Monday, May 23, 2011

Decluttering (Kind Of)

I have discovered (very recently) that living a simpler, more serene and spirit-filled life requires a significant amount of decluttering. More than anything, this means thinning out the clutter in my brain. There are a lot of things going on up there that I simply don't need any more. I am also decluttering my calendar, day by inperfect day. Things are getting tidier in both my brain, and my schedule. But I have a hell of a long way to go.

I am also decluttering my space, room by room. Soul Mate and I share a mere 800 square feet of living space. Yoga Kid lives in another 700 square foot space below us. Our  home, built in 1929 but completely renovated in 2007, is extremely cute, albeit a bit crooked. It definitely has character. In the winter, a wood-burning fireplace helps take the chill out of our aging bones on those grey, damp and drizzly Island days. We have great windows that look out in every direction onto the green, green, green of our neighbourhood, so we never feel closed in. We can't fit a lot of bodies in here for social events, but that doesn't stop us from trying once in a while. On warm spring and summer days, our friends and loved ones are able to spill out into our huge, beautiful backyard. We have one spare bedroom that doubles as my study. It has a double bed in it, so we can host the people we love, but not too many at once. We have everything we need here, we lack nothing, need nothing more. I love my home,it has heart. It is my sanctuary.

What our house does not have, is room for my ever-expanding collection of books. Fortunately, I have a solution. That solution is not to buy an eReader. I am just not there yet. How on earth do you loan books to your daughters or friends if you have an eReader? Just answer me that one.

Several weeks ago I started hauling some of my books by the boxful to Russell Books, a renowned used book store here in my part of the world. These are books that I know that I won't need or read again. I have always taken excellent care of my books so they are all in great shape. Women's studies, Canadian history, history of health and medicine, I've now parted with books that I drooled or struggled over through all three of my degrees, or no longer use in my teaching. Novels of every shape and colour too, I can only hope that others will cry and laugh over the best of them, as I did. In return for the first four boxes I have hauled in, I earned a credit for over $150.00.

The point here is not to trade books in for money, however. I am going to trade books in for...books. I am finding this a very useful strategy at this moment in my life. I am craving and devouring knowledge about how to move into this next phase of my life, the Recovering Dawn phase, as I like to think of it. There are so many fabulous books out there written by women, to help women live more balanced, authentic, rich and rewarding lives. Here are the first two books that I've bought with my credit. They are both daily meditation books, and in my favour, they are quite small in size, so they will take up less room in my house. I hope that counts, just a little, as decluttering. If not, I am still quite certain that each one will each help declutter my brain.

Sue Patton Thoele, The Woman's Book of Spirit: Meditations to Awaken Our Inner Wisdom.

From the publisher:

A collection of spiritual meditations for women of all beliefs and backgrounds. By helping readers reclaim the Sacred Feminine Voice within, this book offers comfort, encouragement, and inspiration.

Melody Beattie, 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact


From the publisher:

What gets in the way of serenity? For most people, the answer is life-those everyday distractions, obligations, and frustrations that cause chaos and clutter. In her new week- by-week guidebook, best-selling self-help author Melody Beattie brings new hope to individuals longing to lead a more serene life.

Organized as weekly collections of stories, meditations, and suggestions, 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact addresses key self-care issues, including how to nurture inner peace, when to reach out to others, how to carry through on good intentions, where to make time for fun, and how to cultivate a deeper prayer life. Beattie's thoughtful prose and practical advice provide new opportunities for reflection, affirmation, and change.




8 comments:

  1. Can I borrow your Melody Beattie when you are done with it??

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  2. You have the BEST books, Dawn. I already purchased the Mediations book by Schaef. I see I have a few more to add to the collection.

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  3. Thanks, Cynthia! I love sharing information about good books, and I love it when others share their good finds too! Life is good, isn't it?

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  4. And yes, Yoga Kid. You may borrow the book.

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  5. 52 weeks is quite excellent, I've had that one in my library for some time. The 'Woman's book of Spirit' I have not yet read. Looks very good too!!!

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  6. Hi Dawn,there is an Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award waiting at my blog for you to encourage you on your road to recovery! I live at:
    http://gardengatewares.blogspot.com

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  7. Oh my goodness, Elizabeth - thank you SO much. You've made my day. I will do what I need to to pick it up and pass it on! You are lovely, I appreciate the gesture.

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