Restoring Flow through Clutter Clearing

One of the most challenging transitions I made when teaching middle school students was to move from teaching in a more traditional format to an enrichment course in which student interests guided the investigations and projects. In the beginning, I would continue to plan each step of the lesson with precision and felt frustrated when the students’ plans didn’t align with my carefully laid out teacher plans. The end result for me was a great deal of unnecessary work and frustration that spilled into the mood of the class. It didn’t take long, however, for me to figure out that allowing the students to lead with their inquiries on topics they were passionate about resulted in a happy students, a happy me, and incredible outcomes.

When reflecting on this experience, I wonder how often in my life I stuck with my previous plans instead of making adjustments, going with the flow, bending with the river. Or, how often did I stick with the previous plans fully knowing that they were not in alignment with my soul just because I had already started on that path and was too stubborn or resistant to make a needed change?

Now, whenever I feel resistant to change, I look around at my physical environment to observe if there is anything present that represents this resistance. Are there things that I am holding onto unnecessarily because I am fearful of change, inflexible or trying to exert control over an event or circumstances that are not in my control.

A foundational exercise in many of the Linn Academy programs is that of clutter clearing. As Denise Linn states, “Clutter clearing is modern day alchemy.” And I am a firm believer that physical clutter in our spaces is manifestation of mental or emotional or some type of energetic clutter in our lives. It represents some aspect of our lives where we are resisting the flow of life.

So where do we start in restoring flow to our lives? I suggest first examining where you are in life at this point in time. Celebrate what is working well. Reflect on what might not be working as well as you desire. Once you have identified some areas of focus (some examples might be career, relationships, abundance, or creativity), create an intention or focus for how you would like these areas to transform in your life. For example, if you desire a new career, what is it about that new career that would bring you joy? Perhaps, you are looking for more abundance or opportunities to build relationships or to express your creativity. Discover what is at the heart of your desire.

Next, I recommend looking around your spaces for things that represent being on your new path. If you find things that represent the energy of your current career or even a past career, you may consider releasing these items with gratitude for all that they have brought into your life. 

Imagine clutter being sticks and leaves clogging up a river, not allowing the water to flow. It is this clutter within our lives; whether it is resistance, judgment, or other non-supportive beliefs or emotions or a stack of books that we’ll never read or anything else that is not used and doesn’t bring us joy; that we need to release and dissolve to restore flow in our lives.