The Zen of Cleaning the Pagoda

Oranges, and lions, and bakwas! "Oh my!" as George Tikei would say. It's Chinese Lunar New Year! Yes, it's that time of year when every member of the Chinese family has to get up and clean house. What? You don't know about this tradition? Yes, along with the loud fireworks, red envelops filled with money, and enough food to feed a Chinese army, during Chinese Lunar New Year, every member of the household is also suppose to help in cleaning the home. Technically, considering all the "tiger moms" out there, this probably actually happens everyday.

The ritual of cleaning the house isn’t just about impressing the in-laws when they come over for the big feast. The ritual symbolizes the cleansing of emotional clutter. It is a time of healing old wounds, forgiveness of others, and, most importantly, forgiveness of self. The idea is that one has to let go of the past in order to look toward the future.

If you’re an artist or entrepreneur, perhaps it’s time for you to do some of your own housecleaning. Pain, heartache, hatred, vengeance, and self-loathing make it impossible for artists and entrepreneurs to move forward with their ideas. If anything, these negative thoughts hold us back from being the person we can truly be. Only when we get rid of our emotional clutter will we have room to grow and prosper.

If you’ve fallen back on your New Year’s resolutions, if you’re in a creative rut, if your business isn’t quite where it needs to be, think of today as an opportunity to clean house, and start over. Forgive yourself, and move forward. Kung hei fat choi!