Are You An Over Packer?

I have always been an over packer. I bring way too much stuff with me whenever I travel. As I left Sacramento today my suitcase weighed 50.00 lbs! Phew, I just made it. I vividly remember the 2 times I packed lightly. The first time was after I had taken a Jin Shin Jyutsu class in Berkeley. I had rented a scary Airbnb. It was a small studio set down an alley, recessed in the back after passing 2 other rentals. There were lots of not very friendly creepers hanging around. I stayed there the first night, but was pretty uneasy and didn’t sleep.

After class the next day I walked back to change before dinner and I thought I can’t walk back here at night in the dark. I packed my multiple bags and spent the night at my friends lovely Airbnb. As I was leaving there the next day, my friend Vivian looked at me and my multiple bags and said, “good God woman, what do you have with you?!” She was right I was only staying for 3 days. 

The next weekend I flew to Florida for a weeks vacation and only had a carry-on!  I packed with Vivian’s words in my head. I felt so light, so free, unencumbered.  But after that I resorted to my old overpacking ways.

Then earlier this year we went to Florida for a week and stayed for a month. I had packed lightly for that trip and even though we stayed much longer, I didn’t want for any items at home.  And again I felt this lightness of BEing. 
But this packing for this trip was different.  I just kept putting items into my already large suitcase.  I even had too much carry-on stuff.  

I started asking myself, how does this relate to my life? What excess baggage am I holding on to? What am I not willing to let go off, what story am I holding on to that makes me feel uncomfortable and able to release that excess? 
 
What I know to be true:
This holding on to stuff on the physical level relates to holding on an emotional level.  But how to release that?
 
The action steps I took:
 
Safety Energy Lock 11 (acupressure point) is all about unloading excess baggage. This point lives at the base of the neck where the neck and shoulder meet. (in the picture above) It’s the area where most people are tense, sore and hold most of their stress.  Or another way of looking at it is: it’s where you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.  I held both sides and took 9 breaths.

Try holding this area, breathing and repeating the mantra “what do I need to release?” And then listen. 
 
For me, the story that appeared was, what if I don’t have enough? What if I don’t have enough time, money, stuff, enough clothes with me?  The truth is we always have enough, we just have to invite enoughness into our universe.  And if I need something while I am away I can always go to the store and buy it! What a novel idea. 
 
However, when I arrive at my destination with a 50.00 lb suitcase it doesn’t leave me any room to shop. Damn.