My Inventory Down to 186 (from 223) & the Greek Mythology of Psyche's Four Tasks

Dear Readers,

Today, I recalculated my new number for my 'Inventory 200' which I began in April this year. Here's my chart of what's in my closet right now.

Image: Number of Items for ALL of my fashion goodies

I took a few pictures of my now more 'breathable' dressing room... I used to have wardrobes and drawers, surfaces, floors all covered with STUFF. And a lot of them I was just keeping them even though I never ever wore them! :-)

I just LOVE that I can now see some clean surface... And each compartment now has its own use. No mumbo-jumbo vagueness! Yay!!! :D

* * *

As I looked at my new number 186, I wondered maybe I should assign a number for each category, and weed out the 'weaker' stuff. Things I don't really wear much. Things I'm keeping just to wear once or twice a year. And come up with ways to HAVE something to wear for special occasions. For example, that dress which I almost never wear which I'm holding on to because I think it'll come in handy for weddings can be replaced by an outfit combo that is well accessorized. 

Some items which I wore to death and don't make me look sharp for my job, items that are torn and too small should also be let go of... 

And as I got clear about what could be done next, and how I might reduce my inventory down to even further... it dawned on me...

Wow...!

This *inventorying* is EXACTLY like that Greek Mythology! 

Psyche and her Four Tasks!!! @__@~!!!!

Image: Psyche at the Throne of Venus by Hale, 1883

click here for Source

I remember reading about this in the now classic  Jean Shinoda Bolen book on Goddesses in Every Woman. It really sums up all of my overwhelming and overpowering emotions, as I work on this personal project... Here is an excerpt from the site:

Transitions as Liminal and Archetypal SituationsJean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.
The first task is to sort all the seeds that are heaped up in a room. This is a wonderful metaphor for all of the possibilities, all of the emotions at the beginning of a transition period. Sorting the seed is really taking stock. What are all of the seeds of possibility in your psyche of your world? How much money do you have in the bank? How much energy do you have for this? How much talent do you have for this? What are you putting together out of all your possibilities? To plan to have a conference? If this is your particular dream, then you’ve got to sort out the seeds.
In this particular story, Psyche’s first reaction to every single task is despair. It’s more than she’s ever done before, she’s consciously not up to the task, and she wants to give up. Sort the seeds of possibility. At the beginning, she doesn’t know how, and then the symbol comes to her. Ants. All the ants come sorting out the seeds, one seed at a time, so that by morning they’ve been sorted, each into its own kind, every one into its own tack>.

(Read more here if you like: http://www.mythicjourneys.org/newsletter_jul05_transitions_bolen.html)



OK.
So, if you feel 'despair' for trying to tackle any of your 'Wardrobe Planning' take heart! This passage has always been this way for women! :P

And you are most certainly not alone...

I'll keep posting about my 'Ant-Work' here...! ^___^V

My love to you all,

xoxo

Flatshoenista