The Law of Use refers to using what you have.  There is energy in everything and every thing has a purpose.  If something is not being used according to its purpose the energy stagnates. 
The best example of this is clutter.  Clutter impedes energy, period.  I have talked about this often in relation to Feng Shui.  Feng Shui is all about the placement of objects in your home or office to facilitate the flow of Chi or life energy and if there is clutter that flow is interrupted.

What you see in your outer world first occurred in your inner world so there is an energetic beginning to everything and your outer and inner world keep referring to each other expanding the situation if it is not addressed.  If you are feeling stuck in your life take a look at your environment, is there a pile of junk mail or laundry?  Do you need to organize your office or your closet?  Think of what might be neglected in your home and address it.

The law of use goes hand in hand with abundance, giving and receiving.  Keeping with the theme of environment, along with clutter impeding the flow of energy so does anything that you don’t use and that you don’t love.  Love it or release it is a great rule to live by and this includes things you may have received as gifts.  You want your environment to be alive and to be supporting you.  You want it to be your sanctuary filled with things that affirm love when you look at them or use them.

Clothing and anything else that you are not using sell or give away.  I prefer giving because giving engenders receiving.  It’s the law.  What you don’t love someone else will and then whatever is given can fulfill its purpose.

I see everything as having life and therefore purpose and when we use the things that we have there is mutual support – giving and receiving as a result.

What ever you need – give. It is an act of faith that won’t go unrewarded.

Even though I have used this concept for many years I was introduced to the term “Law of Use” by Florence Scoval Shinn in her book “The Game of Life and How to Play it”.  She gives the example of a woman who was very wealthy but only spent money on herself.  She loved necklaces and bought them all the time but she kept them wrapped in tissue paper and put away in a drawer and never wore them.  Ultimately the woman lost her wealth and had serious physical problems with her arms and hands.

She gives another example; of a women who had come to her to be treated for health and received an intuition to get her furniture out of storage and rent an apartment.  Florence said to her “I believe your trouble which is a congestion, had come from having things stored away.  Congestion of things causes congestion in the body.  You have violated the law of use, and your body is paying the penalty.”

In this same vain she says that “Many people are in ignorance of the fact that gifts and things are investments, and that hoarding and saving invariably leads to loss.”

This idea of the Law of Use would not leave me alone, especially the example of the woman who bought the necklaces and put them away.  I have always loved jewelry, I am a true Taurus in that sense, and I especially love antique jewelry and I have a lot of it.  I have collected it over the years and my husband has given me several pieces.  Working at home doesn’t call for wearing a lot of jewelry but when I go out I realized that I wear the same pieces all the time.  So I decided a few weeks ago that I am going to wear the beautiful jewelry that I have been neglecting.  It is fun and it feels good.  I have a lot of great stuff!

There is one more aspect to the Law of Use that I want to touch on and that has to do with using your talent and creativity.

You have been given your talent to use it.  When you use it you are engaging the law of giving and receiving because doing something you love gives back to you.  Your talent, or gift or creativity is part of the divine plan of your life even if you do not use it to make your living.

If you do not use your talent it stagnates just like everything stagnates that is not used according to its purpose.  Delight in your creativity or talent, honor it.  It is a powerful tool for releasing and for connecting to the Super Conscious mind or God Self.

Here is a great affirmation:

The divine design of my life now comes to pass.  I now fill the place that I can fill and no one else can fill.  I now do the things which I can do and no one else can do.

Florence Scovel Shinn

Namaste’