One of the most amazing aspects I find in living in Los Angeles is how temperate the weather is, comparatively with the rest of the globe. So when February hits, and we’re blessed with an 80 degree day, suddenly it feels as though a new year truly has begun. That a fresh slate has arrived, and we are able to start something new.

However, it’s equally as important to take this time and focus on clearing the decks first, in order to make space for what’s to come and allow focus to feel less scattered. In choosing to practice purging / releasing / cleansing, you are actively telling the Universe that you are open and ready for new opportunities to fill the space you have cleared out.

In this time I have chosen to purge on a myriad of levels - in smudging my environment with a blend of Sage, Palo Santo and Sweetgrass, clearing out clutter and old objects or clothing that no longer resonate with me, and taking my time with a thorough, deep-clean run through of the entire house. It was only after I had taken my second trip to Goodwill in a day that a moment of self-reflection hit me:

What are you going to do to clear the clutter in your mind? 

Here I hadn’t thought of this before… I was too focused on moving stuff from here to there, that I didn’t realize it was a physicalization of a projection from the inside, begging me to start within. I glanced at the stack of books sitting atop my nightstand, waiting to be read, and I picked them up - one by one, finishing them thoughtfully, mindfully, carefully. With each book that finished, as I placed it back on its beloved bookshelf, I felt calm. I felt completion. I felt the clutter clearing itself.

I’ve been gradually reading an abundantly resourceful book called The Untethered Soul, where Michael Singer describes our relation with the ego mind - in a not so dissimilar way to that of Eckhart Tolle, but in a somehow more manageable, tangible way - almost as if giving you a list of instructions that innately you trust and know exactly how to do. Each time I pick up this book, it’s like my soul is coming home. With each chapter I highlight, rapidly writing my own notes down, I feel free.

Free from the accidental confines I’ve created within my own mind amongst the incessant chatter. The more levels that are unlocking within the deep inner-work that’s being done, the more memories that are surfacing, the more processing and releasing that is naturally happening, my mind is more and more open, and I feel more and more relaxed.

Cleansing the mind is such a cathartic ritual that demands openness, objectivity, awareness of self and the release of judgment when entering vulnerability. You cannot cleanse what you cannot recognize; if you do not see the areas needing to be shifted, the shifting cannot occur. Through tapping into this field of fearless change from becoming stir-crazy within my routine, I’ve realized the bits and pieces I’ve attached myself to as “identifiers” of Self can be fluid, and therefore, released. In taking gratitude for the amazingness that is our ability as humans to have cognitive rationalized thought, it’s easy to recognize how truly masterful the symphony of our human makeup truly is. The key is to be mindful with how gentle you are on yourself throughout the process - be blunt, be honest, be objective, but take ease and don’t beat yourself up for carrying this weight until now - take it on with love and compassion of self. Be grateful your path has led you to this moment, right here, right now. Take stock of your thoughts and the wonderment that makes you so uniquely your own. What weight have you been carrying that is not yours to bear? Release, and simply let it go.

Your mind is like your home - you might as well make it a beautiful place to live. There is so much power and strength within purging pent-up energy that only serves to weigh you down and stand in the way of the greatness of your presence.

All it requires is the self-empowerment and motivation to choose where you direct your thoughts. As you become a master of your own mind, you’ll begin to recognize the subtle energy leaks that steal away the necessary focus and drive steering your course. Have faith in yourself, replace doubt with assurance, and clear the slate for a new day.

Spring is here, it’s time to clean house.