Cleaning Your Spiritual House

"I now release and am released from everything and everybody that is no longer a part of the divine plan of my life."

- Catherine Ponder

Many years ago, I heard a spiritual teacher say, "99 percent of spiritual growth is about letting go." This was surprising and good news to me because I still thought that it was about me getting more information, becoming more this or that, doing more and taking on more rituals and spiritual practices. What a relief, to realize that just the opposite is true.

The sage isn't one who knows so much more than we do, but is one who "knows" far less, in a certain sense. Most of our minds are filled with meaningless nonsense from cradle to grave, put there by a world that is not particularly interested in our well-being but, rather, in selling us stuff or trying to get us to fit into some societal mold. By the time we are adults, it's often much more useful to spend time "unlearning" than learning.

The farther I go in my life, the more I realize that it really is mostly about letting go, releasing, undoing and unlearning. In the past few years, I've developed a habit of regularly questioning my thinking, beliefs and actions, to see if they are in alignment with my vision for my life. I always tell my groups, "Don't believe everything you think!" As we question our thinking on a regular basis, we can see where we have taken on beliefs that only increase our stress, suffering and struggle. Whether it comes from a religious upbringing, things taught in school or by family, or from TV commercials is not the point. The question is, "Is this serving me, in living the life I choose for myself? Is this contributing to my peace and joy, or taking me farther from it?"

No one can answer these questions for us. We can have help and support, but it is ultimately up to us to clean out our lives, of that which no longer serves us. Something that was very good and helpful 10 years ago, may now be an albatross around our necks. Just as it would not be enough to clean our physical house once a year, our mental/spiritual/emotional homes need cleaning on a regular basis too, if we want to enjoy our journey through life.

At the start of every one of my classes, I do a guided meditation. Part of the meditation is always a process in which I ask the students to consider this: "What did you come here to let go of today? What no longer serves you? Is it some old, limiting belief, a worry about the present or future, a grievance toward self or another? Guilt, shame or blame? A behavior, or addiction, or condition? An attachment? What is it time to let go of today? What do you choose to surrender to Spirit today?" I let them ruminate on that briefly, and then we take a deep breath and breathe it all out on the exhale, releasing it to the Universe to dissipate and dissolve in the Light. It begins the process that starts with awareness. You may want to take some time this month, to write out a list of what no longer serves you in your life and what it is time for you to release to Spirit.

There is no need to go into blame or anger about where these old ideas came from or to get dragged down into the past. Getting upset at the dust and dirty windows in our house is a waste of time when we could simply use that same energy and a little elbow grease to patiently clean one thing at a time - remember, it's progress, not perfection, that we are after.

Jacob Glass is a teacher and the author of six books. He teaches in West Hollywood at INSPIRE Heart Center, 9056 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 202, on Saturday, September 12 and in San Diego at VISION Center for Spiritual Living, 6154 Mission Gorge Road, Suite 100 on Saturday, September 19.

For more information on Jacob, a list of his books or a calendar of his future engagements, go to jacobglass.com