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by Alexandra Chauran

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

When I was in my early twenties, my life was as a pile of unsorted mementos. Fresh out of my parents' home and merging my childhood and young adult belongings with those of my boyfriend at the time was absolute chaos. I also struggled with the direction my life was headed, in both practical and emotional ways. When I took these burdens to a therapist, I opened up to her about all of my heart's desires. I wanted it all: A prosperous and prestigious career, a family with children of my own, a marriage from the story books, mementos from my childhood, a fabulous home furnished with lavish belongings, and more. I thought that if I could just get one or more of these things, I would be happy again. Then, my therapist told me to seek more of something that I already had, something that wasn't on the ambitious "to-do" list I'd just given her.

My therapist asked me how my spiritual life was going. I stopped and thought. At the time, I thought that my spiritual life was okay. I had fellowship with spiritual peers. I was seeking and learning all the time. But it occurred to me that I wasn't devoting my time and efforts to spiritual pursuits as much as all those other practical woes. My therapist noted almost as an afterthought that spirituality is all that really matters in the end, and that people are often unhappy after they achieve those things I was seeking, like a family and a career, because they're still trying to fill that "God-shaped hole."

We all know that there are unsatisfied people who would seem to have all the wealth that anyone could ever need. The words from my therapist percolated in my brain. I read the writings of the Peace Pilgrim, who renounced her worldly possessions to carry a joyful message for God. I listened to the words of Amma the "Hugging Saint" from India, where she spoke of finding the joyful and spiritually satisfied amongst even the impoverished. The reason that I was having all of these first world problems was because I wasn't giving proper weight and value to my spiritual needs.

Now, this isn't to say that spiritual lack is what's wrong with everybody who lives in a cluttered or hoarded home, or who is dissatisfied with life circumstances. It's okay to look around at life and say, "Hey, this sucks!" I observe that there are some people who are naturally more spiritually hungry than others. Some might live their entire lives satisfied as atheists or agnostics, while you might feel a constant yearning to discover the mysteries of the universe and the divine. Or, you might have run into a spiritual awakening later in life that threw you for a loop. If you feel a calling and ignore that call for whatever reason, you'll subconsciously continue to attempt to fill that void. In our culture, that sometimes means filling your home, office, and car with stuff.

Here are some signs that you or a loved one might exhibit that indicate a physical or mental clutter problem caused by spiritual lack.

• You believe that objects have energies to which you can cling for comfort during times of need.
• When you are stressed, your calendar is still full of obligations, and you find yourself adding more.
• Loved ones reach out to you to try to help you clean or organize your house, or refuse to come over due to the clutter.
• When one thing in life is going wrong it feels like everything is going wrong.
• When you try to get rid of things you no longer need, you move them to other areas of the home instead of actually throwing them away.
• You believe that you need to keep objects that were once owned by the deceased in order to keep their memory alive.
• Your computer is full of electronic clutter, with unsorted photos clogging up all the space and your email Inbox kept full of reminders of things you intend to someday do.
• Self-doubt and low self-esteem keep you from doing the things that you want.
• Every time you clear the clutter in your life, you end up filling up those spaces with clutter all over again.

If these characteristics sound like you and you're also a spiritually hungry person, it's possible that you are trying to quench the yearning for spirituality with physical things and a busy life. Make no mistake, there can be other factors at play here. If you have a true hoarding condition, you may have psychological and emotional issues that can't be solved by any prayer or worship group. If your hoarding is affecting your health and safety or making you unable to function in everyday life, you'll need to talk with a doctor and therapist about brain chemistry and coping skill issues that may be in play.

If, however, you're otherwise healthy and suspect that a neglected spiritual life is part of your problem, this can be remedied with careful attention to your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Think of these as the three legs of a stool. You'll need to carefully nurture these things in balance. This may seem counter-intuitive, if clearing out all the clutter seems like the most pressing need. But remember that if you don't fill the void with something intangible and more meaningful, you'll just fill those spaces right back up again with stuff. So, examine your barriers to spirituality in your life. It's possible that you're being prevented from following the spiritual path that meets your expectations. However, nobody else holds dominion over the inner workings of your heart and soul. Once I discovered how to integrate spirituality into my everyday life and even household chores, the order of the rest of my life seemed to just fall into place. I pray for the same success for you and for any of your loved ones who may struggle with accumulated clutter. I encourage you to address the lack, rather than simply the over-abundance, then allow your life and your excesses to become a blessing to others and an offering to Spirit.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2015. All rights reserved.

Three months before I moved house to live in another town, I had a vision of a man I didn't regonize. I had been asleep and woke up to find him standing at the end of my bed, just staring at me with a blank expression on his face. I remember thinking that he was good looking but not familiar. A little freaked out, I turned over and then looked back and he was gone! At my son's new school I then met him; it was the same man from my vision! There seemed to be some recognition from his side as well; there is a huge magnetic attraction between us even though we both have other partners. Another point is we seem to bump into each other more than normal when out and about in diffrent places. I would like to understand why I saw him before I saw him and what it all means, if anything. Do you think this man is important to me, or should I run as fast as I can? Thank you for your advice.
Amy

Susyn:

It seems you had a precognitive dream about this man and then met him in physical reality, which would get anyone's attention! It is also possible that he astral projected to you during this vision, which would make it more of a spiritual encounter than a regular dream.

It's possible that you have known this man before, most likely in a past life. His ability to come to you in spirit form before you actually met suggests this. That would explain the instant recognition and magnetic attraction you both feel for each other. While there is nothing here to indicate that you will be together in this lifetime, given the mysterious nature of your connection, it would seem that Spirit is preparing you for an important lesson.

When we encounter people from our past, there are usually unresolved karmic issues that come up to be addressed. We do not always know the reason people enter or exit our lives when they do, but we can be sure that there is usually a higher purpose at work.

You may want to consider having a past life reading to learn more about this man, for it will give you some clues as to why you respond to each other in such an intense way. This type of reading can also provide you with some insights regarding the spiritual bond you share.

I have had a few experiences similar to what you describe. On one occasion, I was so taken by the energy and emotions that welled up with a person I met that it took me a few months to move beyond it. At first, I was sure that these intense feelings meant we would end up together, even though we both had other partners. As time passed, however, I came to realize that this man evoked an aspect of myself that had been buried for years or perhaps lifetimes. As it turned out, this encounter changed me, for it empowered me to live with more joy and self-love.

Sometimes this type of connection is designed to reawaken a part of ourselves that has gone dormant, as I feel happened in your case. When we experience this type of powerful energy, we begin to look at ourselves through another's eyes. We feel renewed and awakened when before, we were simply going through the motions.

Embrace this experience by loving yourself more and renewing your commitment to live life to the fullest. Having the attention of this man can open your heart and bring you a higher awareness of your own beauty and special place in the world. Although you do not have to act on the feelings you have for him, you can use their life-giving force to re-energize your heart and spirit.

*****

Oceania:

Just as we saw in the other Double Vision column for the week, a third party is serving as a wake-up call to let you know something is amiss in your primary relationship. Unlike Violet, however, you are able to acknowledge and enjoy your feelings of attraction for the other man.

You saw him before you met him because time is not exactly linear. Spacetime is curved, so we can see and know things before they happen. The image you saw was a preview of a coming attraction!

It's not that you bump into this man more often than normal; it's just that he's very much on your mind, so he's going to stand out in a crowd. You cross paths with many other people you know but because they're insignificant to your personal soap opera, their presence doesn't register or get through to your conscious awareness.

This man is important because he serves as a reminder that it's possible to feel 'huge magnetic attraction' for someone! The sizzle has likely fizzled from your present relationship. When we first meet someone, sexual passion and longing are intense, but as we get to know them, date, get more involved, share a home and so on, other responsibilities compete for our attention. Feelings of attraction and being attractive get reduced to one slice of our relationship pie; very often, that slice ends up in a Tupperware container in the back of the refrigerator.

t is perfectly normal to feel attraction for more than one person and such feelings usually provide a sense of delight; however, acting on them through flirting can be hurtful or disrespectful to your partner. Depending on the degree of emotional trust in your relationship, outside attractions can be used to enhance the fun of the sexual fantasies you share with your lover. We can't help who we're attracted to, so feelings aren't a threat unless they're acted upon.

A word of warning: If you find yourself attracted to a family member or friend of your lover, it's best to keep that to yourself, as such a disclosure can feel too close for comfort. It's better to share fantasies about celebrities or people you know at a distance, and only then if your partner has agreed to this level of intimate sharing.

I recommend you explore why you're making so much of this attraction rather than merely enjoying it or allowing it to inspire you to bring your sexy self to your lover. Given that a child is involved, it would be best to redirect your attention to your primary relationship in order to provide your son with a happy, secure and stable home.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.