Jou aling Feng Shui

Jou
aling is an excellent tool for dealing emotionally with almost any issue in life. The therapeutic applications of journal writing are endless. But it's also true that sometimes you feel stuck, unable to make a move in any direction, and not even able to sit down comfortably with your notebook.

For any number of reasons, known and/or unknown, you feel empty. You want to get answers, but you're paralyzed in some limbo of inaction. You're uninspired, listless, drifting. You haven't even cleaned your house for the past month.

Hold it right there. When in doubt, simplify. Could it be that modifying your environment will energize you?

As sentient beings, people are affected by their environments. The flow of energy and the balance of forces in a given environment are studied in the ancient Chinese art of feng shui. Feng shui observes that clutter brings low, confusing, and draining energy into your home, which is detrimental to your own energy and well-being.

Clearing out physical clutter can seem like an overwhelming and tedious process, but when you live and work in a clear, open space, your mind also becomes free and uncluttered.

Your ease and wellbeing have everything to do with your surroundings. Could it be that your ennui is a result of the mess around you?

Here are some ideas to make the task of de-cluttering more palatable.

1. In the room or space where you plan to do your jou
aling, set a timer for 15 minutes.

2. Turn on some favorite music, open windows if the weather allows, invite a loved one to join in if you wish.

3. Clean one area of the space for the 15 minutes. Throw out as much as possible.

4. Be merciless. If you can't think of a reason to keep it in a few seconds, get rid of it! Hoarding is a generally unhealthy thing to do.

5. Stop when the timer buzzes. Take a step back and admire your work. Great job!

If you want to, set the timer for another 15 or 30 minutes, and continue. Or just do 15 a day for a while. At some point, the room will be clean and refreshed. Now open your journal and write about the experience.

What did you see and feel when you looked at this room before? What do you see and feel now?

What old baggage, physical or emotional, were you able to throw away while cleaning? What items were the hardest to get rid of? Why?

How do you plan to keep your writing space fresh, inviting, and clean in the future?