Dear Friends,

Winter is the season to go within. In the cycles of life which correspond so closely with Nature's rhythms and seasons, winter is the season when we tend to spend more time in our homes. According to noted astrologer Michele Karen, Mercury retrograde in Capricorn which began December 17th and continues through January 6th, makes this the perfect time to clear closets, do a big spring-cleaning, reflect on our goals and tie up loose ends.

In our household, we always spend the time before Christmas going through our closets, cabinets and drawers, clearing out what we no longer use, so that we can give it to those less fortunate in time for the holidays. Ask any Feng Shui consultant, and they will tell you that clearing clutter is the first and most important step toward turning your home into a sanctuary. Not only do our living spaces need room to breathe, but we need to get rid of the "old" to make room for the "new". There is no doubt that weeding out brings order to your life and visually enhances every area of your home. If you don't use it, love it or need it, toss it. Everything can be improved upon, and when we edit our possessions, we can then focus on creating order so that we highlight the objects that hold great meaning. Simply put, creating order enhances beauty, and creating beauty brings joy.

Start by going from room to room, observing what areas delight you and what places look cluttered. In a notebook, jot down the areas you'd like to work on. What do you want to see and what do you want to hide? Keep in mind that what others see is not necessarily more significant than what your own eyes see. When you consider how often you see the inside of a kitchen drawer or cabinet, for instance, you'll realize how important it is for you to have a working system to arrange and organize your things into categories. The ideal is to have "a place for everything and everything in its place". We all fall short of this goal, but we can heighten our pleasure in our domestic life by understanding the value of organization and how visually satisfying it is.

The idea of de-cluttering can seem so overwhelming, it can make you exhausted just thinking about it. However, it doesn't have to. Start small. Open up a drawer and ask yourself "what's wrong"? Empty it and sort through the accumulation of things. You'll be amazed how much energy you'll receive from cleaning out just one drawer. That one simple task will give you the energy to continue.

Repetition creates harmony. Put everything together that relates to form a grouping. Group matching sets together and sort items by size and pattern. Look at the area and imagine you are creating a still life. In other words, decorate the inside of your closets and cabinets! Don't forget the inside of the refrigerator. It can also be pretty. In addition to organizing and grouping food and condiments, consider putting a bowl of oranges or apples on one of the shelves. Imagine how delightful it would be to open the door to a small vase of flowers? When you open up a cabinet and see beauty, it elevates your life to a new level. You are one step closer to living in the moment because you slow down enough to savor life.

As you take a critical look around, see if you can upgrade some of your necessities so they are more cheerful and colorful. Try to have the things you see regularly as eye-appealing as possible. You can find attractive boxes and baskets at dollar and craft stores. Boxes are great because they stack easily and you can keep several empty ones around, ready to be filled. They can be moved from room to room and become an attractive addition to the space. I keep an empty lightweight basket in the kitchen for the sole purpose of returning my daughter's things to her room.

Sometimes when we're in the midst of all the clutter and confusion, we can't see the forest for the trees. Try taking a polaroid of each area. Photographs are very unforgiving. You'll see in minutes what is wrong. This is why professional photographers do this before they take actual photographs. It saves a lot of time, trial and error. Pretend that a magazine photographer is coming to photograph your house inside and out. Perhaps he's going to photograph your closets for storage ideas? Every house has a few messy corners, but it's enormously satisfying to put your house in order. When you see the increase in efficiency, you will value the worth of a highly personal sense of order that helps you to be more effective. Putting your house in order for your enjoyment and convenience has a powerful effect on your sense of inner peace. Order paves the way to serenity and grace.

Lee Carroll, lecturer and author of the Kryon Books, recently spoke about the importance of discarding those things in our lives that no longer serve us. He said that all of co-creation from now on will be largely determined by what we eliminate. He likened it to the image of an artist transforming a large chunk of granite into a beautiful sculpture. If you are not familiar with Lee Carroll, his books about these incredible evolutionary times we are living in are very informative, empowering and enlightening. Lee has spoken all over the world, including three times at the United Nations. Lee will be speaking in Baton Rouge on Saturday, January 10th from 1-6 pm at the Marriott on I-10 @ College. I'll definitely be there! For reservations, contact Anne Haddad at Light Seminars, phone: (866) 558-9621. For more information about Lee and his books visit his website:

I hope this newsletter has inspired you to spend time this season chiseling away at the things that no longer serve you as you reflect on your past joys and accomplishments and focus on aspirations for next year. You are the artist, the creator of your life. I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful 2004!