Spiritual De-Cluttering
I don't think it's because of the warm weather that I'm on a tear to de-clutter my house and my life. I realize that Spring and Summer always bring with them a desire to lighten up my life, my colors, my clothes, my duties. But I don't think the heat is what is motivating the desire to purge. If truth be told, I am the opposite of a pack-rat. I once moved 10 times in nine years! I didn't need to move. I just liked having a different view. I like not accumulating. I like staying uncluttered by constantly changing living spaces.
The fact is I just don't want "stuff." Stuff seems to bog me down in all areas of my life. When I walk into one of my rooms and see accumulations of things I have gathered , I lose my imagination. My creativity, my hope, and my energy are stalled. It's like my soul is blocked and the flow that keeps life dynamic is halted. If I have too much clutter, too much stuff around me, I find it harder to pray, to weep, to dream. Most assuredly, I find it more difficult to be aware enough to detect the subtle and stealthy presence of the Holy One. I guess I get too focused on the stuff rather than the emptiness around all my possessions.
So, yet again, I am engaged in the spiritual practice of purging. I'm filling boxes and bags for the Salvation Army. The word purge comes from the word pure. What I notice when I de-clutter another corner is that what is left behind is pure empty space. That pure empty space creates an openness where I can hear the whisper of heaven, a whisper so quiet that emptiness alone allows that voice to resonate. No, I don't think it has to do with the seasons. I think that even if I were tucked away in the arms of dark winter, I would want to hear that whisper so badly I would still be filling boxes and bags.
