time in my life to assess what I need and what makes me happy. This got me reflecting on how living simpler is seen through the lens of Chinese Medicine, and how our environments affect our health.
The organization of the items in your life falls under the Chinese principle of Feng Shui. Feng Shui is defined as “the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang, as in arranging furniture or determining the siting of a house.”* I am by no means an expert in Feng Shui, but have noticed that a room arranged to Feng Shui principles just feels better. In Feng Shui, Qi flows through your home the way it flows through your body. Living in a blocked and cluttered home will lead to blocked Qi flow in your body, which can lead to bloating, pain, congestion, and inflammation as physical manifestations of this blockage and can lead to negative thinking, feelings of helplessness, and being overwhelmed as emotional manifestations. Your space is a reflection of who you are and ultimately what you want out of life, so why not make your home reflect your best goals?
As an example: how do you feel when you get home and your house is messy, cluttered, and cramped? Do you have to navigate through clutter to get through your front door and entry way? Do you feel overwhelmed and constrained? Does your mind start racing on all the things you “should” have done? Does tackling the mess at the end of a long day seem impossible? Now imagine walking into your home that is organized, open, and bright. You easily move into you living space, breathe deep, relax, and feel your Qi moving freely as you enter a calm, open, and decluttered space. Which scenario would you prefer? Obviously these are two very extreme examples, but even small and incremental changes in your living space can lead to a healthier you. Consider the following:
- Let go of things to create space permitting other more important things to enter. If you feel stuck and blocked in life, look around to see how your home space is contributing to that. Do you find it hard to let go? Work thought one room/one space at a time and see how different it feels as you lighten your load. If you are unemcumbered physically, you may find that you are more receptive to new and healthier experiences.
- Create space for qi to flow smoothly in your home and in yourself. If you have a cluttered, disorganized living space, letting go of the stresses of work, finances, relationships, and other areas of our lives can be hard to accomplish. If you are living in a stress free/clutter free environment, this opens up the space and Qi in your body to flow free leading to a more balance body, quieter mind, and a healthier you.
- Create more time to focus on a healthier you. The less “stuff” you have to maintain, the more time you have to spend on yourself and experience a more balanced life. By eliminating the physical and mental clutter around you, you are able to focus on the bigger picture, spend more quality time with positive people in your life, and accomplish goals you couldn’t have otherwise.
So, where to get started? Here are some of my favorite resources that I found over the past year.
Becoming Minimalist
No Side Bar
The Tiny Life
Books:
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
by Marie Kondo
You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap)
by Tammy Strobel
The Big Tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir
by Dee Williams
There is no right or wrong amount of “stuff” to have in our life. Experiment with what makes you happy and find the balance that works for you. And if you need help getting started, ask me about it. Been there, doing that!