I love looking at the above photo.  I took it in Mumbai and it is a room that Mahatma Gandhi frequently stayed and worked in when he was in Mumbai, set up just like he had it.  From these simple objects and surroundings, he created great and profound things in this world.  I like to look at the picture as inspiration for owning and surrounding myself by a minimal number of objects.  Many believe that having simple, clean and clear surroundings, and not owning huge amounts of objects is beneficial.  Given the number of clutter clearing books, programs, and services out there (type in "clutter clearing" to amazon and there are 101 books that come up), I believe it is an idea that has merit and benefit, and it has certainly benefited me.

One of the best concepts I have come across for why having less clutter and owning less objects is beneficial is one I heard from Caroline Myss.  She explains that the objects that you own are energetic "anchors" attached to you, as are past events, stories, or relationships that you are still emotionally attached to.  The sum total of these "anchors" is equivalent to your psychological weight, also known as "psychological wait" -the amount of time it will take you to make a desired psychological change.  These changes could be things such as learning something, altering your perceptions, or healing from a past situation.  So the less objects you have, the less energetic anchors you have, and the faster you can make a psychological shift.  Not having all these objects to weigh you down also tends to create an abundance of energy that was previously difficult to access.  Then there are all the other benefits of having less objects, like the financial ones: not paying for storage, maintenance, and cleaning, not to mention the best type -not paying for things you don't need in the first place!

There is a certain sense of freedom that comes along with not having a lot of objects, and it can be a little bit addictive -in a good way!  The thought that at any point in time you have the lightness of being to be able to easily get up and move anywhere and do anything you wish to do ……. that is wondrous.

Strategies to try:

• Get rid of stuff (responsibly of course!). Ask yourself of each object:

  • Do I need this?

  • Do I use this?

  • Do I REALLY love this?

    • Would you go out and buy it right now at full price if you suddenly didn't have it?

• Don't buy things you don't need or don't REALLY love in the first place! Get in the habit of asking yourself before every purchase:

  • Is this necessary?

  • Do I REALLY love this?

Much Love,

Sophia Englezos