The Power of Simplifying Possessions

Reclaim your energy: Learn how simplifying possessions can add more energy to your life.

As we approach the end of the year, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the energy we’re investing in our lives. In Hindu philosophy, it’s taught that we all have an energetic body, not just a physical one. This energetic body forms connections—known as nadis in Sanskrit—with the things and people in our lives.

These nadis are like energetic hoses. Every possession and relationship, for example, has a nadi or nadis connected to it, and each hose is an outlet for energy to flow out of us.These nadis also allow energy to flow to us. Think of it as a road or a highway that connects two cities. 

Recall my previous email, The Holey Wine Barrel. Imagine yourself as a barrel filled with wine. Each time you drill a hole—each hole representing a possession or attachment—wine begins to leak out. Before long, the barrel is empty. This is exactly what happens with our energy. The more “holes” we create, the more our energy is drained, leaving us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and spread thin.

The key lesson here isn’t that possessions are inherently bad; rather, it’s about managing our energy wisely. Every item we own requires some of our energy. The fewer possessions we have, the fewer energetic “hoses” siphoning our energy. Hindu monks choose to live with minimal belongings, not because they see material things as negative, but to conserve energy for pursuits that align with their purpose—in the case of the order I once belonged to, the pursuit of Self-realization.

Think back to a time when you cleaned a cluttered space—maybe a messy room or a chaotic garage. You probably felt a sense of relief and invigoration afterward. Why? Each item you removed severed an energetic tie, allowing the energy to return to you, making you feel energized and more uplifted.

Incorporating simplicity into your life is a powerful way to reclaim your energy. I have a yearly ritual around this time (November/December): I go through my home, evaluate each item, and decide whether it still serves me. If it doesn’t, I donate, recycle, or dispose of it. This ritual helps me gather back the energy scattered across many possessions, preparing me to enter the new year with more energy that I can focus on my priorities in life.

One approach I recommend for limiting the number of items in a category, such as clothing, is the “container rule.” Set a defined space for your possessions—a specific number of drawers, a particular shelf, or a toy box for your child. If you wish to add something new, an old item must go. This not only prevents clutter but also ensures your energy stays contained and focused on what truly matters.

Have you heard your spouse stand despairingly in front of a closet full of clothes and exclaim, “I have nothing to wear!”? It’s not that there’s nothing to wear, but rather nothing they want to wear. It’s time to let go of what you don’t want and replace it with what you do. However, avoid simply adding new items without removing old ones, as this only doubles the number of energetic ties to your clothing.

Remember, energy is finite. It cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one thing to another. By minimizing unnecessary energetic connections, we can reclaim our energy and reinvest it in our priorities—our goals, dreams, and the pursuits that bring genuine joy and meaning to our lives.

As we approach the end of the year, consider taking some time to evaluate your possessions and identify where you might reclaim energy that’s been unintentionally spent. Is your energy spread thin across too many possessions, tasks, and distractions, or is it focused on what truly aligns with your purpose?

Simplifying your life isn’t about deprivation, nor is it about having less for the sake of minimalism, but rather about conserving energy. The goal is to accumulate energy so that you can focus it on manifesting the life you truly desire. It takes energy to create, and since energy cannot be created, we must be conscious and deliberate in how we manage and invest it.