Cleaning House

Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful 

or believe to be beautiful.

~ William Morris

 

I have this dream sometimes, about a house with lots of rooms. It's not always the same house, though there are a few I have visited more than once in my sleep. But always the house has many rooms – sometimes multiple kitchens, living/rec rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms. Sometimes there have even been secret hidden passage ways for moving between rooms! 

 

Dream interpretations will tell you that a house is a symbol for the self. The various rooms represent different aspects of the self, and whichever are prominent in the dream point towards which aspect(s) of the self to pay attention to. The presence of many rooms may be suggesting a choice to be made with many possible options. For me, I think the multiple rooms sometimes represented things from my past that I had not fully let go of – people, possibilities/opportunities, choices or decisions left unfinished; thus not truly allowing space for new rooms to flourish.

In the last couple of weeks I have cut some of those ties. I stumbled upon and sought out opportunities for closure. More importantly, I wanted to find closure and cut ties. To let go of the lingering stale energies. To walk away from the potential drama. To release the fear of having nothing there. To create space for the possibility of something new or different.

Some of the ties were easy to cut. Others, not so much. One or two may still have tiny threads not completely frayed loose. And still there are probably more that need attending to. Not all at once. Not necessarily in the light of some significant situation. Rather an awareness of what around me is bringing me energy and life; and what around me is draining.

This week I had a dream about a smaller house full of people. A few familiar faces, but many not so. Cramped into a tiny kitchen, living room, one bathroom, and too few bedrooms. I had the distinct feeling that this was not ok. I wanted my own space back. Perhaps this was a reflection that in my awake life I have been cleaning house. No longer are there empty rooms for stuff to linger. In the most endearing way possible, I hear myself saying: “If you don't fit in my house, get the f* out!”