Recently, on an absolutely gorgeous sunny day in the fall here in Vermont, I made a decision to do something that in the past I would have never dreamed of doing… I took the whole day to completely clean out and de-clutter my basement.
You see, in the past I would not have been caught dead doing something like this in a dark basement on a sunny warm autumn day in Vermont. I would have been outside first thing on a 10 mile trail run, probably followed by a long mountain bike ride in the afternoon with friends, and a cold beer to finish off the day to make it feel ‘complete’.
The thought of being inside on a day like this, cleaning and organising a basement utility room and closets filled with boxes and boxes of various things that take hours to go through and sort out, would have felt like a nightmare to me back then.
After attending a number of Universal Medicine presentations, I came to realise a few years ago that my drive to fill my time with activities like sports was just a way to distract myself from feeling an emptiness brought on from not feeling like I was enough as I was. Thus I used these activities to ‘prove’ myself and identified myself by them. But today my life is very different, and I find satisfaction and completeness in the simple things in life, because the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day. This has naturally brought about a greater acceptance of myself no matter what is going on in my life. I now feel there is nothing to prove to anyone.
So right after breakfast I set out to go into the dark, virtually windowless part of our basement and slowly but surely sorted through every box filled with various home and electronics equipment, junk drawers of desks filled with ‘stuff’, cleaned, organised, threw away things not used in years, and cleaned again, until at the end of the day I felt like it was complete for now.
I was left with a space that felt much cleaner, organised, orderly, and in general, lighter. Later, I would refine this even more to match my level of commitment to the project, and, I feel, to life in general.
To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities. If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.
So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose. It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process without for a minute feeling like I’m missing something by not doing some activity outside. The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body. I finished the day with an herbal tea with my wife, as my drinking days are forever gone. This whole experience of de-cluttering my basement has led to bringing more order to the rest of our house, and therefore a deeper spaciousness to our home.
I deeply thank the inspiration of Serge Benhayon and the offerings of Universal Medicine for showing me a way of living that has finally shown me what being LOVE truly means.
By Michael Goodhart
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
I am in the process of moving home and appreciate how much has changed in regards to material items and how effortless it is to be able to discard items that are no longer needed. In the past I would have held onto items given to me from relatives past or small keepsakes but now feel they are no longer necessary and only have items that are supportive and serve a purpose in our home. Discarding items we no longer need also offers us a reflection on what we are willing to hold onto for emotional values or to discard to feel the joy and spaciousness we are already.
Beautiful Michael, so supportive, I am choosing to make my life more simple too, ‘ I find satisfaction and completeness in the simple things in life, because the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day.’
Decluttering the basement is a very foundational thing to do as basements are under our living quarters. Any declutttering at all brings with it a lightness and sense of sunshine and space no matter what the weather is like outside. Thank you Michael I am off to do some decluttering myself now.
How wonderful to bring order and detail to our daily living and feel the commitment and purpose that takes place.
Thank you Michael, like the sunshine you mention in this blog, your words shine in on my day, and make it clear in a beautiful way, that whilst I might not run marathons or do competitive sport I have used busyness, personally and at work to achieve the same effect: total overload of the nervous system, to the point where it’s hard to feel anything. Your words give me courage to step back from overwhelming myself and start to clean up my day-to-day junk.
The clarity and space around us supports us to live with the clarity and space we naturally have within.
I love this Michael, ‘because the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day.’ Beautiful, and what a difference this makes as you showed in this blog.
Michael, as we are connecting to the decency and respect we have for ‘the environment we live in’ then we can de-cluttering as you are sharing, which brings about how amazing we can be when we come to completion in any area of our life. Then when we apply this simple purpose as you have and by being connected as we complete these tasks we expedite our evolution. So what am I talking about when it comes to connection? My understanding is that we have an inner-most heart and that is a connection like no other connection because it is us re-connecting to divine creation, which is us moving towards heaven.
Your writing speaks of commitment to a certain quality of life that is spacious and free from imposition, and how this can be chosen without condition and without need, just a simple choice to create more space.
It is amazing quite how much stuff we hold onto in basements, attics, cupboards, store rooms and rarely if ever will use again. It feels like a dead weight holding us back in many ways. I know as soon as I do a clear out it feels hard to do but a relief abd freeing for my body saying bye to the old and allowing more space for what is before me.
I recently had a de-clutter of old photos and files on my computer. Amazing how much I cleared out and how much ‘lighter’ me and my computer feel.
‘To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities.’ Great observation Michael and it makes sense that what we do and how we live in one area of our life flows into another. In truth there is no separation between the different domains of our life at all – they’re one and the same. What we think we hide or keep separate from the world is still in the world and will be felt in us, even if we pretend otherwise.
Cleaning and clearing space is one of the most invigorating and liberating things to do in my experience… the feeling of clarity and spaciousness is very good for our sense of wellbeing.
Going through my home at intervals cleaning out areas that can gather clutter allows me an opportunity to also make space within me. It is so true Michael that doing this means that we too feel lighter, more open and loving.
The clearness and space we can bring to our homes sets a foundation of clarity that feeds us back in more ways than we know.
We ‘fill’ space because we do not want to live it – space being the ‘Body of God’ and thus the beholder of the Universal Intelligence (love) that we come from.
Ah exquisite Michael – this is the work of the true Son; one who knows and is connected with the eternal flame of love that burns within us all, and is able to harness such light to affect the space around him/her.
Clearing our old stuff is definitely one of the best ways to prepare for what’s next in your life. I love doing a mini version of this in my bedroom every week or two, total clean out, rearrange, throw things out, I feel so ready for life after doing this.
Thank you Michael I love how you say ‘ I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose. . . . The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.’ Shining the sun inside – that is exactly how it feels to me too!
Thank you Michael this is a timely reminder of the lightness and spaciousness felt when we commit to de-cluttering as I am planning to do this in my home over the next 2 days. Having put it off for too long I can feel the stagnation this clutter is bringing to my life and not allowing for simplicity and flow.
I now love clearing out my house too Michael, I feel such an ease with it, and love the order and lightness it brings. For me a weekend now is great when I get to clean my house, and I’m not shy about sharing that anymore either … years ago I would have considered this so boring and yet now I feel a deep sense of completeness in me, another level of coming home when I take care of my living space and what is in it. I now couldn’t imagine it any other way.
Michael, thank you for sharing such a simple but inspiring experience on how de-cluttering can be so uplifting and energising! Cleaning and decluttering our house, home, garage, basement, cupboards, fridge etc, can be a very detoxing experience – no different to going on a physical detox program or a diet! Time and time again I have felt how unnecessary gear and disorganisation can weigh me down and sap my energy. It is something I regularly do now – clean out and cull areas as they build up and I have found that the more I do it the easier it is to keep on top of it and also not allow it to build up either!
To leave something incomplete leaves an obstacle which prevents the natural flow and harmony that is present everywhere, all the time. It feel so good to complete things, even the smallest of details, for in doing so we are strengthening the flow of harmony which then supports us back to be able to bring flow and harmony to things that may take more effort, commitment or focus.
Clutter is an obstacle that prevents natural flow and harmony! Love what you have shared here Lucy!
The connection of doing a household chore with feeling better in our bodies, is one I would reckon virtually everyone understands, yet also, most of us would not see reward in it. Which brings the question, what is a reward really, can it ever be rewarding to do something that does not make us feel better, feel like our body is truly supported. Like watching a netflix marathon, it sounds appealing to most of us, but is that only the case if we don’t discern how our body’s respond to such an offering.
I’m sure your old self would have looked at a project like this and thought you were absolutely bananas! But I know what you mean about the satisfaction of clearing out old stuff. It is so therapeutic, very healing, and brings a spaciousness that is so welcome. It’s also supportive for living daily life well, especially the area of the basement which is the foundation of your home. I bet you appreciated this for a long time afterwards.
Our connection to our divine vehicle can not only bring spaciousness and expansion to our movements but from those movements it offers a quality that is sunny all year round.
It truly is amazing to feel the difference and clarity de-cluttering brings and the spaciousness in our bodies is notable too. Reflection and awareness for the energy in which we move also plays a large part in allowing ourselves the space and time to honour ourselves to de-clutter. It is a reflection of the level of care in which we will go to, to reveal the true lightness and harmony we hold within.
Michael this is lovely story to read – choosing to live in a way that you no longer need to prove anything to yourself or another. What joy to read of your light and spaciousness now being felt in your body and home
“This has naturally brought about a greater acceptance of myself no matter what is going on in my life. I now feel there is nothing to prove to anyone”.
It is amazing how much time and energy can be used up in trying to prove our worth. And I can find myself caught in this without even realising it, but the tiredness and fatigue that follows is usually a pretty good sign that something has gone amiss…
A very lovely feeling in the home and in our bodies when we have cleared out, made space and brought order. It’s no longer a burden in the basement but a real pleasure to walk into that room and feel the change.
A beautiful sharing Michael, thank you. When we are connected to the deliciousness of who we are within, no task is mundane in my experience, for as you say, we take our sunshine with us wherever we go.
“The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.” Beautiful Michael, and just goes to show when we are truly with ourselves it matters not where we are or what we are doing, the lightness and spaciousness that we are affects everyone and everything around us.
This is inspiring Michael, I need to get up early and sort out and de-clutter my garage in the morning. Thank you for sharing your light!
“I now feel there is nothing to prove to anyone.” – this is really powerful because it comes with a freedom to honour what we feel instead of designing our day according to what we think will get us recognition from others.
I have recently been clearing out my home and I am loving the pockets of spaciousness I am creating. It is not something I have tackled in one day (as for me it felt like that day would never come) it has been one step at a time and it too feels much cleaner.
Oh wow. What I am getting here is that I may think I am having ‘my’ moments, doing ‘my’ stuff, but really, everything I do, every moment I breathe, it is not possible to do it just for myself, it is for everyone – and it’s not even a choice. It already is.
‘I was left with a space that felt much cleaner, organised, orderly, and in general, lighter’. This is in reference to your basement Michael, but it is also in reference to your body. I always feel amazingly light after a deep clear out.
Everything is connected… And when we find beauty in detail this resonates through the rest of our life
When we have a picture of how something should be … like on a sunny day going for a walk or run or spending it in the garden or going on a day out .. sometimes it just doesn’t feel right. Instead of flowing it becomes false, a struggle or chore. I recently experienced this going to a local gym to use their pool, sauna and steam room it was to fit a picture of what I felt would be relaxing for me at the time but it could not have been further from the truth. So when we honour what we feel, like clearing the basement out on a sunny day, even though its unplanned and doesn’t fit the picture of what we ‘think’ we should be doing it instead feels the best thing we could ever do because we are going with what we feel. And doing this is both powerful and beautifull.
Thank you Michael, this was thoroughly beautiful to read.
Thank you Michael, that is right, those unaddressed areas are so important to address in order to break patterns, comforts and certain ways of being that are not evolving us and are keeping us away from being ourselves. Only our choice can break us free from the limits we have put on us to be our ‘seeming’ reality. Which often results in illusions instead of truth.
There is definitely a relationship between how we feel and the environment we are in.
I am so glad i am starting to appreciate this far more and actually care to make things as ordered and clean as possible. It does make a difference as to how I feel, and what I then express to the world.
‘This whole experience of de-cluttering my basement has led to bringing more order to the rest of our house, and therefore a deeper spaciousness to our home’. I love how when we tidy and re-order one little space in our home, this order promotes or asks for more order and it is always our choice how much order and space we want in our life. We all go at our own pace. Such a blessing you have given your house Michael and all who enter are blessed too.
I love how the sunshine was not lost just because you chose to be in the basement- ‘sunshine’ is a state of being and it’s all about bringing that with you from the inside and not needing it from outside. It’s fine to enjoy sunny weather, but needing it or using it to prop ourselves up isn’t actually it. Living your own sunshine rocks!
The word ‘complete’ really stands out for me, as there are so many things which we choose to achieve this completed or accomplished feeling. We search tirelessly for the satisfaction of feeling complete, yet do not manage to look at the very place that carries our fullness – which is within. Note to self – it’s all within.
This is a beautiful reflection Michael of the light and space within you. Everything in our lives is a reflection of who we are and in claiming yourself you have claimed so much more. The wisdom of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine also holds honesty, simplicity and consistency that has supported me to be all of who I am and to live that in my life for all to observe. Thanks for sharing, Michael.
It’s a really important consideration that how our house is, orderly, neat and beautiful, versus cluttered, untidy and dysfunctional, actually can profoundly affect our body and wellbeing. It’s seems that it’s more than the just the aesthetics, and that there is a relationship between the state of the house and how our body feels.
I deeply thank the inspiration of Serge Benhayon and the offerings of Universal Medicine for showing me a way of living that has finally shown me what being LOVE truly means.’ What an awesome gift, to know love and how to live it; to feel it in the body and to know it’s joy, even in the basement Michael!
Decluttering has such an amazing feeling, to truly feel space around you, in your wardrobes, in your car in the house, wherever there is the ability to lighten the load, it is wonderful to experience.
“…..the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day” Love this Michael. I’m learning that appreciating rather than judging (myself or others) enables a whole new way of re-connecting.
Nothing better than a good old clearing out session 😉 Thank you for sharing Michael
These areas that remain hidden away in our homes are just as important as the ones we regularly spend time in if we consider our homes as a whole. When we bring order to an area that has had disorder it creates a quality of harmony that reverberates throughout the home.
I agree Christopher. Clearing out my garage recently made such a difference to my whole home. It seems to be a constant re-assessing of what is needed. Every part affects the whole.
I have found that these seemingly mundane tasks that we love putting off are actually quite important; my flatmate and I have just committed to doing shared house related activities each weekend, such as cleaning out the garage or going through warranties, planning repair jobs etc and it is amazing how great it feels to give our shared space that focus and care. It has a ripple effect to all other areas of life.
Yes! We need space to become aware of the light we carry within and to make it more concrete. Well done!
It’s quite revealing really, resisting doing a task is resisting evolution, as even cleaning out your basement was simultaneously felt in your body. Everything is connected, nothing once impulsed can be ignored, as everything is a reflection.
It’s fun to look more closely to why we don’t like doing certain activities. For example for a long time I always forced myself to go for a walk because I knew it was good for me, however, thought the negatives out weighed the benefits.
As the walk took time (I’m very busy)
It wasn’t real exercise because my heart rate didn’t overly increase
But the real reason why I fought this activity was because everytime time I went for a walk it offered a moment of clarity to really see what was happening in my life at this point in time. It is confronting to observe when you know you hadn’t been living your real self for a while.
Amazing, what better symbol of throwing away what’s not needed in life!
It is so important to do things from a true motivation, otherwise, the quality that we do things in is laced with a need for recognition and investment which then does not deliver in truth what is needed to be delivered.
Great to come back to this blog this morning. The other day I had a day that was over-brimming with appointments, it felt dense and I felt overwhelmed because there was some other important business to attend to. How was I gong to manage? Stepping back I realised that some of these appointments really were not necessary. One was cancelled for me when someone e-mailed to say they were sick, another I cancelled, another someone chose to shorten, another someone didn’t show up. Events transpired so that another I could delegate. This was awesome. So much space opened up and I was able to attend to the important business after all. and someone had a seriously upsetting incident and I was able to support them in coming back to themselves and feeling whole again. By being clear about our intentions and taking responsibility for and following what is true for us everything seems to reconfigure and sunshine comes into every corner to lighten up our day.
I have found over the years that although I was not one to hold onto items or allow things to pile up there was also a feeling that some pieces of furniture or the way it was positioned in a room needed change. These simple moves made a huge differences and often it felt like their was mild renovations in the home. It was interesting to hear how others had noticed this change when they came to visit.
De-cluttering can be such a way of clearing not only ‘things’ but energy that has been stagnant and holding us in a place that is not where we truly are. Having read you blog Michael, I feel very inspired to do some de-cluttering of my own, so thank you.
Shining sunshine in the darkest of places reveals all kinds of hidden treasure.
Michael I love how you correlate that by caring for yourself and your home that this simple act expands out, and you enjoy being in and working in and with your community. Doing so with true joy, with out our motivations being laced with any personal validation from what we do. What a magnificent understanding to share with all.
There can be a lot of joy in the simple things in life. I have been doing a lot of shedding of late, and have been experiencing space in my surroundings = more space in my body… and space in my body shows me what is next to go.
Amazing to read that you can feel so much joy from de-cluttering your basement. Like you shared you are able to appreciate the simple tasks and bring lightness to your body through connecting to yourself with whatever task you were doing. How your body responded to de-cluttering your basement says a lot about how our house is a reflection of our relationship with ourselves is so true.
It is true – there is no such thing as a mundane task. Everything matters and makes a difference and often far, far more than we allow ourselves to be aware of.
I love this and it really does feel like bringing sunshine inside the basement! Something that then radiates out throughout the rest of the house and everywhere.
I just read a blog about how our homes are a powerful reflection of our relationship with ourselves and I agree they are. What you share here just proves this even more in how there is no more empty drive with you but instead more of a loving connection. This day you talk about where you cleared out your basement just highlights this .. the more love we bring to ourselves and our bodies the more love filters out into every other area of our life, which in turn reflects back to us again enabling us to go even deeper with appreciation, acceptance, letting love in and out etc etc etc ✨
When we do things from a true motivation then true healing can occur. When we do things out of a sense of duty or wanting to be praised or recognized for it then no healing can occur. It is as simple as that.
If as a society we realised the power of keeping all spaces clear and de-cluttered our homes, cars, offices, businesses and education facilities the relationship we’d have to life and with each other could be substantially different.
I love how you took the opportunity to clear out your basement, and how you didn’t need to let go of the need to be in sunshine. I love how you felt blessed by the way the basement clearing made you feel in your body.
To me this is GOLD, well done.
“It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life. ” I can so relate to this Michael, as I have for the past few months been clearing out all that is not required in my home, ready for its sale. That time has now come, the house is sold, and I am going through the process of refining just what I am taking with me to an eventual new abode. Even though I am taking quite a deal, just in case they are needed for the final abode, I have experienced what you describe of feeling so much lighter in my body since I disposed of so much that is no longer needed. It is beautiful the feeling of spaciousness that I now enjoy in my body. And I know this will be an ongoing process for me over time, as I have now now ‘caught the bug’ of constantly cleaning out what is not truly needed. I want to have a body that is as spacious as I can make it, to make more room for light and love to fill it.
Thank you Michael, this is a great sharing I am going to do a huge de-clutter today as I have a day at home and I have been inspired. I have found that there is no end to de-cluttering just as there is no end to letting go of emotional baggage and investments in ideals that longer truly serve us.
‘I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body’, this has also been my experience as well Michael when I de-clutter my house. Whilst reading this blog I can feel the areas in my house that need attending to that I have been avoiding, thanks for the inspiration it is now time to commit and enjoy the process of feeling lighter and more expansive within the home and myself.
“My drive to fill my time with activities like sports was just a way to distract myself from feeling an emptiness brought on from not feeling like I was enough as I was.” What you have shared here Michael is massive, because sport to me was also my check out pill followed by “a cold beer to finish off the day to make it feel ‘complete’.” How lost I was to use something outside of me to numb and distract me from feeling my sixth sense, which had always been with me but was shut down by what I used to call normal activity. After 12 years I am still learning how to stay in contact with my oldest sense, my sixth sense and that is because I was shut down at a very young age, like most of us, so it is at times hard to connect to what our body is truly feeling. Thanks to the presentations by Serge Benhayon I am reminded that it is possible.
This is a beautiful feeling when we choose to bring spaciousness and order into our home. I know I love this feeling but resist to start a project like you did with your basement to de-clutter and clean things out. The reason I resist is the image of de-cluttering any part of my house I often make it out bigger than what it is. So, your blog inspires me to bring joy and lightness to everything I do no matter what that is, be it cleaning, scrubbing the benches or writing a beautiful email to a friend. If I bring love and lightness with my every movement than nothing is never too big to take on. I can choose to feel the joy in everything and in every moment of my day. Awesome blog for me to be reading right now, thank you for inspiring me.
It’s an interesting observation that to create a less decluttered house has a knock on effect to how well we serve others. It feels pretty true though, the more organised and committed we are to ourselves, definitely the more we have to offer others. Our every action really does count and having a tidy and well ordered home is something I appreciate a great deal.
This is a light worth truly nurturing and we take that wherever we go. “The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.”
I have experience this also Michael, clearing out in my home recently I have been feeling the expansion and the space this creates in my body. It opens up for more to be refined and allows clarity for more to be revealed. Everything reflects something and I really enjoy this relationship.
‘ This whole experience of de-cluttering my basement has led to bringing more order to the rest of our house’, and may I add, it also brings more order to all other areas in your life! This is the bonus if you like from decluttering our homes, along with true well being as we let go of that which we have outgrown and no longer serves us.
You really make it clear how the clutter on the outside is a coping mechanism for and distraction from something that is not right and true on the inside and how they mutually affect each other. We can either add to the conundrum or start to heal and free ourselves of these shackles.
“I was left with a space that felt much cleaner, organised, orderly, and in general, lighter. Later, I would refine this even more to match my level of commitment to the project, and, I feel, to life in general.” This blog is inspiring me to make the time and space to clear out more. Even clearing a few things makes a huge difference. Letting in the sunshine!
Love the title of this blog ‘Bringing Sunshine into my basement…’ This is just how it feels to release negative self-talk, open the blinds and let in the light.
Self care rather than self-hammering. What a massive shift…and great to confirm that with a big clear out.
This is a huge shift in how you appreciate your life Michael. No need for a 10 miles run, long mountain bike ride and a beer to finish, but instead decluttering you basement as this is giving true fulfilment. It frees up the space that was occupied and obstructing in you to expand. It is amazing what the effect of cleaning and decluttering our our house does have to our whole wellbeing, and the awareness of this fact is something we have to celebrate, not with a cold beer, but as you did with a cup of herbal tea together with our loved ones.
Not feeling enough can be a feeling of emptiness that distorts everything in life. Feeling enough can feel so spacious and full that no one and nothing could ever rock you.
I find a shift in the quality of my day, every time I attend to clutter and bring things to order. Michael you have today inspired me to keep at this seemingly endless process and to see that bringing light into every dark, dusty cupboard is part of The Livingness.
The beauty and clarity of order AMAZES me, recently I worked on a project on my computer that was super important and I could feel my computer was so disordered and full of clutter that it couldn’t actually support the project I was working on. It took me 2 days to order and clear my computer but it actually felt like a brand new computer and the difference and clarity in using it is massive. Order is the best 🙂
I love this possibility you suggest here Michael.”If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.” I am currently packing up my house, so I can feel how important this process is and how enjoyable it actually can be to go through all parts of my home, tidying, throwing out, cleaning, so I can move forward with more simplicity and clarity as I move countries into another phase of my life. I can feel how supportive this can be for me, my whole family and brings space and order so we can be more available to everyone else in our communities
Like you Michelle, I am also moving country, and I have felt the ease of letting go of stuff because I had felt it would be a super support for my new beginning supporting me to move forward with simplicity, clarity and with an understanding that everything I will need in my new place of living is already in place…
I really understand Michael when you say cleaning out your basement feels like clearing out part of your body, I love having a good clear out and I always feel my body benefits from living in a clutter free organised environment.
When you bring love to anything we do, no task can ever be more enjoyable than any other
I feel that what you are also saying here is that no task/job is more important than another but that the quality we do each one in is what counts and makes it either enjoyable or tedious and boring.
I like what you have shared Michael. Just reading your story feels spacious, de-cluttered and organized. One of my favorite sayings that I have said for years is “let go of the old, to make room for the new”. The possibility and opportunity, not of less but more. Typically the clutter and hording characteristics are based on fear and lack. Like poverty, just in-case, keep it for a rainy day, you never know when you may need it, this was when I was better, younger slimmer, happier. Or there is a empty feeling that needs to be filled, so we use stuff to fill it. A bit like emotionally eating.
I agree that everything that we do affects everything we are as a person. The more loose ends we leave the greater the chance we are to feel tired and drained. No point to leaving it until tomorrow as if we leave it tomorrow we hinder our full capacity for tomorrow.
“…the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day.” I too have felt this empty feeling Michael, the feeling that something is missing and no matter what I did, the void was never filled by an activity. It was so revealing when I discovered that what was missing was me, my connection with myself. Building this connection to me is the most amazing relationship I have developed. I am still working on it through daily refining of my relationship with me but I now rarely feel like something is missing.
Decluttering is such an enjoyable thing to do and I have done it many times in my life. I am in the process of making my seventh move in my life and I would have to say, this move has been the most enjoyable by far, especially since I have much more of an understanding of how you choose to do things and the quality that you hold thanks to Serge and his workshops and courses. This simple but very natural way of being with myself has made a huge difference to how I am within what I am doing now, choosing to move more in a way that supports me to be the love that I am.
De-cluttering our homes is something that is constant with our evolution, the more we keep saying yes to responsibility the more we at times know when decluttering would be supportive in creating more space in our lives.
Absolutely agree Francisco, we do just instinctively know when to declutter and when we follow this impulse it is a very enjoyable activity because we have honored what we have felt which was to create more space and light in our lives.
Having a messy, cluttered space in your house feels really draining and it is in a way disregarding to keep it that way. In the past I had a lot of corners I ignored with things I just did not want to look at but now the more I go through it, the less things are there that I don’t need and it feels spacious and light in my house because of that.
Yes, true Love is decluttering our environment. I am constantly going through things in our house and shifting the stagnate energy that may have built up in a cupboard or a set of drawers or a corner of a room. Just this weekend I cleaned out my bathroom cupboard and since then every night as I go to sleep I see the new reorganised space and fall asleep feeling the spaciousness of it. Now, if this is possible in just this little space, what is possible with the rest of the house?! Great work Michael of committing to such an area in the house that can cause quite a large amount of stagnate energy that can in fact impact on the flow of the entire house, just like a little bathroom cupboard. It all matters.
Spot on Robyn, it all does matter, every single pocket of our homes that is full of clutter has an impact on the flow of the whole house…. it is super worth it to give each pocket of our homes the attention it needs when calling out for order!
Thank you for sharing how the de-cluttering created a deeper spaciousness in your body and your home to support you in your purposeful life and a recognition of how this reached out into your wider community whereas your previous frenetic activities to fill up the emptiness within had to be constantly repeated in an attempt to keep the feelings at bay. For me it is an ever refining process bringing greater order to my living surroundings to support the flow of my life and what I can offer to myself and others.
De-cluttering of any of my home/office/care….whatever, is something that I love to do and often do. And I totally agree with your feeling that it allows more space. It’s a simple scientific equation. By saying ‘no’ to stuff it feels like I am saying ‘yes’ to more space. I also feels like it supports, encourages and accelerates our evolution. As the “old saying” so truly evokes – out with the old, in with the new…..
Thank you Michael I really love reading your blog, and feel the feeling you are speaking of, the spaciousness that is felt in our bodies as well as our homes, I love decluttering and opening up space. “The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.”
Real inspiration here to knuckle down and say goodbye to unnecessary accumulation. There’s much satisfaction and completeness to be gained from this and it opens up space for the new not only within the home but also within ourselves.
I love rereading your blog Michael; a beautiful reminder of the gorgeous expansive feeling one has when we declutter and open up spaces, thank you.
Feels like a real cleansing activity de cluttering your house, it can’t be underestimated the effect of keeping your house clear of clutter.
There is a lot to de-clutter both in my home and in my mind from times when I have not been clear in my intentions and acting from my heart. Eventually I know I will clear them, it will take dedication and patience, but the work of clearing brings responsibility out in to life, because without the clutter I am able to offer a clearer presence in the world.
Great reminder to put away that pile of clothes that is ‘neatly’ stacked in the corner of my room as well as clearing out the again ‘neatly’ but unnecessary piles of stuff in my work area. I trick myself into believing that so long as it’s organised, then it’s ok. But the truth is, there is too much stuff lying around and I don’t need and it’s actually creating clutter.
Michael, I really enjoyed re-reading your blog. My e-mails at the moment are out of control and I can feel the tension of having that clutter. It is a stress in the body that can only leave when the clutter leaves.
I absolutely agree Suse, de-cluttering is an ongoing commitment which I just realised recently is so important. What stands out for me is the word commitment and also consistency. I find it easy to apply these two magic words to other areas of my life but when it comes to de-cluttering and cleaning it is very inconsistent. Which means the solution is very simple, I just have to apply commitment and consistency to everything in life not just a few areas where I deem more important.
Yes I agree Rachel, we can certainly bring this with us no matter what the conditions are.
It certainly feels great to de-clutter. The feeling of lightness is incredible, who would have thought de-cluttering can be so joyful. Reading your blog again reminds me that de-cluttering is a continuous things for our home and our body.
It makes me ponder what am i trying to keep out or not allowing in where I have areas of clutter – such as my desk at the moment?
So true Joseph, simply a shining reflection.
Bringing in space into our lives has an amazing flow-on effect.
Yes, and its fun!
Bring in space into our lives has an amazing flow-on effect.
Love reading this blog Michael, it so shows what it is to be loving with ourselves, and choose to do the task that is needed. As what is needed will always bring us more than choosing something else to delay our development, and have ‘fun’ while I know clearing out is a lot of fun, when done knowing of the effect it has on ourselves and the place we live in.
I like that Suse, for our accumulated clutter is but a self imposed shadow that stops the sun shining form within.
Michael I couldn’t agree more with your blog on bringing more commitment to ones life in terms of organising our homes. The more we evolve within, so to does our environment need to shift with us. If we don’t bring it along we are forever moving with a ball and chain attached to leg.
It just goes to show Michael that when we do something from a true impulse how nurturing it actually is for us.
I find giving the house a good clean out is like giving myself a good clean out
Same for me Joe. I have just completely rearranged my apartment with the help of a dear friend. Stuff got thrown out, moved out, freshened up and made anew. Yesterday it was my balconies turn. I feel fresh and new.
diana1975, I also can relate to the feelings of spaciness when you de-clutter. I am one who cannot work at my desk in the office if it has clutter all over it. I find it distracting, it feels messy and not able to truly work. The same goes for my home, there is immense refection in what we allow and leave as way of mess or clutter in the home. It can deeply reflect things we can look at and have a willingness to see and feel what we sometimes may not want to.
After reading this again today I feel its time to de-clutter again. Bringing the sunshine back into my house (and body).
Thank you Michael I loved re reading your blog and the spaciousness that you created in your basement was also felt within yourself and your home, I love the feeling too, that de cluttering brings , I feel a de cluttering time coming on.
As a family we took time over the summer break to feel what was needed to support us with a big year ahead, and the decision was made to shift some rooms around and re-purpose some spaces, I was blown by how much bigger the house felt, and how we wanted to spend more time in the new spaces. The budget was limited so no need to spend money but we let go of the old picture and really felt what was needed to support all of us moving forward.
Even tidying up one tiny corner of a room or that stack of paper work we keep walking past can have an enormous impact on the way the room feels re-imprinting it with a freshness.
‘So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose.’ True purpose changes the way we approach everything. It fuels us with love.
Re-reading this blog has confirmed for me that when we do something from the right impulse then true healing occurs. That day that you chose to go into the basement was obviously the right day to do the de-cluttering even though it may not have seemed like that at first.
It was lovely to re read your blog Michael and get so much more inspiration for decluttering that I am choosing to do. A lovely sunshiny sharing. Thank you.
Right with you Michael, I’m in the process of renovating / decluttering and re-imprinting. Every cabinet, every item that is no longer useful and anything in disrepair changes the feel of the house and really brings home how fantastic it is to reclaim this sensitivity.
Indeed it is very satisfying to complete the simple things in life, to complete them in love and joy. I am gradually learning this way of being, rather than a push to get things done.
I love the way you expressed your joy in bring your light to the basement and feeling that light inside you. Thank you Michael.
I can feel this quality when I have commited to caring for my home, my personal things and how I am living in the space “filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose.” I can feel this quality of purpose which I find deeply supportive.
Michael thank you for your blog, I find a greater lightness within myself after a good tidy up and clearing out of the things that no longer support me.
It just shows that every task is equally important and that our commitment should be the same with everything. Beautiful blog and great reminder.
Thank you Michael, for your sunny spacious experience, I have been attending to my wardrobe and clearing out what no longer is of use, it is certainly not the end of it, with more to come. I now have the space to see more clearly what feels good for me to wear to express my self in that day.
Michael I often have the same feeling that cleaning my home, basement or cupboards “was also clearing out space inside my body”. Something that shows us how very symbolic our homes are to ourselves.
It used to be the cluttered bedroom, or the box room, the spare room all places of excuses to ‘dump’ stuff that was not of use or possibly could be useful at a later date. This would still cause me to feel heavy about the situation, out of sight did not mean out of mind. As tempting as it was I would delay sorting through it until a rainy day came to keep me indoors. Moving is a great time to de-clutter. The sun definitely shines when a ‘space’ is made. It feels open, airy, light and bright and more space to allow a freedom of movement. De-cluttering certainly as you share Michael brings ‘more order to the rest of the house’.
‘To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities.’ This feels very important Michael, that we are connected and that the choices we make, in this case decluttering your basement has its effect on the all.
I feel it clears out emotionally as we clear out physically leaving space on so many levels. I come from being quite a hoarder to really discerning what is needed now and every part of my life has more space.
I could not let go of the image of you working in the basement of your house, the very foundation that you all live on and sorting, de-cluttering and making it a lighter, less emotionally laden space to support you all. So when you mention that it supports the whole family I can quite see how that is true. There is no question in my experience of doing the same that clearing out has an enormous affect on the whole house, felt by everyone. Thanks for the reminder Michael, a wonderfully inspirational read!
Hi Michael, we are all connected and so what we live is what we contribute to the world. Your work on your basement, clearing, de-cluttering, re-organising is not only about your home – it is a reflection of you and all that you bring to our world. Your comment – ‘To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities’ is true, we may question ‘are we bringing light and love to humanity’ and the answer is ‘Yes’, all we need to be is ourselves, always connected, clearing and being present.
“my drive to fill my time with activities … was just a way to distract myself” – I could apply this sentence to many aspects of life: activities, work, family time. Its always worth checking the purpose behind any given activity…. is it evolving and growing, or comfortable, sliding back into a smaller version of everything we can be? And it made me smile that you applied this in such a hum drum way, but in a way that obviously has assisted you to feel more, and reclaim another small piece of the puzzle so you can serve more.
I also love the symbolism of the basement, usually a space where we don’t give too much notice or effort because its not a part of the home that is on show or lived in on a daily basis. Basements are often used to store rubbish, things of unwanted use or things we don’t want to deal with.
Thanks Michael, I love this feeling of spaciousness that comes from how we support ourselves in our space. I am a natural minimalist and find this supports me both mentally and physically.
“It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life.” I can very much relate to this Michael, lately i have been sorting out my paperwork and financial affairs, I have really come to understand the energetic impact of these tasks, for as you say i have literally felt lighter within my body, I am beginning to see the responsibility held within our footprints.
There is never ever too much love that we can live where one can say “I am past the simplicity of the little things in life” as I am learning the more we bring our all to each and every little detail in our lives, the more of a foundation we have to take our Love to the entire world.
I have also recently begun to discover the joy of clearing out old items from around our home. I have felt to look at anything which does not currently support or serve me and has not been used recently. The refining process of this is amazing and I love the feeling of expanding the space I’m in. By doing this I feel it is possible for the new to come in instead of being blocked by that which I was holding onto from the past which is no longer of use.
I find the clearer I become in myself the less I can live with clutter in my home. I now feel the clutter as a energy and the effects it has on my home, I also know how it feels once it is clear and the space it creates. I feel great joy in stepping up and taking responsibility to clear my own clutter. It’s the mirror of our internal self, reflected through our living. Responsibility on the in, flows onto the out.
I loved what you shared Michael, a deepening commitment in our homes is a deepening commitment to all. Something that has come up for me lately is how I have an incredible livingness outside of my home and how I wasn’t bringing it in my home for me to live in. It is showing to me were I need to claim my worth and start feeling that I deserve what I offer to others. I can see how committing more to my livingness in my home would benefit all.
I recently moved house and loved the feeling of cleaning out the whole house and leaving an amazing space for the next person who was coming in there. Every part of the home was cleaned and it was sparkling and it felt great to leave this for another.
Hi Michael, thank you for your insights and yes, it certainly feels clearer and lighter after a good de-clutter! I love it when I get to it. It is a healing/clearing we need to do on our houses regularly!
I agree Kathleen, I’m forever de-cluttering and clearing stuff out of my house as I do the same internally. It seems not long after I finish one room more space is needed in another and the de-cluttering begins again.
Exactly Kim, It is the never ending cycle of life with our internal processes, our body and the rooms of our home. If I am not onto it I start feeling overwhelmed as my space clutters and this is very draining on my energy.
Great article on an important but often disregarded subject. Clearing space and decluttering is something we probably need to do regularly as part of our own wellbeing ‘good housekeeping’. Otherwise there’s a danger that we create attachments to things we truly no longer need. Soon they act like Lilliputian ties, dragging us down, such that eventually we’re totally pinned down by our own possessions rather than able to flow freely in our space.
Its a weird thing to crow about, but I clear the attic every year. It always surprises me just how much junk accumulates up there, how old things hang around and then finally one year I’m ready to let this next layer go. But most of all, how awesome it feels once the space is cleared, and I’ve reclaimed another particle of me that can flow more freely.
I love cleaning out my house. I have always felt so much lighter afterwards. My work place in undergoing major changes and I have offered to clear out the stationary room which has been a huge mess for a very long time. Anything useful is being given away, the rest is discarded. I feel this clearance is not just for me but for my colleagues, who once the job is completed, will have a better idea of what is available or need ordering rather than continually placing orders for things already held but that no one can see for the clutter.
This is not only a joy and a spaciousness to feel in our bodies it is our true responsibility to support ourselves in this way as it allows us to take that deeper and expanded flow in our bodies to everyone we meet and interact with in our day. Imagine what we are delaying in our relationships with them when we are not allowing that space to be within ourselves
I remember visiting a house where nothing ever moved or changed. It wasn’t cluttered or dirty, it was always immaculately clean, but, for instance, the same dried flower arrangements stayed in the place and nothing moved for many years. It was as if time stood still in that house, and I could feel that in the people who lived there. As a child I was intrigued by it. I always got the feeling that even if a choice was made to try something new, that without ‘renewing the old’ in the house, the old patterns, habits and ways of moving around the house would have been very difficult to change.
I can so relate to your blog Michael, and love the act of clearing out and decluttering my home. It feels true to me too, what you say about feeling decluttered inside oneself when this is accomplished. Everything feels more open, lighter and full of potential.
Good to hear about your de cluttering Michael, the state of your home is a really good reflection of where you are at and giving it a good cleanout feels invigorating.
That is also what I am experiencing. I am in the middle of a renovation including a new kitchen. It made my whole house go upside down with furniture and stuff of my whole first floor chattered over the floor above. For two weeks I feel I am in the ‘birth canal/tube’. Whilst the reconstruction is going on, I am living in an apparently mess. But what it reflects is that I am invited to go through all my stuff, reconsider each item. I am cleaning up and throwing out many things. I know already that when the kitchen is finished there will be so much new space for either new items or just leave the space as it is. That is on a physical level. Energetically I can also feel the shift in my life. More space coming up. A new birth in a way.
” It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life.” This is a great statement Michael and confirmation that everything in our lives is of equal significance from the smallest mundane tasks to the grandest pursuits, we are offered the opportunity to connect more deeply to ourselves, others, our environment and the greater purpose of life.
“But today my life is very different, and I find satisfaction and completeness in the simple things in life, because the empty feeling has been replaced by a daily practice of self-loving acts and practical ways to re-connect with my body throughout the day.” Thankyou for your inspiring blog Michael. I have a garage awaiting a de-clutter and know when I tackle clutter build up in my home, I feel so much more spacious in myself.
I am realising the importance of shifting and moving things in my house as I shift and move through issues it is important to change things in my environment to support those changes – moving a piece of furniture or ornament.
Yes Amita, I am becoming aware at how fast things can shift and change if I allow them it makes sense to keep moving things in the home, to support this change.
I agree Nicole, when one is living by the fact that everything is energy it is only natural that our homes need to move with us. As we create space within we must create space without.
Quite often I put off doing those clearing jobs Michael as you shared. But how rewarding it is when the job is done and the change in energy is so lovely. It is definitely claiming the space for other activities to come into our lives that nurture us, we didn’t have space for !
Awesome Michael. It’s funny, we are experiencing our second real day of spring here in Melbourne and your blog has really inspired me to do some spring cleaning. If only I read this on the weekend!
I used to hate it when I used to work in an office where every Friday everyone was asking each other: so, what are you getting up this weekend? There was a sense of comparison, and I used to use complete disregard by getting heavily drunk as my identification. And I too thank Serge Benhayon for reminding us of another way to confirm ourselves – by choosing to love and nourish the very body that our being resides in.
I love how much we have a perception of what we ‘should be’ doing on certain days and this usually comes from outside in. Through the teachings of Universal Medicine I have learnt that I could be doing the most ‘boring’ of tasks but if I am doing it with all of me, my essence, that task becomes just as amazing as any other experience in life, as I am doing it with all of me.
Agree Natasha. Being seen to be doing what we think we should be doing is so ludicrous when we just allow ourselves a moment to consider it. Where did the rules come from? All we can do is laugh about it, and then choose for ourselves what feels right to do in any moment.
Those rules are never going to do us any good, as rules are just dictations of what has been thought to be right, or wrong, or good or bad. When we live from our inner heart we can feel what is true and this is the place that will support the people around us and the world as a whole.
Absolutely Natasha, no matter what the task, if we are fully present and aware of the bigger picture then there is joy & purpose in everything we do.
So true lucindag, the concept of keeping ourselves small is the opposite of what you’re talking about, to be fully present and aware of the all let’s us expand and celebrate
“I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life” I can relate to this Michael, I feel joy putting out the rubbish as it creates a lovely, clean, clear space for the family to live in.
A great blog Michael. ‘I was left with a space that felt much cleaner, organised, orderly, and in general, lighter. Later, I would refine this even more to match my level of commitment to the project, and, I feel, to life in general.’ This is so true. It makes an enormous difference. When I am starting to feel dulled in my life, after re-connecting to myself, one of the first things I do is look around to see how much clutter I have been leaving behind me.
The line, “…drive to fill my time with activities like sports was just a way to distract myself from feeling an emptiness brought on from not feeling like I was enough as I was….” Seems to be the way so many operate theses days, without knowing any other way to be or do life. I am thankful for Serge Benhayon explaining so clearly in his presentations how it is who we are that is key, not what we do.
I loved this blog – I deeply relate to the joy and spaciousness that comes with order and cleanliness and love the way you have correlated the process of bringing in the light to your home and your body – that makes so much sense to me knowing the feeling you get when everything is in divine order – it really does offer a deeper level of connection to yourself and the all.
I love the Joy coming towards me while reading through your blog Michael. I am learning to really allow myself to enjoy me in everything that I do. The other day I did some gardening and I could so feel how lovely it was to do so. I loved the end result as I felt there was much more space for the flowers to shine. I am yet learning to allow myself to enjoy these simple tasks feeling me. I am now recognizing that there’s moments that I am with me and that there are (a lot) of moments that I’m not with me. The Sacredness and Stillness when I am with me are so Huge that there’s still some disbelief there that this is Truly me and that I can be this, connect to this all ot the time. But while typing this I can feel myself dropping deeper and actually enjoying writing. Beautiful and actually, very natural!
Gorgeous Blog Michael. This part ‘So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose.’ Imagine if we did this with all our jobs? It certainly is a powerful activity. To bring clarity to a space. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I enjoyed reading this blog again Michael and being reminded of how great it feels to de-clutter. This line sums it up perfectly – ‘ The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.’
I love how your awareness expanded throughout the process of clearing your basement and then deepened further with this awareness “I would refine this even more to match my level of commitment to the project, and, I feel, to life in general.” It’s such a brilliant reflection of life in on a seemingly mundane task. As a very wise man had said many times ‘Everything is everything and nothing is nothing’ so if we take the time to clear, sort, discard, in one area of our lives, this cannot but spread out into the rest of our lives. By creating space and spaciousness in your basement, you created more space in the rest of your life. Simple and inspiring.
Today I spent in the storage room, diving in to piles of things we have kept hold of for years. I had made a promise to myself earlier of what I would throw away and made sure that I kept this. The feeling of space that came over me after the final trip to the local tip was definite and motivating. It was tremendous to realise that all that holding was actually holding me and my family back from moving on and growing into the people we naturally are, unbound by the experiences of the past, yet equally full of them for all the lessons we have learnt.
This is exactly what I have found Janne, There is so many area’s in my house that make my body contract and cringe, as I begin to clear, clean, and re-imprint these area’s my body feels far more free, less tense and tight. It is then so clear just how much we tolerate and compromise in our life as once one area is cleared another usually shows itself.
I love the way that you say that you accepted the light into your body Michael when you cleared out. I have found that it is through living with more purpose that I can truly enjoy my day no matter what the activity and when doing something such as de cluttering I have found a direct to the way that my body feels thereafter for example when I give my bedroom a deep clean I always feel far more clear headed and lighter than how I was feeling before
Never underestimate the power of the mundane nor the ordinary. There is great power in attending to the simple basics of life and your blog is a great testament to that.
Wise words Sarah and inspired by an awesome blog. There are areas I need to attend to- now I know why!
Yes I agree Sarah, celebrating the simple things in life is where it’s at!
Michael I know that clear feeling you are speaking of when I have cleaned my home, or de-cluttered an area. I can feel when parts of the house call for a change, sometimes minor and sometimes a major change but either way it makes a huge difference with the feel in our home and I get to enjoy the science of constellations.
Thank you Michael for sharing your beautiful experience, I too have gone through the de cluttering and have felt the beautiful feeling of spaciousness, not just in my home but also in my self, it is expansive.
“If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.” – I think this is spot on. The need to start with self (from the inner house, including the basement!!) seems paramount if there is to be any lasting change.
Michael, as I read your wonderful sharing I could feel the sunshine permeating every nook and cranny of your basement, what a glorious foundation for your home to be sitting on. I too love the feeling of spaciousness and lightness that comes with a de-cluttering, no matter how big or how small, and how that feeling is not only felt within the area being attended to, but within me as well.
How every object we move in our houses changes a pattern in our bodies! And for me it is also like a confirmation: When I have changed and have become more of me, the de-cluttering becomes a need and a confirmation of what I changed energetically in my body.
Hi Michael, Its simply beautiful how things change when we become more connected, ten years ago or so my favourite place and pass time was the pub, now I can quite honestly say I rather clean out anyones basement than sit getting trashed in a pub.
De-cluttering and re-arranging is something I now do regularly in my home and work – and I love it. It isn’t a decision I make from my head, but a pull that can’t be ignored from my body – that it needs to be done now. Sometimes I get rid of things that are still useful. In my head that doesn’t make sense, but the not belonging-ness I feel in the object and clarity and order I feel once it has gone can’t be denied.
Yes Fiona , also my experience, definitely a call from my body that can’t be ignored. And such a wonderful feeling of renewed vitality when I answer that call.
I love order and can feel that there is another huge clearing session due to take place in our house very shortly, as it gets to the point when you know things have to go and then can’t settle until it’s done.
Such is the way of true love, it’s the polar opposite to how Hollywood sells it, doesn’t have to look any which way, or even evoke spine tingling feelings – it’s just as Michael has shared some days. Such a well told and genuine blog; thank you.
‘We are not separate even the considered inanimate objects are carrying our imprints’. Wow, so that stuff at the back of the cupboard that I haven’t used for ages, is carrying the imprint of me ages ago. not the me I am now, so I need to reimprint it, and let it go.
Hi Michael, I’ve really enjoyed re-reading your blog. I don’t think I’ve fully connected to the reflection of the outer house and it’s clutter and the potential lack of spaciousness in the body. It makes sense that a light, spacious and decluttered environment affects our body and ability to express ourselves fully or not. Recently when feeling stuck I will clean my house and bring order, once that’s done everything starts to flow again and I feel lighter. Giving the house a jolly good clear out makes perfect sense to nurture more spaciousness in the body. As you say, it provides a great energetic foundation to support ourselves, from which even greater community service can flow from.
Disposing of items we don’t need – de-cluttering, for me feels like I also de-clutter some of the empty thoughts I hold onto in my head, that I agree Michael “fills my body with light and a different kind of purpose.”
I was half way through reading this great blog and thought to myself, ‘Michael was bringing the sunshine right into his basement’, and then I read it, ‘So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement,’. I totally agree. Bring the sunshine with you and let it clear out the old and unneeded. Fresh livingness abounds.
When I read this i can feel the joy in it and I can the purpose and playfulness “It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life”. What I also pick up on is the the responsibility that you have naturally felt to take on, with out it being a ‘chore’ a responsibility for your place at home but also your place in humanity. The benefits of cleaning up the dusty corners in all areas is apparent in your blog. Thank you.
Thank you deeply, Michael.
I spent much of today cleaning and clearing parts of my kitchen, yet when I had finished, even though the space felt lighter, I felt pressured, as there is more to do and I have other things to do so can’t do it now. In reading your blog I have realised that this is a pattern that I have used much in my life. Letting the knowing that there is more to do over-rule what I am actually able to do in a day. This also has been a huge trick in that it has not allowed me to feel the level of love and completion that I have actually brought to this day. In reading this blog I can feel my self surrendering to committing to doing what is needed in my house at a steady pace, a little each day, or even a little each week if this is the time that I have to dedicate to it, without this constant pressure of doing everything at once.
What a joy to read, I find too that I can enjoy the most simplest job just by feeling how important it is to do that. You can only live for so long in a house that has a messy basement!
Michael, I like the way you compare clearing and cleaning the house basement with your body to create the extra space needed to expand.
Michael this is so great to read. I was brought up with the belief that if you didn’t get out in the sunshine you’d ‘wasted the day.’ I witnessed people get really regretful over this.
I certainly bought into this for years and used to feel a great emptiness that when it was sunny and I was outside (aka this was a good as it gets) but still feel empty inside then this was terrible. Not even sunshine worked to make me feel better.
Only recently I realised that this wanting the outside world to make me feel ok included the weather. I knew it had included relationships, money, jobs etc.
But I have built up a relationship with myself that means after a long string of sunny days I have just looked outside the window at work and appreciated them but wasn’t in a hurry to get out there or feel I was missing out because I was working. This is lovely.
And it’s great to read and appreciate this further by making how I feel on the inside clear and bright no matter what the weather is on the outside.
I know when I de- clutter I feel so much lighter within myself everything feels so much more spacious and clear….awesome feeling.
It really does, de-cluttering to clear away complication – yes. And Michael, thank you you’ve reminded me again that if we change one little thing it does indeed change the flow – we allow a different feeling, and things are simpler and just flow. Gorgeous.
I love how you have shared that clearing out makes your body feel lighter – that’s exactly how it does feel for me to. Thanks Michael
After reading your blog Michael, it makes me feel like my home needs a good clear out.
This piece really brings home to me the fact that in no matter what we are doing, there is always us doing it, so really anything, any task can be fun and purpose-full.
Michael I particularly resonated with your comment that after de-cluttering … ‘I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life.’ To de-clutter really focuses the attention on every small detail and we get to feel what each object, no matter how small, holds. It is a very cleansing feeling to simply let it all go, and spacious in body mind and soul, making room for the next step.
Good observation, Michael: “It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body.” It certainly feels like that to me too. Starting is usually the hardest part, but once you commit, it gets easier and feels better and better!
This blog holds a lot if simple wisdom. I can relate to putting off those seemingly mundane, tedious but essential tasks because on the surface they seem uncomfortable to do. But I had not considered that if we commit to doing them knowing that it is a commitment to deepening our connection with ourselves and therefore also deepening our connection with others it puts a whole different angle and on doing these tasks.
It’s so true how such a simple mundane task can turn into something so much more expansive within our bodies and also help evolve us. Thank you Michael for sharing such an amazing awareness and love.
Decluttering is always calling when I have cleared something inside myself – it is like bringing a new quality that is inside to my surrounding and treating it with the same care and love that I treat myself. This is such a clear contrast to when I find myself stuffing things in drawers – which is always a sign for me wanting to hide away things inside myself which I do not want to deal with at a certain time.
Thank you Michael* That’s true commitment to who you are and what you need. And not what the outside world asks from you to be. That’s love. Very beautiful to walk that track in life isn’t it?
Michael, thank you for sharing the change of attitude and approach to life, which lead you to enjoy clearing out your basement. An awesome read, I really enjoyed it.
“It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life.” Absolutely Michael ‘everything is everything!’ Our car our garage every room in the house is a reflection of how we live which leaves us the very important question are we cluttering up our lives unnecessary?
Thank you Michael for sharing your process of bringing sunshine into your basement. De-cluttering is so freeing but I can still procrastinate about doing it but feel inspired by what you have written and I was particularly struck by this sentence: ‘If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.’ It is amazing how creating space for ourselves is so expansive and has an impact on everyone we come into contact with.
At the end of the day you shared a herbal tea with your wife, I love it.
Yes Mariette, that’s such a tender touch : ).
Your article serves as both an energetic reminder for me to connect with the quality of each moment and a practical reminder to clean my garage :-).
I can really relate to this, Michael. Recently I reorganized my kitchen by changing the places I put things. The changes were simple but each day I appreciate the changes when I come home as they are also a reflection of the changes that are occurring within me. I am sure in the future there will be more changes to come!!
I love how you have expressed this Anne. ‘The changes were simple but each day I appreciate the changes when I come home as they are also a reflection of the changes that are occurring within me’.
Tending to household tasks and especially decluttering a space as in this instance feel like a vey conscious and deliberate commitment to life by simply attending to what is needed.
Such a beautiful sharing Michael, I was particularly touched by the line ‘the lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside’. How stunning to feel how cleaning and clearing our houses actually clears space in our bodies as well for more love. A wonderful experience.
Beautiful Michael, I love the feeling of lightness as you have described after de-cluttering my house too. As I was reading I can feel how much more I have to go through to de-clutter and it allows me to be honest and not to go into overwhelm. This is a beautiful reminder of how amazing we can feel afterwards even though it may seem a mundane task. The result is absolutely worth it.
Cleaning can have an enormous effect on how things flow as you say Michael. I am fairly consistent with putting things away as I finish but at times stuff does accumulate and the difference is felt. When I don’t file things on my computer straight away and it get’s messy I find it hard to be on the computer and work, it’s like I am stuck but really it is just because I haven’t cleaned up.
I like the expansion you have made here Tony, our computers too can get cluttered like our household cupboards and how right you are – the clutter is like trying to move forwards with a dragging feeling- or as you say – stuck. I would also say sometimes it’s not clutter to be rid of and it’s order that is needed otherwise I live with an underlying chaos or mild sense of not having my bearings. Interesting how we tend to only notice the affect and the heaviness of clutter after it is cleaned, ordered or removed and we note the lightness in our bodies. It is like a slow drain on our energy and strain on our bodies. Great thought provoking post Michael – thank you.
I agree Deanne that in general we do tend to only notice the full effects of the clutter, dis organisation after the clean, but I have also noticed that I don’t let things get nowhere near as messy as they used to. It is a fine tuning of our feelings so we can get to a point where we know instantly if something is amiss. This makes me wonder people who are blind, as I have heard that if you have such a disability then your sense of feeling is intensified, leaving a mess could actually be a health hazard if blind.
What strikes me Michael is how it is always the simple things that are the most profound. You found a deeply practical way to bring more love into your house, simply by attending to something that needed to be attended to.
This sentence stood out for me – ‘If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.’ This is true and it makes me stop to appreciate the simple and small changes I am making in supporting me and my family in our home. I am also reminded of the importance of being present with myself while I help and support my children in the simple everyday tasks bringing awareness that these tasks can be fun and playful.
Yes Caroline, I totally agree. Awesome reminder for me to stop and appreciate the simple and small changes I have made. I have a huge task at hand to de-clutter, clean and clear my house but like you said we can make these tasks fun and playful. Thank you.
Recently I too have found how easy it can be to just start tidying up and throw out, rather than having it as some major task with the associated ‘chore’ energy clinging to it.
What a beautiful clearing and healing you have given to yourself Michael. Thank you for sharing.
De-cluttering is the deep clean, it can be a daily one too. It’s lovely when we are impulsed to clear anything that no longer supports us and a healing to feel the space and lightness we have created for ourselves.
I sure know the one: having to be outside in the sun while it is shining and overriding what I actually feel to do in my body. I love a clean and cleared (part of the) house and feel the clarity and light that brings in my body and head. When I do the ordering and cleaning being completely present it always brings me back to me.
“The lightness inside me had matched the brilliant light outside, and I felt a greater spaciousness inside my body.” this is great and highlights your commitment and purpose to life.
I too love this sentence by Michael.
Michael you reminded me of the fact that there is a natural flow to our lives if we just get the ‘I want’ and ‘this should be done’ out of the way. I used to go by to do lists of everything that I thought needed to be done and as you described, if there was a beautiful day there was a feeling of ‘having to do something with that’ so as not to waste it. Here you never know when the next beautiful day might be! Both were beliefs and ideals and never about feeling what was there to be done next in the day. These days I am more and more learning to simply feel what is next from my body and when I do the day just flows so beautifully and leaves me complete at the end of it.
So very beautifully expressed Carolien. I couldn’t agree more.
As I have been connecting more to the how supportive it is do such tasks it helps me connect to the purpose and then the task at hand feels completely different. My days are starting to feel different as well as well as each activity is filled with more purpose there is a new feeling of a commitment to life.
I feel what you have written here nicolesjardin takes away the ‘chore’ from the task and it becomes something that is enjoyable. I have never thought about daily or monthly tasks this way but I can feel how supportive it would be to simply change the way I approach them in the first place.
Hi Fiona, yes chore certainly has the undertone of something unpleasant or mundane. The connecting to the simplicity of the task and why we do it and when is the best time to do it makes such a difference.
Thank you Michael. I also have discovered the joy of cleaning. If I ever get really shook up I have found that to just choose to re-connect with myself and to start cleaning , gently and slowly, is a remarkable and previouslyunheard of way (for me) to bring myself back to myself. PS I’ve been in your basement … well done
“To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities.” This sentence stood out for me Michael, it is true that committing to making our homes harmonious and spacious is related to how we commit to our work, or relationships. It feels very supportive to live this way.
Mary, what a fabulous idea, I feel my pie chart would be incredibly dis proportionate and quite revealing to look at. Thank you, I will try this.
It makes perfect sense that a dis organised cluttered home reflects a dis organised cluttered life, and when we make the decision to bring order and spaciousness we also create a clear platform to go out and serve the community.
Wow, the connection between the mundane task of decluttering, and our commitment to life and service, as well as the effects on our own body and light – and spaciousness in the home, was truly supportive to read, thankyou Michael. It brings a whole new sense of purpose to self care.
What a fabulous sharing Michael, to go from distraction to deep appreciation is inspiring.
Very inspiring there’s nothing like a good clear out.
I agree Michael de-cluttering and clearing externally gives a beautiful sense of lightness and space inside our bodies, with a new flow of movement around your basement, the sun does indeed shine inside and out!
Thank you Michael. A sentence that resonates me is “I now feel there is nothing to prove to anyone.” I had spent all my life trying to prove myself to others as a way of justifying my existence. Letting go of all this clutter in my ideals and beliefs cupboard lets the sunlight into my life.
I really get that thing about wanting to be outside in the sun’s warmth. It’s like appreciating the time when it comes and not wanting to take it for granted because I know that when winter comes that warmth will not be there and I will miss it. But, like you, I have learnt that the warmth inside of me that comes from how I live is just as important, and if to nurture this inner warmth means to spend the day inside clearing out some old cupboards, then that is what I must do, because I am worth it.
Thanks Michael, what is highlighted for me here is your level of commitment to yourself and the way you live, and the quality you chose to do what was needed to be done, knowing that everything we do has an impact on the whole.
When it feels so good to do a big clean then it would make sense for it to be done on a regular basis, I tend to put things like this off and then wait for it to be a big job. Making it a regular routine is something that I am going to bring into my life as it feels to good not to do it regularly.
Hi Michael you have inspired me to de-clutter. Thank you.
I agree with you Michael, there is nothing like the feeling of de-cluttering your life and making space. I have noticed that when there is something that needs to be reorganised and I put it off, there is a heavy feeling which just doesn’t sit right. Last week I de-cluttered my stationery cupboard at work, which took two days and I still have two shelves to do but what I have done so far brings such a spacious feeling.
Through this simple act of de-cluttering I can feel Michael that it has an internal effect somewhat like clearing out what is not the real you allowing you to commit more fully to daily life. Very inspiring!
Hi Michael I enjoyed reading your blog and can relate to what you express here. It brings a great joy to de-clutter and then to feel the love we fill that area with for all to share.
Who knew that you can get so much more out of de-cluttering your basement then just having a clean basement!
I loved reading this Michael. De-cluttering is such a reflection on where we are at with ourselves as you have shared… I have never connected it with our commitment to serving our communities, you have given me something to ponder on.
Beautiful Michael, such a great example on how easily we can bring more light and spaciousness into our lives. De-cluttering is very liberating.
I really enjoyed this Michael as I could feel the clarity and spaciousness you were able to bring to your home, beautifully reflecting what we all can bring to the world. I especially loved the paragraph “To me, the power of committing to doing these simple and loving tasks that bring order and spaciousness to our homes is directly correlated to the level that we commit to serving others in our communities. If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.” How awesome an awareness is that?!
It’s undeniable that have too much stuff is a burden. Even when we try to ignore it, somewhere in the back of our mind is that “I still need to deal with that”. Like yourself I had often used busyness to avoid not only dealing with that stuff we keep but also the stuff I can feel in my body. When I chose to feel what was needed to sort out that stuff in my body it became so easy to then deal with the other parts of life as well.
I just de-cluttered my whole home as well- all my clothes, make up, cleaning products, jewellery, underwear, basement, every angle in my apartment….EVERYTHING – it feels like a new beginning and so light to me, letting go of stuff, that I don’t need and do not belong to me anymore. In my head there was this: “no compromise anymore” . It feels awesome!!! And I am looking forward to how it feels without all this in my “cellar”. 🙂
I love re-reading this Michael and am always reminded about how loving it is to be clutter free and how really enjoyable that process is.
Gives clarity to what to do next and giving back freedom in your own home
It is mind blowing what we can enjoy doing if we are totally present and accounted for and have purpose. In fact, that is the spaciousness we are all looking for as our head is not filling the space with mental or emotional clutter of the usual order; the light from within can then be felt, as you so beautifully expressed Michael.
Hear hear – love your comment Kathleen.
I love your blog – it feels so s-p-a-c-i-o-u-s in its expression. The love that you have brought to your basement by tenderly clearing it is beautiful. Thank you Micheal for sharing.
I loved your article on de-cluttering your basement Michael, and the symbolic meaning of how it almost felt like you were clearing a space inside your body.
It felt like a self loving deeply nurturing act you did for your self and how that then effects the people around you, now you are able to meet them with more presence and spaciousness inside your body, which will allow them to be more of who they truly are.
Michael I love how you share that on every level we can bring about so much change in our lives. The simple act of cleaning a basement has such a domino affect. If it makes us feel lighter and clearer, everyone we interact with then gets to feel that too.
“It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life.”
Michael I totally get it. Isn’t it amazing how we can feel inspired simply by being connected with ourselves and bringing love into all that we do.
Let’s get clearing ✨
Gorgeous Michael. You are the sunshine! I love the way you have drawn the crucial parallel between cleared out space in the basement, your body and the fact that this resonates throughout the entire community.
My garage is calling me!
If we commit to life we can feel that everything we do has a purpose, that we are created and innately love to work together and will always be there to help each other when needed. Everything we do, as you say Michael, has a purpose. So also decluttering our basement has a purpose and because we can clearly feel how our body responds, we are filled with the satisfaction of us doing this for ourselves and society as a whole.
Just beautiful Michael. It is true for me also when I clear out a space that no longer feels to be serving or that I have avoided, that it creates a feeling of spaciousness within as well. And I love how you have highlighted that when we honour what is needed and commit to these small tasks in our home it flows on to how we are in our lives, with everyone. Thank you.
Gorgeous Michael. So many people ignore the imposition of the clutter. To live in a home and body with spaciousness allows for so much more of you to shine.
Every part of the house that I de-clutter expands my awareness, as when I ignore parts of the house that need my attention, my awareness shuts down on them. This has a flow on effect of leaving me feeling clunky, incomplete and unconsciously confirms the voices that try to tell me ‘I am not good enough’. Whereas taking the time to clear out certainly does bring that spaciousness you talk of, inside and out, and confirms and supports my daily purpose. Thanks for the inspiration Michael, I’m working through sections of the house and garage each spare Sunday and loving it ☺
I certainly know the experience you describe Michael of creating spaciousness by de-cluttering, not just physical de-cluttering but de-cluttering old beliefs and ideals that kept me down.
It feels so good when you have a big clean out and get rid of things that you have been holding onto for the ‘just in case’ moment that never really comes! It definitely feels like you have more space in more ways than one.
Making the time to sort out and clean and de clutter is definitely very worthwhile, as it brings clarity and order. You have just reminded me I have some cleaning to do!
I can completely relate to this blog and the feeling you get in your whole body when you declutter your house. It is amazing how much the ‘stuff’ we have inside a house can be affecting us. I regularly pick areas of my house to do this with and keep refining and each time the flow on effect this has on the whole room and to whole house is amazing to sit back and appreciate. Like you say, it is so rewarding you wouldn’t mind missing out on the sunshine and the outdoors…
Today when I was cleaning the house I realised how much of our own ‘mess’ we truly feel, For example If I’ve been working around the house in a rush, then this is what I feel in that part of the house. Or if I have a phone conversation when I’m angry, then the chair I’m sitting in that the time gets effected. So it makes sense that de-cluttering is hard work, because we have to feel everything we’ve stored in these parts of our homes.
Thank you Danielle this gives me more understanding about why I have found de-cluttering such hard work in the past and have procrastinated about doing it.
Absolutely Helen, because we have to feel what we have been living. However, knowing this, cleaning can be an absolute joy, because it’s an opportunity to change and re-imprint our home or space with love, instead of what may be there.
The reason we love sunshine is because the moment it hits our skin it fills us with warmth and lightness where previously there may have been coldness and contraction. What you have shared here Michael is our ability to work within the rhythms of nature, to harness what is on offer and sprinkle it throughout our everyday lives, creating more space, light and warmth. I love the point that you make about how, just maybe, if we start with ourselves and honour the magic of this process it may then have a ripple effect on all those we then meet with. What a glorious way to take the sunshine with us no matter where we go or what the weather at play!
“It almost felt like cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body, so I was able to see how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life”. So very, very true Michael, when I give my house a thorough good old clean, I love how the space in the house feels, and I love how I feel after the clean. To add the finishing touches after such a clean I will light the candles, burn some incense, and enjoy the radiance around me while cooking my dinner. Yep, cleaning our house is like cleaning our bodies…
A great sharing of how simplicity and order can have such a profound effect not just on ourselves but on those around us and our wider community, through our willingness to engage with another from this place.
Yes Michael I agree with your feeling of light both inside your home and within yourself. I can feel how loving your day had been.
I like this blog very much, as I experience exactly the same when decluttering, I started to like it. It feels like when I am cleaning and clearing things out I am also decluttering myself. And afterwards it becomes a beautiful place to reside in.
I’m with you Michael, it is such a freeing, transformational experience to de-clutter an area, basement, room, house etc. I love what you have written here and the glorious way you have expressed what happened for you; thank you.
“So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose”
Thank you Michael. It is again and again spectacular to feel the changes Serge Benhayon inspires us to make. It is unfathomable for me how one single man can bring so much space and light and love into people’s lives. But it’s a fact!
Michael this a great article. I decided to de-clutter my work room after collecting resources for over 20 years. The process was very revealing, at times overwhelming, but when it was completed, like you, I felt such joy and lightness in the space.
I have moved so many times in the past and I had to throw away many things, so now I don’t have that much stuff, but reading your blog, it made me realise that it’s nothing to do with how much stuff I have accumulated, but it is a vital process to keep my belongings up to date, in your words, to match the level of my commitment to life. I don’t like having things forgotten and buried somewhere, and taking up spaces nevertheless. Thank you for the inspiration, Michael.
Gosh, you’re inspiring me to clean out my basement, and I never want to clean my basement!
Thank you Michael. I am really blown away by what you share here. Absolute gold. I have occasionally felt the joy of clearing out a space but always feel that I need to be in the ‘right mood’ to tackle a job like this…. and that cleaning mood just doesn’t seem to come around too often. Meanwhile the mess just gets worse and I feel heavier and things feel more complicated than they need to be.
When I read what you shared I could feel how loving and joyful it was to clean out that basement. I could feel the way you were taking care of yourself and others through this simple task and it inspired me to schedule some time to reorganise my space.
“I was left with a space that felt much cleaner, organised, orderly, and in general, lighter. Later, I would refine this even more to match my level of commitment to the project, and, I feel, to life in general.” A beautiful blog, thank you. This morning I have been sorting and clearing out – it makes such a difference.
Thank you Michael I greatly enjoyed reading this. I have been experiencing the same with decluttering and bringing order to my home. I allow and bring spaciousness and lightness into my house and my body. I love how you relate serving in the community with the attention to detail that we bring to our homes.
Having quality rock solid foundations support us in every way and are therefore imperative for a life of continued growth and expansion. It’s interesting that the basement sits on and within the very ‘foundations’ of a house and therefore the experience you share here Michael makes sense on many levels. By purposefully clearing old stuff from your basement (or foundation) you have brought more order, spaciousness and love to your entire house. A beautiful and inspiring reminder to regularly clear out and declutter those hidden and easily forgotten spaces in our home.
And true, there is no end to the decluttering, it needs refinement. I go through my wardrobe every 2 months or so to fold everything neatly, have an overview, and take out what I don’t wear anymore, so that when I open the closet I can breathe and enjoy what I see. Like a reflection of what I feel inside.
Now the storage is waiting for me already to long, and by reading your blog I know I need to plan to clean it!
Thank you Michael, what you express here is a great example of true responsibility and how important all tasks that we do are, it felt like you provided a great service to humanity by cleaning out your basement that day, and as a result were uplifted by the experience yourself!
Thank you for the inspiration to create spaciousness in my home (and body)- and that it is cleaning “under the rug”, so to speak. I also enjoy doing this, knowing how supportive it will be on many levels.
Thanks for your sharing Michael, you have inspired me to look at my spaces and revisit them. De- cluttering offers so much joy and spaciousness. Thanks Michael, I am onto it.
Finding satisfaction in the simple things of life. Love that phrase and I can relate to that. No more entertaining me, but feeling the joy in the daily activities which go with life.
Michael, awesome. I can understand this when cleaning out my room or going through my clothes cupboard. There is a lightness when I go through the things that I no longer need and are just collecting dust.
Great blog Michael. I can really relate. I recently went through boxes of stuff that I have carted around for years. It was so freeing to actually get rid of so much of it. I realised how strongly I can hold onto the past, memories etc, it felt so expansive to cut those ties and start a fresh in the here and now.
Clearing out stuff is a great thing to do, and to detach and get rid of stuff we have not used for months, sometimes years and is in our way, whether it be in ourselves or in our house. It is both very much related and amazing to feel what it brings us, clarity.
Yes Michael, it is amazing how much better you feel after clearing the clutter and cleaning.
On sunny days, all that we can ever want is to avoid doing the things that we need to do and serve, and instead escape and distract.
Thank you Michael 🙂
I am about to embark on confronting a mound of untouched storage boxes myself today, so to read about ‘how such a seemingly mundane task could hold a greater purpose in my life’ and that it has the potential to be ‘also clearing out space inside my body’ is a great idea to be taking with me to the task. Thanks!
Lovely blog Michael, it’s amazing how cleaning the spaces around us can have such an effect on us. I am in the process of clearing out the house where I am living, and each little cupboard, shelf, area that is cleared, sorted and re-arranged feels totally different afterwards and far more lighter and clearer than before. It feels like the space supports me more, and as you have brought up, that then allows me to support others as well.
What an awesome article to read. Thank you Michael for writing it.
I love this Michael. I have always loved a good clear out and I could relate to how you said “So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose” I have also definitely felt this before.
I feel what you have described here, Michael, is very powerful and yet so often overlooked. The truth is the space we live in can be supportive to us or not. I find that I am consistently going through my home and re-organising or de-cluttering to a greater degree as I allow myself to live more of who I naturally am. Then my home environment is able to support me rather than drain me.
This was so beautiful to read and so very timely. I have been struggling lately with being loving with the simple things, bringing each and every moment back to my body and making self loving choices. So thank you for reminding me, to come back to simplicity and bringing joy to creating spaciousness in the home, which in turn reflects how I then am with others.
Michael, I can relate to your blog very much.. A very spacious read indeed..
I’ve been thinking about another de-cluttering session for a few days. Our place is not big and we don’t have any storage. So sometime ago I was tempted to build some shelf in the toilet. Then I put boxes on those shelves, then I forgot what was there…It is the same with our emotional baggage – if we keep it, not dealing with it straight away, we forget it, but it is still there. Instead of being thrown away long ago. Thank you for confirmational inspiration, Michael. Off I go to clean it out 🙂
Beautiful symbolism. I love having clean outs now and then and feeling the order, the lightness and the simplicity that comes within myself as well as the physical space that has just been cleaned and cleared.
Very symbolic – clearing out your basement and letting go of things that you no longer need is a great analogy for what we often need to do for ourselves in our daily life; from our habits, ideals that we hold, foods that we eat etc. Its very freeing to clear things out and let go of what no longer serves us. No wonder you felt so much lighter.
There is most definitely a clearing that is involved when we de-clutter what we have gathered. In more ways than one, you have a sense of space on the practical, visual level but I find that within myself I feel like something has shifted and I too feel spacious inside.
I can relate to all that you’ve expressed Michael. It really does allow a true spaciousness inside and out, and in all aspects of our lives. Whoever thought a simple loving household activity would make such a true difference!
I also love the feeling of clearing/ cleaning out a space. It’s so refreshing, thank you for sharing.
Organising and de-cluttering is just the BEST.
Thank you for confirming the steps I need to take in my own household.
Great blog Michael, a brilliant motivator for just de-cluttering and bringing order can ripple effect the rest of our home and lives there beyond.
Beautifully said Michael ‘So on that day I was able to bring that outside glorious golden sunshine inside my basement, and more importantly, inside of me, filling my body with light and a different kind of daily purpose.’
I love your sharing- thank you.
Awesome, I absolutely love de-cluttering, cleaning and re-organising of any kind. It always feels so much nicer, because knowing that there’s a part of my house that is a mess does not feel nice, and if I am avoiding it, it is usually because I am avoiding feeling something within myself. On that note I think my room needs some re-organising this weekend…
Thank you for sharing this, a perfect reminder of what I know to be true. A tidy space feels light and playful, a cluttered mess feels heavy and holds me down. I love to tidy and I don’t honor that enough. Thanks to this reminder I am going to allow time to tidy this weekend.
Michael, our homes are such a reflection of us, how we live, how loving and nurturing we are to ourselves, how organised and orderly we are.They are very revealing and sometimes even shifting furniture around or throwing out an old photograph can have the most remarkable impact.
Perfect for me to hear today Jeannette, thank you for the loving reminder.
There was a time where to ‘clean and de-clutter’ was considered ‘Therapeutic’. Today, this has taken on a much deeper meaning for me – it is about loving me, clearing space for more nurturing and love to be. The depth of this deeper understanding has come from experiencing the work of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon. True loving purpose can come in many ways – even in cleaning the basement
This is so simple, and made me realise that I focus my de-cluttering attention to mainly the same parts of my house. In fact there are still a couple of ‘hidden’ places that I could easily get to but haven’t, and after reading this I realised that I really need to. I can only imagine what such a process will unfold for me, especially if I clear anything that I may have had hidden for a long time!
Me too Danielle, I actually have a spare room full of stuff. I clear and clean the rest of my house and leave this as a ‘dumping yard’. I can really feel the stagnant energy from this room and the disregard at play. Time to move and shake this space back in to order.
I love this blog I don’t have a basement but enjoy cleaning out spaces around my home and work when they feel cluttered, unorganised and messy. I am amazed every time how different it makes the whole space feel. I certainly don’t fall for ‘if you can’t see it, don’t worry about it’. Every single space deserves the same level of care, love and attention to detail.
Thank you for sharing this Michael. Some gentle reminders of my recent move. There was so much “clutter” from many generations of my family living in the same house who did not throw anything away. I was a little lost as to where to begin. As my new home was only 200 yards away I felt not to off load the family history back into it. Little by little as the spaces were created in one house our new home was filling with the items my husband and I chose together. We both said what a difference in how our new home felt, open, airy and spacious. I felt that the old farmhouse had never had such an airing and what a lovely welcome to the new incoming family. As you mentioned Zofia such great medicine. The expansion and lightness I felt was amazing.
I also relate to your blog Michael. A couple of years ago I moved house, which was a year after starting the Way of the Livingness. The difference in the way I care for my home and what is in my cupboards in this house is so much clearer and lighter then the old. I can feel when I’ve had an increase in my light, how I then I feel it’s time to start clearing my house and cupboards to match my level of light. I know when a draw or cupboard needs cleaning by the feel of it as I walk past. I can feel also how my commitment to life now shows in my house and my body.
Michael I couldn’t agree with you more about creating space at home/living area, even workplaces, creates the very definite feeling of space within self. Such great medicine these ‘spring cleans’, as they support the way forth – that of more space, to allow for more of the love to be.
Michael thank you for your blog, it is beautifully expressed and you have inspired me to clear out clutter I have accumulated over the years and allow more spaciousness into my life and how everyone benefits from these simple self-loving steps we take.
I really enjoyed reading this Michael thank you. I know what you mean when you say your basement felt lighter as you did. I find this too when I have a clear out, it really does feel there is more of a flow. ‘The lightness inside me matched the brilliant light outside’ … lovely.
Theres a beautiful stillness Michael to what you share here. Reading, I was so easily able to picture you sorting and cleaning out your belongings. Whilst I read your words I felt how much our living spaces affect our bodies and how they reflect how we are inside. It was gorgeous to read you describe how the process was like letting the sunlight in. It was like the sun just shone directly from the blog! I agree, when we remove all the unneeded things, there is so much more space for loving fun to take place.
Dear Joseph, your comments so capture what I was also feeling. I too felt such a stillness and also a solidness in Michael’s writing. He shared so simply his experience of cleaning his basement but shared something quite profound. That we can so often fill our days with activities to fill ourselves up but when we are naturally filled with who we are, we can choose ‘activities’ that truly serve – both ourselves, our homes and the world around us.
Wow Michael thank you for a snapshot of your day, it sounds remarkable to say the least. It has inspired me to clean the clutter in my own life with a deeper purpose. Its a pity I do not have a basement to clean and beautify, instead my garage will have to do. Just like you Michael, sport no longer fill my emptiness and I feel enough being me. It is remarkable to read and also feel for myself the changes that have delivered us to a loving existence thanks to Universal Medicine presentations by Serge Benhayon.
It’s great to come across this blog as i cleared out a huge box from under my computer table just the other day and it does feel so much better there now, however I noticed other boxes that need similar attention and i really didn’t want to spend the time going through them. This blog and also Adam Warburton’s comment just here really makes me feel that it IS worth taking the time, that amazing feeling is just round the corner and i feel it won’t be long. Thanks for the inspirational support.
Thank you Michael so gorgeous to read this. I LOVE throwing stuff out and creating more space, it is such a yummy thing to do.
So very true that it feels great to clean out the clutter. It’s a metaphor for the clutter we carry around in our thoughts and beliefs just incase we need it one day. Then we’re dragging it around while wondering why our footsteps feels so heavy! De-cluttering is the way to go.
I can really relate to the notion of being busy and active as a way of avoiding stopping and really feeling what is happening inside of me. I also have recently enjoyed de-cluttering various areas of my house and feel, like Michael, that it created more spaciousness in my home etc. I am now also left to consider a deeper symbolism of my actions, not just for myself, but also the flow on impact on others around me as I have left more ‘space’ within me for love, stillness, harmony and joy.
This made me smile as I too had a similar approach with sunny days. Having grown up in Europe with very grey days as the norm I couldn’t ever spend a sunny day in a dark room. Where I could help it I would be outside going for walks and soaking it up or worst comes to worst at least be near a window to see the beauty of nature bathed in sunshine.
I love your blog Michael very much and have been clearing out cupboards and wardrobes in our house bit by bit since the new year and the joy and freedom of re imprinting spaces around and in my home is beautiful and feels so lovely to open them or even in walking around just feeling this. A great feeling of freedom and spaciousness for the new year ahead and all it will bring.
This is a confirmation for me too Alexandre and Michael, that in cleaning out and de-cluttering I have also been easily able to note the quality in the space I am left with and the differing energy between the before and after. It really is a new beginning and those opportunities can be in every day, not only in a large clear out of belongings but also within the small changes (or moves) within our house, car or even workplace. My locker is a great example of this! I love giving it a little de-clutter and clean through.
Michael, your blog reminded me of the time when I retired and decided to move from the home where I had lived for 23 years. Feeling that I wanted a completely fresh start for the next cycle of my life, I cleared out and discarded about 85% of all my possessions. This was so empowering and when I had finished, I felt I could breath more deeply, and as you shared Michael, it felt like I had cleared out space within my body. There is indeed, a beautiful world of freedom, fresh breath and sunshine hiding behind our clutter!
So true Elizabeth, I too can feel so much better when I de-clutter. It brings a freshness and lightness both within me and within my home. In these last few years I have felt and implemented a lot of spring cleaning in the first week of January, getting everything clean and ship shape in readiness for the year ahead and this feels a very joyful way to celebrate the coming year.
“If we can make a decision to change one simple thing about our homes, and feel how it helps things flow better in our household and lives, then maybe we can start to see how helping other people around us is both a needed and an enjoyable activity.”
This is such a simple technique that ends up helping many more than just ourselves. Once we have begun to clear our own personal space and deal with our own messes we are much more able to support others in their lives too.
Thank you for sharing Michael – I agree it feels great after a good clear out and tidy up – both in the house and in my body. It feels to me that by leaving one area of the house neglected effectively we are leaving one area of our lives neglected which then affects every other area.
The other day my colleagues and I took all day and cleared out all unwanted paperwork from our office, cleaned draws and cupboards, which seemed to leave us with a feeling of space and relieved to finally be tackling the backlog. There’s nothing like a de-cluttering session and I feel so much better for it.
love it Michael, there is nothing quite like the feeling of a good sorting and clearing out of your house, and that golden warmth of knowing ‘you rock’ on the inside : )
The sense of lightness we feel when we clear out our home is so much longer lasting than the elation from any physical activity. I love that feeling of speciousness that comes from a deep decluttering session. Oooh you have inspired me to get cracking.
I have also had that feeling of spaciousness in my body from decluttering and cleaning a room. It is amazing the connection between the two parts, the house and the body.
Love it Michael! One of my absolute favourite pastimes is to wander through my home on a lazy weekend and pick up as much stuff that is not needed as possible, and chuck it! I just get so much satisfaction from identifying what is supportive and what is not and just getting rid of anything that does not support. And yes it just gives space to just be and feel…
This is great, I have already started de-cluttering again but I realise that I need to schedule a day to do this, so I now have one marked in my diary. I am sure it will be a joy, in fact I feel lighter already! Thanks Michael.
Inspiring Michael and so simple. I also love doing a tidy out yet often delay it. I now feel inspired to clean out a cupboard I know needs sorting!
I agree David, I’ve also been putting off clearing out stuff I no longer need. I’m inspired to de-clutter. Great blog Michael.
Michael, this is a great demonstration of how, after ‘putting your own house in order’, you felt ready and able to go and help those others around you.
It does show me how the most ‘mundane’ of tasks can actually be so very supportive. I keep asking myself why I avoid doing something that will really help me and my home. A delay in self-love, I’m sure. But actually when it is done – I can start to appreciate instead of avoid. They say why do tomorrow what you can do today. That rings true for me when very small simple things will support me in the future.
Top blog Michael and one of my favourite subjects. It’s a great feeling to go back into that space that has just been de-cluttered and feel the energy is so clear. And you are so right, it does feel like I’m making space inside my body.
Hi Michael, it seems to me the health benefits of de-cluttering are often overlooked, as like you say, there is a feeling of space within the body which is created when letting go of things, material and emotional alike.
Thank you Michael, I love the lightness and joy created by decluttering, and how you have written about it so simply is an inspiration to feel.
Clearing out and sorting and tidying is an ever evolving continual part of my life too, a work in progress and something i find so supportive and necessary in my life.
I love a good de-cluttering session, the simplicity and sense of order it brings feels really supportive.
Michael, I love your blog, and how such a simple task when done with commitment and love can shed so much light on everything else in our lives. I’ve spent a lot of time clearing out stuff this year and have been surprised at what I’ve been keeping, and that I don’t need, it’s like old ways we sometimes hang onto without looking at if they’re needed. So you’ve reminded me to look at those things I’m still keeping in case, and consider letting them go so I can allow more spaciousness in my life.
I love the feeling of clearing out and de-cluttering. I literally feel the space grow in my body and it feels like I can take a deeper breath.
Michael this is a lovely blog thank you – I love the feeling and the process of refinement that comes from clearing stuff out and throwing away things I collected that I no longer need (possibly never needed!). It feels very refreshing and cleansing and I feel a whole load lighter after. Definitely a great way to spend a day!
Dear Michael, I like the way your blog works metaphorically. I can imagine all the
apparatus of distraction, bikes, skis, weights etc, lying abandoned and gathering dust
while yet another form of distraction is being pursued outside on a bright sunny day!
“cleaning out my basement was also clearing out space inside my body”. I don’t have a basement – I’ve got an attic! But exactly the same sentiment. I also find it amazing how old clutter can hold me back in seeing new ways. The more I clear out the old and unnecessary, the more my life is filled with purpose and clarity. It’s not called ‘junk’ for nothing!
Lovely piece Michael! rather like you, I recently embarked on a project to tidy up and eliminate another ‘no go’ area in our house, also in the basement. I like your parallel of
how the body felt after the clearing-up process. I felt lighter as if a weight had been lifted
from me, after clearing and painting our basement utility room.
I love the feeling of spaciousness in your blog. I have today been clearing the garden and land around a property in preparation for selling it. This and your writing has inspired me to do a bit of clearing for myself and I have arranged for someone to come and help me tomorrow to have a bonfire here at my house to not only clear the garden but also some papers and other bits and pieces that have been in a shed for too long now waiting to be sorted. Thank you Michael for your inspiring writing.
Beautiful article Michael and thank you. Clearing and de-cluttering is for me very therapeutic and it feels like it is always opening for me a new level of evolution. Some things just have to go because it is time and they become an obstacle ! Jonathan my husband is also brilliant at it.
I am inspired, I have had that experience in our home and the garage is something that I (we) keep tackling; it does feel very supportive to take time, to make space and remove outdated clutter. There is a feeling of lightness and expansion. Thank you for sharing!
This is a great blog to return to and seems I do so at times when I am about to clear an area in the house. It is inspirational and a reminder that bringing light to an area in the house or life makes a difference! Thank you, Michael.
Michael, I love this! I totally understand what you mean about bringing the light and spaciousness into your house, instead of needing to be out in the sunny day…This has happened to me too, thanks to Serge Benhayon and all those who are also walking the talk of love.
As I read your article, Michael, I can feel the heaviness in certain areas of my house that I have been telling myself I need to de-clutter but have not yet got round to completing. Your imagery with the sunshine I can feel imbues me with greater purpose. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing that even seemingly dark and dreary tasks can easily be made bright by us shining our light in.
Thanks for your blog here Michael, it is lovely to hear you reflect on where you have come. In so many instances in the past, I have taken for granted what a good clear out and de-clutter has done for me. It’s great to be reminded of the impact it has on everything. Now…off to go find a corner of my home (and life) I can have a tidy with.
Thank you Michael for shining the light on how important we are and our approach is to any activity in life.
Thanks Michael, I still have a long way to go to de-clutter my wardrobe, garden shed, office, work shed, me, but this article has given me a gentle kick up the you know where to just get on with it. Thanks for the inspiration.
Loved it Michael – thank you. Especially you drawing our attention to the spaciousness we can feel when we allow it, which of course is the opposite to the crammed in busyness that can so often take over.
Great sharing – thankyou Michael. I spent yesterday sorting through my garage which has been storing boxes since my move. Reminding myself to do so gently and to stay with me, it was so much less of a chore than I had been anticipating. It – and me – feel so much lighter and spacious. My intention is to complete the clearing this weekend. So more trips to the tip and charity shop. The strange thing is – and I’ve noticed this with other things – the anticipation of the event was far worse than the actual doing of the task. Staying present -with love- in everything I do makes so much sense.
Michael, this sounds amazing and I can totally relate to clearing clutter, allowing more spaciousness – not just in the home but in our whole lives. It can be a great practical thing that we naturally do when we have let go of an aspect of our life that is no longer working, be it a redundant behaviour or a pattern.
Yes Shevon, having just re-read Michael’s article it reminds me how important the simple things are. Clearing out clutter is very practical but also symbolic on many levels.
A very profound and touching article Michael. My husband and I are in the process of bringing more order to our home and it feels beautiful to clear out old stuff and allow a more harmonious flow. I love what Anna said above also – “if there’s one area of our lives we neglect or leave in disregard, it affects everything else.” So true.
This is so true.
Thank you Michael, this is beauty-full and so inspiring. I liked the connection you made between commitment to yourself and commitment to work in life and community.
So true, that we can bring purpose and joy to everything as long as we bring ourselves first and foremost.
This is awesome – when you are totally present in what you’re doing and have true purpose as you say, there’s nothing to feel like you’re missing out on. There’s such a difference in doing what you want to do to indulge, and doing what really supports you. Clearing out & getting rid of things that no longer serves us feels amazing – as Serge Benhayon has always helped us to see, if there’s one area of our lives we neglect or leave in disregard, it affects everything else. Thanks Michael. 🙂
Agreed, great point Anna.
I can sense your good heart, Michael Goodhart. Beautiful, light-filled story.
Michael, I love how you use the word spaciousness. That in clearing out a room, in your case the basement, brought about a spaciousness in the home and in your body. I feel I will be doing some of this on the weekend, so thank you.
Michael, I feel very touched by what you have shared here, this is a beautiful reminder of the ‘glorious golden sunshine’ we can bring to any dark space. Thank you for sharing this.
Awesome Michael. The power of clearing our space is truly beautiful and as you say brings a more harmonious flow. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me to clear more in my own home. I have a spare room just calling for my attention.
Michael, I can relate totally and am re-inspired by your words.
Michael, this was such a timely blog for me. You have inspired me to sort out our own clutter – and especially the garage. It seemed like too daunting a task (a ‘nightmare’ as you described), but you have inspired me with your description of how cleaning out your basement filled you with light, spaciousness and purpose. I know this de-cluttering would serve not just me and my husband and flatmate, but also all the people who come into our home. Thank you Michael.
I was deeply touched Michael about what you wrote – the simplicity of it. I loved what you said about being in the dark basement on a beautiful sunny day filling your body “with light and a different kind of daily purpose”. There is nothing like this light to make the day glorious, no matter what the task is, or what needs to be dealt with. Thank you!
A beautiful sharing Michael, one that is actually profound in its depth. To experience the simple joy of being with oneself in whatever we may do in our day is something I’ve found also, by virtue of the teachings and esoteric healing modalities offered by Universal Medicine.
And how wonderful to feel how your body and being responded to the clearing out of your basement… Our homes reflect so much about us, and bringing such care to our home is something that is so lovely to feel ‘feeding us back’. All part of a true commitment to a loving way of being. Isn’t this all we are looking for? No ‘big bang’ awakening, but simply the true presence of our hearts and love in all things.
I would call this enlightenment. Thank you.
Oh, and P.S. The sun was surely shining in your basement on that beautiful day in Vermont…
Perfectly put Victoria, I can still feel it beaming out….!
Well said Victoria, it surely was.