Friday, 4 July 2021
Shelving Context
Getting organised can sometimes help your mental health. It’s like redoing the cupboard or drawer space, representing an externalisation of what’s happening in your head. Changing your shelving around or simply organising what is on them can make a big difference to your mental health.
Years ago, I went to a Denise Linn seminar on her book called Sacred Space, and she spoke about the profound effect simply tidying a sock drawer can have on a person’s mental health. A friend of hers had called her in a severely distressed mental state, Denise sensing peril, asked him to occupy himself by cleaning out his sock drawer until she got there.
By the time Denise reached her friend, the peril had passed, and her friend amid sock drawer clean-up said he was now OK. So, from the seminar, I learnt never to underestimate the benefits of tidying up or helping someone get organised.
Several times, over the years, just helping with something as minor as tidying the shelves, folding clothes, helping them do dishes, or take out the garbage can make a difference to someone’s wellbeing.
Organising Shelving
Every time we go into COVID lockdown, I identify some other part of the house to organise. Something a little cheaper than the bathroom but still provides me with efficiencies, the pantry. I’m not sure how widely spread the availability of the Elfa system is, but it’s fantastic! And this is what we used.
There have been a couple of attempts to organise the pantry. When we first moved in, we decided to use Ikea’s Algot system. It was cheaper than the Elfa and would get us through until we could afford otherwise if needed. It also had the correct shelf width we required. Also, if the Ikea shelving worked well, we could save ourselves some money if we never had to replace it.
We’d hoped the Ikea system was going to be versatile. The surprising lack of versatility (Ikea is usually so versatile) with the product’s broader gaps and needing to be screwed in place inhibited adjustments we wanted to make. Because we thought it would work like the Elfa, we didn’t screw in the down rails – big mistake!
Our pantry came crashing down while we were watching a TV show. Refer photos of shelf destruction of the pantry (Algot) and the redone pantry shelves (Elfa). The fall away wasn’t the first time; the wall-mounts have come off the wall before. Anyway, unsurprisingly, Ikea discontinued the Algot system in 2020.
The Elfa system (review) works using a split-hook or French cleat. It’s almost impossible for the down rails to come off the top rail unless the top band or the mounting surface had issues, like an incorrect band fitting or weak wall. In short, we love it!
Feeling Organised
Today, it was another area of the pantry’s turn to get treated, and this area held our tea, coffee, and kitchen gadgets. My mental health and energy increased tremendously; It’s such a great feeling to get organised.
Today's Cards
The Cards - Analysis
Carryover Cards
No cards carried over from yesterday.
Cross
Thunderbolt is in the Now influenced by Innocence. As we know from the past Thunderbolt, is about physical change and getting organised today is that. Innocence uses (influences) previous changes and differences to guide the process (experience and looking at things anew).
Aloneness in the Distant Past position, the Goal of The Source was created, which is getting back to where it all began and making things work.
My motivator in the Recent Past is I no longer want to work with multiple shelving systems and would like to do it correctly or uniformly, aka Morality.
Moving forward into Future Energy, it is with Consciousness and clarity – it’s good to feel organised. It’s like the clarity of mind happened.
Base
My Feelings are sadness to have to let go of the old system; it has served us well for many years, but we cannot move on with Letting Go of that which ties us to the past.
Others’ Views is I trust in my inner direction, aka Guidance, and sometimes it’s as simple as changing shelving to organise your mental health.
Compromise is looming in the Hopes & Fears position. There are still a couple more areas with the old shelving system. I wanted (hope) to do all the shelving areas today; I fear this isn’t realistic. Not because of a lack of money but more because time on weekends is precious.
The Outcome position is The Lovers. The Lovers means working together in harmony for the benefit of each other and others who encounter us. All because of changing the shelving.
References
- Osho, Osho Zen Tarot – The Transcendental Game of Zen, St Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-11733-7
