Thursday, March 12, 2015

Tips for Living Wicca: Put off Getting Stuff for a Month

Stuff, stuff, stuff. 

I’ve been doing my Spring cleaning (as I always do between Imbolc and Ostara), organizing the closets and drawers, and I am awestruck by the sheer amount of stuff that can pile up. I’m not even a clutter bug; I try to keep things fairly minimal. Still, with myself, a husband, 3 kids and a dog, the stuff just keeps piling up. Everyone has hobbies, interests. Everyone finds bargains and lugs stuff home. Birthdays, holidays, they come and go, and always bring more stuff into our lives.

I think Wiccans are especially guilty of this— (sheepishly raising hand) I know I am. We do love our stuff, don’t we? We’re very ritualistic. We’re ever-collecting tools, herbs, images, figures, altar clothes, little trinkets, jewelry, etc.—much of which we don’t need, but can’t resist, because we're drawn to the beauty, the power, the meaning of these things. 

I’ve talked about de-cluttering your space on this blog before, but what good does that do us when stuff just keeps pouring in? If you looked at your checking card statement, would you find multiple daily deductions for stuff? Approximately what percentage of it did you actually need?

My advice for you: go on a ‘stuff’ fast for 30 days.

You’ve heard of a food fast; in a ‘stuff’ fast you abstain from buying anything unnecessary. “Unnecessary” being the key word here—no one is suggesting you go a month without tampons or your blood pressure medication. But let’s face it— a lot of us buy stuff that is totally unnecessary on a regular basis.

Going on a stuff fast is a great way to teach us to start thinking about what we want vs. what we need. It helps us become more aware of our habits, thus putting us in a better position to take control of our impulses. It’s an exercise in mindfulness and will power.

Plus, your checkbook will thank you for it.





Are you an impulse buyer? 

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