In feng shui terms, clutter is both a symptom and a cause of stuck energy. Opening dictionary we see that “clutter” derives from Old English word “clott”, which means: “to cause to become blocked or obscured.” Like a blood clot blocking circulation in our veins, clutter prevents energy from circulating through our homes and our lives.

As a feng shui consultant, I have worked with many clients who complain of feeling creatively or professionally blocked, or who bemoan lack of a sense of purpose or direction in life. What I usually find in their homes are lots of things that don’t reflect their personality or future aspirations. These people are surrounded by objects that have been allowed to wander in unchecked at door or that linger on shelf long after relevant stage of life is past.

On an energetic level, all this stuff is preventing a clear vision of self. Anything that is neglected, unwanted, or unappealing to you will drag your energy down every time you look at it. Even a beautiful object of great value does nothing for you or your home if you don’t like it. This is why we include “anything that you do not love” in a holistic definition of clutter.

Everything that surrounds you should be working for you in some way. If things in your space are not supporting you and contributing to positive quality of your life, it is time to do something about it!

The defeat, fatigue, and depression that you feel when you think about your clutter will start to evaporate as soon as you put yourself in action. The hard part is getting started, but once you do magic will begin.

Clutter-clearing creates space for us to discover our true path in life and to define who we want to become. With this new vision we can consciously choose to surround ourselves with objects and imagery that reflect and support our authentic concept of self.

© 2003 Stephanie Roberts

[exerpted from “Clutter-Free Forever!”, Lotus Pond Press, 2003]

Stephanie Roberts is the author of “Fast Feng Shui: 9 Simple Principles for Transforming Your Life by Energizing Your Home”, a #1 most popular feng shui book at Amazon.com. Her new “Clutter-Free Forever!” e-book and Home Coaching Program are now available at

This is not something that is easily done, at least not by average person. But there are techniques that average person can use to achieve this level of mental ability. Using specific techniques, anyone can increase their mental abilities, in much same way that anyone can use specific physical techniques to improve their physical performance. Physical exercise will condition body to perform better. There exists mental exercises which will condition mind to perform better.

Here is a description of one of these exercises, designed to increase perceptiveness. Pick an object to look at and examine it in extreme detail. Notice everything about object, color, texture, shape, individual shapes which together make up object. If object is small enough, pick it up and notice weight, distribution of weight, and object's solidity. Imagine being very tiny and walking on surface of object. What is that like? Imagine being able to pass into mass of object and notice what sensations you get from that. While you may not be able to rely on this imagining to produce any real information, effort to gather information not readily available stretches mind to look for more subtle information and become aware of it. Follow this line of exploration using all of your senses, sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and imagination.

Here's an exercise designed to increase creativity. Pick any two objects. Pick them at random, even if you have to close your eyes and point two fingers to choose them. Now imagine first object becoming more like second. See it change shape, yet retain it's original function. See it retaining it's own shape, but performing function of second object. See two objects merging together and becoming one object. What does this new object do? What does it look like? Now, what else can you change about these objects? Can you make them sing and dance? What other functions could you make them perform?

Here's another exercise, which results in some very interesting benefits. Find a comfortable spot to sit for at least 15-30 minutes. Try to empty your mind of all thoughts and simply experience everything around you. Pay attention to everything. Try to look at everything all at once. Try to hear every nuance of sound. Try to identify every odor in air. Focus on every sensation of texture and pressure (the pressure of air flow, of temperature, of sound). Focus on every detail and try to keep them all in your awareness simultaneously. This will be very difficult, yet will expand your mind like nothing else. You will have to get completely out of your own way. If you think about anything, you will miss most of experience. If you find yourself analyzing something, or daydreaming, or thinking about something else, don't chastise yourself, simply pick up exercise again and start over.

There are many other exercises, and these exercises may be taken in different directions to improve benefits in specific circumstances. If you want to improve your effectiveness in attaining your goals, work on these exercises. Try to create your own exercises to push limits of your mental capacity. You will see gradual changes in results you get in all areas of your life.

If you are interested in taking your mental development to it's highest level, there is a course available that will lead you, step by step, through many different exercises, each designed for a specific purpose, and all working together for a greater effect. This course has been created from a system called Keys To Power. The course itself is called Keys To Power Mastery System and is available at http://www.KeysToPower.com.