“World peace can only be found within you.”
–Byron Katie
Recently I received an email from a reader in response to a newsletter I sent. My message that day was brief. It began with the beautiful quote by Byron Katie above and went on to say:
“There’s been a lot to process these days and I cannot even begin to unpack it. When I do, I will share what has been meaningful and hopeful for me about these unprecedented times.”
Her concern (copied below) is a question that I have thought about a lot and dedicated my entire life’s work trying to answer.
Question
Dear Stephanie,
I have always liked you and your work including this. I look forward to your wisdom when you unpack this one.
It does feel superficial to me to only address this avenue to inner peace (not that I do not badly need to do so!😏), when our country has big issues that I do not believe will be solved by my clutter clearing.
I live next to Richmond, Va and have been concerned about groups** of people being disenfranchised as it affects humanity and our country.
**whether different from ethnicity, differentially able bodies, size, age, education and miseducation, etc.or trauma.
–A.B.
My response (expanded from my original reply):
Dear A.B.
Thank you for your thoughts. You’ve certainly hit a chord that most of us humans can relate to: How can my small, “measly” clearing efforts make a difference in a world that is in such turmoil and pain? They seem so puny against the tsunami wave of chaos and need that we are facing right now.
Good question!
First let me just say that this common fear and worry comes from the (illusory) part of us that believes we are separate, limited, and small. It is the kind of thinking that cannot grasp or speak for what is more accurate and true: that we are limitless, generative, and connected to a much larger field of infinite possibility.
If you’re willing to stretch a bit, and expand your perspective and range of what is possible with regards to clearing, here’s what I can tell you that may change the game for you:
1. Clearing clutter – be it physical, mental, or emotional – is not the endpoint, destination, or goal. It is a pathway – a journey that doesn’t always add up, make sense, or go in a straight line. Clearing, ultimately, is not about freeing up some space, it is about freeing you. Free yourself and you will free others.
2. We cannot clear what is holding us back with the same mindset that created it. It is precisely our thinking that will keep us stuck in our patterns and yield nothing but more pain and struggle. Clear the thinking, overwhelm, and fears first and the rest will follow.
3. At its very core, clutter is nothing more than a form of energy. Clearing the “stuck energy” in your life with intentional awareness and compassion creates a powerful ripple effect. It may not look like much is happening at first, but if you are consistent in your efforts (no matter how small and insignificant they may seem) and willing hang out in the messy middle, over time you’ll start to see that something is beginning to shift – something real and tangible that creates more energy and openings and changes that you couldn’t even imagine before. Work with what you do have control over “in here” – your closets, your relationships, your overwhelm, your worries, your stuckness – and watch what happens “out there.” It can change everything.
So if you want to make a difference in the world, here’s my advice: focus on clearing your world. It is all connected.
And to quote Lao Tzu: “If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate all of the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.”
Blessings and happy clearing!
Stephanie
