We all have the ability to perceive energy, and as we are entering a time of year in which many energies are shifting. The start of a new season, a new move, after someone has been ill, after an argument – all of these are a perfect time to cleanse the home environment in order to help ease the transition and remove old energy. Space clearing is a simple and effective way to clear lower energies and raise the vibration of a space so it is more positive. Here are some of the steps you can take to clear your home or office.
Preparation
When preparing to clear your space, you must first do a thorough job of cleaning the area you are going to cleanse and clear. Get rid of clutter, make certain furniture is moved as you clean in order to catch those elusive dust bunnies. This is important because “lesser” energy likes dirt and dust.
Decide what tool(s) you will be using during your clearing. Depending on the frequency of your clearing space (weekly, monthly, quarterly) you may want to use more than one combination of clearing tools. Listen to your instinct and choose what feels correct for your individual space and the energy level needing to be cleansed.
Optional Clearing Tools
Bells
Excellent tools, bells have the ability to dispel accumulated, stagnant energy by producing a sound that permeates the molecules of space. Bell tones increase the flow of energy and restore vibrational balance. Long after the physical sound of a bell is gone, the subtle vibrations continue to fill space.
Chimes
Handheld chimes, also known as Tingshas, create a very clear and focused sound. Strike the chimes sharply to create vibrations that can cut through the dullest pools of energy. After striking the chime move it as though you are using a paint brush, with long broad strokes to fill the space with sound.
Smudging
Bundles of dried herbs tied together with a string to create a smudge stick. Smudging is a common tool for clearing space. Sage is probably the most common herb used for smudging. The smoke of a smudge bundle instantly creates an enormous shift in the energy of a room. It’s also one of the best methods to use when you need to shift very heavy energy. Use an abalone shell underneath the herbs to catch any stray ashes and sparks. Use a feather (turkey, raven, eagle, hawk) to spread the smudge smoke. These two elements together (air and fire) create a powerful way to balance the energy in a space. Use your dominant hand to stroke the smoke, much like a paintbrush through the space. Smudging is a particularly effective method to use after an illness.
Incense
Incense is made from natural herbs and resins. Different types of incense can help your intention to manifest after a space has been smudged. Palo Santo is a South American wood that shamans often use when cleansing and purifying.
Yourself
You yourself should prepare for the cleansing. Some people take a bath with a purifying salt bath or essential oils before clearing a space, and then smudge themselves after dressing in special clothing they have chosen to wear while cleansing their space. This is optional, but be advised if you are cleansing a space with heavy, dense energy, you should at least be showered and dressed in clean clothing when performing your cleansing. The more prepared and vibrationally high your energy is, the more profoundly it will affect your clearing.
A Plan
Next, plan what steps you wish to take with your clearing. If you are enlisting other family members, discuss what each of you will be doing during your clearing. Have all items that you will be using ready to be used, then set an intention or goal for the cleansing of the space. Take some deep cleansing breaths while envisioning how you want the space to feel once your clearing has been performed. Where intention goes, energy flows, the easier to make that vision a reality.
If you have chosen an incense, light it and allow it smudge slowly.
You may wish to have a table or mantle near the space being cleansed with items that represent your intentions for space. This sets the tone and holds the energy for the entire cleansing ceremony, and is the physical representation of your intention. This area should be both beautiful and inspiring while including symbolic representations of the hopes and dreams of all the occupants of your home. Some possibilities are red roses to represent love, rice for abundance, a candle for inner light. A cloth can be used as a base, keeping in mind that the type of fabric you choose for it will influence the energy of the altar. Cotton fabric is earthy, red cotton is grounding. A more formal cloth in white would be more attuned to celestial energies.
Purification
Now that you have all your preparations done, you may begin the cleansing process. Begin before your table of intentions and speak to your guides, the house deva, and whomever else feels appropriate to you. Ask for their assistance and guidance during this cleansing, and ask to be open to the lessons and guidance they bring while doing this purification.
When you enter the space to be cleared, or the first space if you are attempting to cleanse more than one area, access the energy in that space. Energy that needs to be cleared can often feel hazy, or even heavy. You may first wish to walk in a circle around the room with your hands extended to get a feeling of the energy of the space. You may notice some areas don’t feel “right”, or perhaps they make your stomach turn, or perhaps you even sense a different odor. Return to the entrance to the room and find center by standing with your feet hip-width apart, and imagine a long column of light running from the center of your head down through you and into the floor. Take some deep breaths, and breathe out of your mouth as you exhale. It is time to use your chosen cleansing tool. For this cleansing, a chime will be used.
Listen carefully as you strike your chime. If it doesn’t sound clear and crisp, continue to strike the chime until it is bright, crisp and distinct. This indicates you’ve cleared energy in that area. Continue to do this moving in a clockwise motion around the space until you return to your starting point at the entrance to the room. You may next wish to walk a figure eight in the room while chiming to further raise the vibration. Make sure to get all corners, as this is where stagnant energy accumulates.
Completion
Return to the entrance of the room and once again speak to the energies you asked to assist you at the beginning of the cleansing. Give thanks for their help. You may wish to add a preservation to the room once cleansed, such as a flower, or a small stone that represents the energy you set your intention on.
Clearing of space has such powerful results, it is best done on a regular basis and especially after an argument or an upset, after an illness, before and after an unpleasant visitor, prior to moving into a new home and even when you’re just feeling that life is a bit out-of-sorts.