Greetings All ~
It's happening! This move got really real. Transactions of both sale and purchase were done remotely. I never saw a check, didn't sign anything in person and I've yet to meet the folks who now own my home of 14 years. All done in the ethers of direct deposit and docuSign.
I did see and walk through my new condo and now am in the process of tweaking it. The last couple days my talented friend, Beth, has been tightening the place up by painting and caulking and some other et ceteras. Thanks to the Universes for her! I spent the day washing the walls to freshen the place and remove scuffs and stuff. Every wall, closet and cupboard interior has been cleaned. What a way to get to know a space. I have done this before. But never to one of my own. At the start of the Summer Solstice Celebration the Kundalini yogis have each year, we similarly cleaned the Yogi Bhajan cabin to prepare it for the facilitators of the white tantric meditations. The same was done to the kitchen where the teacher's food was prepped at a retreat in Mt. Shasta.
As I washed and my enthusiasm waned, the thoughts came. "Do I really need to go all the way to the ceiling? I could just go as far as I reach. That's good enough." I had tired of going up and down the step stool and moving it around the room and into closets. But I knew if it wasn't done completely it would bug me.
I recalled the story of a master teacher who asked some students to clean a house for guests who'd be arriving soon. The crew got in there and cleaned and cleaned. They called the teacher to let them know the job was complete. This masterful teacher arrived for the inspection, got out of the car, walked into the house and up the stairs to the furthest closet in the furthest bedroom. Holding a dusty finger up after running it along that closet shelf the teacher said, "This is your subconscious mind."
I've always loved that little parable. The subconscious mind, for whatever reasons, can stop us from being our best selves or putting forth our best efforts. Certainly, mine does. For me, it can usually be traced to a fear of some sort—the imprint of a minor trauma or something really, really huge. These fears can even be passed down through generational experiences and affect the DNA, as found in the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. As Mark Twain said: A cat will sit on a hot stove once and then never sit on the stove again, even if its cold.
Meditation is a way to clear the subconscious mind, and there are many ways to meditate. Don't overthink your choice. Just make one before the subconscious mind gets in there and mucks it up by creating doubt. Focusing on the task in the moment and being conscious of what you're doing is another way. Do the dishes consciously—"I'll get these dishes cleaned using as little water as possible, lickety split!" Communicate consciously—"I'm going to listen to what they have to say before I formulate my answer." In short, anything done consciouslyisyour meditation.
Cleaning is a beautiful way to remove the jumble. It requires just enough mental focus combined with body movement to get you settled. It changes the energy in both you and your environment. Kinda like Yoga!
Clean your house and clear your mind.
You'll have a beautiful home, inside and out.
All Good Things,
Vicky Jap Dharam Rose
PS— Here's a song my son wrote from my first album, about Brand New Places! I hope you enjoy.