New Moon Destruction Ritual

A dear friend of mine has made great strides at decluttering and sprucing up her home. I had been thinking of doing the same thing for months now. Seeing her progress inspired me to tackle my home to make room for more creativity and abundance in my life. This week I rolled up my sleeves and started working on my creative room. It is amazing how much I hold on to. My ex-husband and I would joke that I was a gerbil in a previous life. If you saw the paper I collect, you would understand why. While clearing things out I came across a little journal that I started on the day that my ex and I separated. As I read through the entries I was amazed at how I wasn't affected by it. It was as if I was reading someone else's story. That separation was 5-1/2 years ago and I'm so happy that I've moved past that painful period in my life. I decided that I no longer want to hold onto this little journal so I pulled out the pages and burned them.

I placed the pages in the kitchen sink for safety sake and pulled out my camera as I knew it would be a great photo opportunity.

Most mornings I write in my morning pages, a practice I learned from Julia Cameron in her book, "The Artist's Way." In the morning pages, we are encouraged to write whatever we are feeling. It is a purging of sorts. Most of the time I find myself tapping into my creative source and brainstorming so many wonderful ideas. Some entries contain some raw emotions -- much of which I don't ever want to revisit. After burning this journal I decided that on each new moon I would pull out one of my filled up journals and destroy it. I think I'll opt for shredding rather than burning but that will all depend on my mood. Before the monthly destruction I will scan the entries for those golden nuggets and record them in a book that I won't mind anyone finding and reading. I think it will also be a great opportunity to revisit those great ideas and maybe even put some of them into action.

The morning I decided to burn these pages my inbox had a newsletter from Christine Kane about how clutter blocks success. Oh how I love synchronicity. She is generous to allow for republishing so I'm sharing her article here for you to read. She asks some great questions that I have been reflecting on all week. What are you holding onto? What can you let go of today?

The Year I Discovered How Clutter Blocks Success

I looked at my phone in horror. 

"You want me to what?" I said into it.

"It's time, Christine. You've been talking about that basement for weeks now. It's time to deal with it."

I had been working with my coach for months at this point. And even though I had reached certain levels of success in my career, I kept getting stuck in the same old ruts. I was about to record my fourth CD, and I was ready to move to a higher level. 

Thom was doing what good coaches do: listening carefully, seeing clearly - and of course, pushing me to take conscious action. 

So, he encouraged me to start small and completely clear out the junk 
in my basement. Thirty minutes a day.

One section at a time. Building momentum as I went. 

Each week, during our call, I'd report back on my progress. 

Each week, I had a new reason why I simply could not let go of some clutter-y item. 

"But I spent so much on it!" "I might need it someday!" "I could gain weight and need this again." "I paid such a good price for it!" 

To my credit, I did pretty well at letting go once Thom talked me through these old mindsets. 

Then came the week I had to face one particularly significant section of the basement.

It was where I stored various pieces of furniture I had gotten at the Salvation Army and at local flea markets when I first began my songwriting career. A bookcase, a kitchen table, a dresser, and a few shelves. I no longer liked or used this furniture because my tastes totally changed. I had begun to cherish beauty and opulence in my surroundings. I wanted to fill my home only with items that I loved.

"So, Christine," Thom asked. "Why don't you want to let these things go?" 

I was embarrassed. But I told him the truth. "Well, here's the thing. If my music career doesn't work out, I might need them one day. If I fail, and I don't have any money, I might wish I had kept these things." 

Long pause. 

"So, you'll be on the street - but at least you'll have that bookcase?" 

I laughed. 

Thom sighed. And what he said next has been a core lesson of creating my success and happiness. 

He said that everything in our lives has energy. Everything has our thoughts and emotions embedded into it. Old furniture is no exception. In essence, what I was saying to the universe and to my subconscious, creative self was this:

I believe so deeply in my own failure that I'm holding onto physical things that represent that possibility. Every time I walk by these items in my basement, I will be reminded of my inevitable failure. Every moment I'm in my house, my subconscious will know that in the very foundation of my life (my basement), there are items that prove I don't believe in my own success. 

That week, I called Goodwill, and scheduled an appointment to have the old furniture taken away. 

I'd love to report that I smiled and waved as the old clunky furniture was carried away. But the truth is I was terrified. I was letting go of my Plan B. I was saying to the Universe: "I thoroughly believe in my own success." 

I had never done that before in such a concrete way! 

As I wrote earlier, I began recording my fourth CD "Rain & Mud & Wild & Green" as I was clearing out the basement. That CD went on to sell five times more than any of my other CD's. It received rave reviews. Border's Books featured it on a listening post that year, and named it the top CD of the year in my category. 

Now, even though I know this success wasn't ONLY about letting go of my old flea market furniture, I have become a firm believer that we each need to pay attention to the energy of the stuff that surrounds us. We need to pay attention to what we are telling our subconscious minds when we hold on. 

Now you. 

What are you holding onto? What thoughts and beliefs are you putting out into the Universe by clinging to it? Are you telling yourself you don't believe in the inevitability of your own success and prosperity? Or that you don't believe you can expand and create better things in your life? 

Pick one thing - just one small thing - and let it go. Today!

---

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative atwww.christinekane.com.

Comments

[teri]

My facebook message today says something like, "My Exciting Weekend: Cleaning Closets" I'm right there with you! I enjoy cleaning and organizing once I get going, though. It reminds me of where I've put things. :-)

My business partner and I went to one of Christine Kane's workshops last year.

[Megan Warren]

I really need to de-clutter my creative space, but I'd much rather be creative! Maybe a little bit of time cleaning and the rest of the time creating.

[Shell]

Christine Kane and you are right on the money about decluttering. I love to burn my fears on paper or when I'm feeling particular angry about stuff. It is freeing.

[3rdEyeMuse]

wow ...powerful business here today, Kathryn. I am happy that you were able to read your old notes without attachment ... and happier yet that you decided to let it go. I've been stalling one some serious decluttering projects ... honestly, just doing 30 minutes at a time never crossed my mind ... and if I know myself, that first thirty minutes will likely double without effort. thanks for the little nudge. :)

[inge]

LOL.... I've been busy the whole day clearing an old cabinet from it's old layers of paint and varnish... I saved it at school from being thrown away because I had to clean up that room in school... It HAS something and I would like to use it to put my books and softies in that I want to sell... I just have one problem : I don't have a wall for the moment where I can put it on....

Reading about decluttering... I think it's something that me too I find very difficult to do.I always want to SAVE something... but I know my friend Dorien is MUCH worse...:)

Maybe I take this post at heart and try to declutter... a bit...

greets
Inge

[inge]

I forgot to mention that me too I like what you did with the sad words in that journal.
Somewhere these period will always be a part of your life, but it doesn't really needs to be reread by someone after years. I guess you feel relieved ! ?

Don't you miss Loki too much ? 7 weeks is looooooog...but as I read you fill your days with good things.

greetings
Inge

[Bev]

There is so much power left even in those old journals!
I too had to burn pages because the pain and anger seemed to jump off the page. I felt cleansed after that.

[leah]

I love this idea of burning old journals around the New Moon! It made me think of the Goddess Shiva and of the cycle of destruction and creation.

This ritual feels like it could have some really powerful results for you, Kathryn and I'm excited to hear where it takes you!

I love Christine Kane's work as well. I was inspired by a workshop of hers to do some serious de-cluttering this year and it made such a difference. I really need to get back to that process again (it's kind of endless...i'm a gerbil collector like you!), but it's o.k., because I always learn so much in the process of de-cluttering. It's energy clearing and freeing.

Lots of love to you!

[Anne Gaal]

Hi, Kathryn! Loved your post today about letting go of things we've outgrown to make room for the new.

[Garnet]

Great post! It really spoke to me as I'm in a de-cluttering mode right now :) Congrats on moving outward and upward!