How to Create Space for Joy

Like a power outage that takes out our biggest guiding lights, eclipses interrupt us. They uproot us, shake us from our complacency, and leave us fumbling in the dark, in the realm of uncertainty.

Many of us are trained to believe that to get ahead in life we must know the right answer, we must navigate the right path, we must do the right things. This model has no place for uncertainty or ambivalence.

So our tendency is to fear the unknown of the “darkness.”

But just as a power outage may cause us to seek other sources of energy, an eclipse helps us hone our other senses.

In so doing, we can get a new perspective on where we are in life, where we are headed, whether we’re headed where we want to go, and what might be getting in our way.

This week’s eclipse happened at the south node, a point on the elliptic that represents releasing and clearing. The south node can also represent where we leak energy — where do we give up what we need to others, without receiving a return?

The invitation of this eclipse is to clear out the “clutter” in our lives and plug the leaks by letting go of the energy drains. “Clutter” in this sense means anything that is taking up space in our lives that isn’t serving us.

This might mean clearing your closets or your inbox, staying away from people and conversations that drain you, releasing projects that no longer feel aligned, breaking habits, or eliminating parts of your routine.

The process of identifying what is draining our energy requires radical self-honesty. And letting go often requires immense courage.

Here’s the challenge: even if we know exactly what we need to clear out, we often resist this process.

Fear of Falling Behind

Among other reasons, it doesn’t feel like the type of work that moves us “ahead” in life. We are loathe to stop moving for fear of being left behind.

That’s why it’s so important to also look at the beliefs, assumptions, expectations, mindsets, and stories that are no longer serving us, as these may be driving our actions.

Sometimes the best way to get ahead is to clear the path of the shit that’s in the way.

Fear of the Empty Space

Another source of resistance is the fear of the empty space. The in-between time — between letting go and whatever comes next — is uncomfortable for those who are conditioned to have a plan and know the right answer.

And yet when we rush from one thing to the next we don’t listen to what we truly desire; we end up chasing other people’s dreams.

Find Joy and Freedom

Ironically it’s only in the empty space that we can truly discover what the next thing is. This requires that we trust the process.

You might discover the freedom in not knowing and the profound joy in the thrill of exploring and discovering the potential and possibilities that never even entered your dreams.