I recently worked with a professional organizer to help me with the accumulation of belongings in my apartment. Organization has never been a strong suit of mine, so when one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to get organized I knew I needed to bring in outside assistance.
Together we purged bags of out dated clothes, unwanted documents, and unnecessary items that were taking up space in my apartment. While at times it felt difficult to let go of certain items that I had emotional attachment to, I knew I needed to clear space and allow room for more important and significant things in my life. Little did I know this resolution would prove to be more than just a de-clutter of tangible and material items. As I analyze this act of organizing and compare it to yoga and the importance of meditation, I find many similarities and metaphors present.
Imagine a room that is extremely messy. Clothes thrown all over, books haphazardly spread out and belongings that have no rhyme or reason to their placement. Similarly imagine a chaotic mind with thoughts running in every which direction consumed by false reflections of self-doubt, judgment and fear. The physical clutter of “things” in the room is similar to the mental clutter of “thoughts” in the head.
Now imagine a tidy room that has compartmentalized shelves for clothing, has order within bookshelves and items sorted with meaning. When a room is organized and the placement of items is known, efficiency and free flowing energy is yielded. Comparably, when the mind is kept open and clear, more productivity and creativity is yielded.
When you sit and meditate you bring to the surface unresolved issues, you notice the fluctuations of the mind and you learn to let things go and surrender in order to make room for things that truly matter. Just as you physically organize your room and compartmentalize your belongings to efficiently move through your space, it is equally as important to mentally organize your thoughts to differentiate between what is ego and what is reality through meditation. Clearing your mind through meditation allows you to be the truest and best version of yourself.
How can you incorporate meditation into your life to help “de-clutter” your thoughts? I challenge you to utilize the beginning of Spring as a time to clean your life, both physically and mentally. Start the season by creating the internal room you deserve to allow inspiration, abundance and potential to enter into your space. Take this opportunity as a time to renew, refresh and set yourself up for growth.