This week I set aside some time to begin bringing my latest project to life.  In fact, I actually had EXTRA time this week. I had ALL the time I could have possibly needed…and yet.  My project was not moving forward as quickly as I would have liked.

Every time I would begin working on it something would distract me.  And besides the fact that working from home has it’s pitfalls (the laundry whispering to me, the floor begging me to mop instead of write, the knitting project winking and flirting at me) something else was going on.  But I couldn’t put my finger on it.  I finally said YES to a project that has been banging around in my brain for such a long time.  I’ve gotten wonderful feedback about it, I’ve got a gazillion ideas for it, people already telling me they want to purchase it, I am truly excited about creating it, the supplies I need to begin arrived this week, and yet …no forward motion.

So this morning I was writing in my journal and I took a look around my room. I was writing morning pages and drinking coffee in bed like most mornings, and OMG. SO MUCH CLUTTER.

And I like pretty things…so my clutter is kinda cute. Cute little piles of books over here and pretty journals over there and a gorgeous little clutter of my favorite Paris cotton yarn in a multitude of pretty colors and a pile of this and a stack of that and OH!! BINGO! /facepalm

THIS is part of the problem!!! You see when energy is stuck it’s hard to move forward, and clutter in our physical environment prevents energy from flowing freely. So today, I created a de-clutter ritual and it was so powerful that I decided to share it with you.

You’ll need:

1. Some clutter. (If you don’t have any clutter you don’t need this ritual!!) And please email me right away if you can’t find one single area of clutter in your house.

2. 30 minutes. Yep, that’s it, just 30 minutes.

3. Your favorite candle (I’ll explain in a second)

4. A notecard and a pen or pencil (I LOVE INDEX CARDS!!! but you can use a post it or whatever)

Ready? Here we go!…

The Love & Magic Powerful De-cluttering Ritual

First let me say that rituals are powerful.  I believe that’s partly because of all the intention behind them. You plan for them (even if it’s just for a few moments). You gather materials (like the candle and the notecard). Your soul gets involved. And even having the ritual brings a sense of order, which is comforting to us humans.

Secondly, we are seriously WIRED for rituals. EVERY culture has them. I believe rituals fulfill a basic human need. You know, birthday cakes and candles and bedtime stories and choosing a name for a pet or a new baby and having morning coffee and teatime – all forms of ritual. We just do them automatically because that’s how we’re made.

AND…knowing that everything is energy and the whole “as above so below” thing, and keeping in mind that your inner work affects your outer world – this ritual is going to be POWERFUL!

First find a smallish area of clutter (remember, we are going to do this in a 30 minute time frame) – so that pile of papers or books or yarn or (my personal favorite) the JUNK DRAWER! Woohooo!! (I actually did this for the first time with my vanity – which was a HUGE freakin’ mess.  And without hurrying I finished this whole ritual in about 28 minutes.  So go with your gut.  But I wouldn’t pick a walk-in closet or anything. *wink*)

Now bring your candle, your index card and your pen over to the de-clutter target.

Light the candle. (We do this to mark time and space. We are making an act that symbolized that we dedicate this time to this project.)

Choose an area in your life – a work project, a relationship, a goal – something that is a challenge or that you are unclear about. Some area you’d like order, clarity, ease. Write one word that sums up the situation. One word. Don’t over think it, we’ve got 30 minutes remember? 😀 (My word “Calendar”)

Decide the main quality or qualities you’d like to see more of in that situation. Here’s what came up for me – Right now I’d like to have more order and organization in my work day. I feel overwhelmed and I’d like clarity and ease in my work schedule. Underneath the situation word, write the quality or qualities you’d like. My index card says, “Clarity, Order, Ease.”

Now, say this blessing (make this intention):

As I take this time to de-clutter this [drawer], I intend to see [Clarity, Order, and Ease] show up in my life in the area of my [latest project]. As I put this [drawer] in order, I expect the factors in my [latest project] to come into the perfect order as well. I trust you [Universe, God, Source, whatever you feel comfortable with] to support me in this and to help me bring about this powerful intention. Amen. Let it be so.

Now you should have most of the 30 minutes left to put that drawer or stack or pile in order.

Knowing that as you put your physical surroundings in order it is going to have an affect on your emotional, spiritual, and relational areas as well!

Once you finish putting your target area in order, blow out the candle and take a few deep breaths. Now, recognize what it feels like in your body to have this little bit of order and new space available. Savor that delicious feeling for a moment, and now go about your day knowing that your actions in physical space affect everything else, too.

Bravo!! Well done!

Love & Magic,