Space clearing needn’t be complicated; it can be easy to cleanse negative energy and create balance throughout your home. Our resident psychic and founder, Fiongal Greenlaw shares his go-to ritual:

All of our homes contain energy, and sometimes that energy needs cleansing. 

Just as you clean your home of the accumulated dirt, you need to do so on an energetic level. Space clearing is the act of improving the energy that has built up over time. Here’s a simple but effective ritual anyone can do. See below for more on why we clear space and when.

To get started, choose at least one item from each of the 6 categories:

Choosing the right tools is essential for space clearing. Take a look at the list below and pick the item that resonates most with you. You’ll only ever need to use one tool at a time:

1. Sound instruments: Bells of any kind, Tibetan singing bowls, rattles, handheld chimes, rain sticks, clap sticks, chimes, drums, gongs or harmony balls. Our personal favourites are these Woodstock Zenergy Chimes, or these extra special Brass Temple Bells, which give off the most incredible tones. Or these super cute Temple Wind Chimes.

2. Earth: Pine needles, a plate of soil or salt.

3. Air: Sage or Incense. Ideally, you need an incense that is specially crafted for space clearing – here’s ours. Alternatively, you can use a feather, like this stunning Ceremonial Eagle feather

4. Holy water: You can make your own by taking purified water, putting it in a bowl, adding your prayers, healing intention, a crystal, and letting it sit overnight in the elements.

5. Fire: Candles are the best source (placed on a dish for safety – like this stylish Aery Orbital Candle Holder).

6. Nature: I float flowers in a bowl of water, add a drop of holy water and put one in each room (you can add stones, rice, a crystal, etc.).

7 Simple Steps to Cleansing the Energy in your Home:

The precursor to this ritual is to thoroughly clean and declutter your space (as mentioned above). You also want to take a shower that morning and make sure to take another one that evening. If you can’t do that, at least wash your hands thoroughly before and after.

Then open the windows to let the old energies out. Windows must be open. Try to do this during the day as well, not at night.

Next:

1. Create an ‘altar’ in every room: adding fire (remember to place the tapers on a ceremonial dish so they don’t fall over), something from nature, such as your bowl of flowers and/or incense. You might want to sprinkle a little rock salt in every room. This altar allows the intention and new energies to have an anchor of sorts.

You can also decorate the space with colours. You can use your intuition for what hue the room/house needs or base it on chakra colours, etc. (I tend to use white as it encompasses all shades).

2. Call in your guides: These are the personal guides, angels, and deities that have meaning to you. Ask for assistance and protection in clearing out the old energies and bringing in the new. Try to say a prayer- maybe have it written beforehand or just see what arises – whatever feels right.

“I now let go of old stuck energy from my home and life and invite in new opportunities beginnings.”

3. Ground yourself: You can do this by closing your eyes and visualizing huge roots going down into the earth from your feet and attaching them to a huge ore of iron at the earth’s centre. What is grounding?

4. Set your intention: Be clear about what it is you intend; for example, “I now let go of old stuck energy from my home and life and invite in new opportunities beginnings.” Connect with your intuition, add any specifics of what you want to let go and invite.

5. Use your sound instruments to do a deep cleanse: Once your altars are set, start at the front door and walk around counter-clockwise. Clapping, singing, or clanging your instrument; move up and down the walls; get into the corners; under and behind furniture. Do this with the intention of clearing out all past energies that no longer serve. Ask that those unbalanced energies be transmuted to the violet fire. Concentrate on areas of ‘thick’ stagnate energy or where any discord might be felt.

Sage on its own does not cleanse…

6. Now that you have loosened the stuck energies: smooth it out using an instrument that is soothing, such as a Tibetan Bowl, harmony balls, rain sticks, or hand-held chimes; I tend to play music as well – what’s some good music for relaxation?. If you do not have access to any of these things, simply use the Gayatri mantra or the sacred sound of OM. And use your incense, ethically-sourced palo santo or smudge stick, or all three for an extra deep cleanse. But, contrary to what most people think, incense and sage on their own do not cleanse – instead, we need to work with intention; you, therefore, need to direct the energy away after smudging, something like, “I send any negative energy back to Source, where they can be transmuted into their highest potential for the good of Mother Earth and the Universe.”

Again start at the front door, but this time travel clockwise. I stand in the middle of each room, and as I am smoothing the energies, I intend with gratitude all of the new things that I want to bring into my life and welcome them into my home for the new year (Springtime). Then I go to each corner, walls, etc., with the No. 2 Space Clearing incense or smudge stick – ensure that windows are open and/or the fans are on.

7. Complete each room with intention: bringing in Reiki or envisioning white light, seal the space and ask that the new energies be held. Go back to the front door, thank your guides and release them. Then carry the vision clearly throughout the day.

Why do we need to cleanse space?

Many things can impact the energy of your space or home, both positive and negative. Everything you bring in with you from outside will impact the energy, including guests (invited or uninvited!) The events within the home will add energy – an illness, strong emotions like anger, grief or depression or a party, celebration or another kind of ritual. Have you ever had an argument and felt the tension in the room sort of lingering afterwards? 

We ask a lot of our homes energetically. That feeling you get after a long day of wanting to collapse on the sofa is a form of energy transference. We ‘dump’ a lot of energy in our spaces of rest, and so we should. 

When do we need to cleanse space?

The obvious one is spring. Space clearing is particularly powerful around spring as it mirrors the seasonal arrival of the new. It is best to be seasonal, but though springtime is a wonderful time to cleanse your space, it isn’t the only time. Many of us will feel a pull to cleanse our spaces at particular points in the year and in our own lives. A life event, a new baby, and of course, once you’ve moved into a new home are all space-clearing times. Others feel a need to make energetic changes to the home because something doesn’t feel ‘right’ – maintaining spiritual connection with our home (literally feeling ‘at home’ in it)  is so important. If you’ve been working on building an intuitive practice, you may find yourself more in tune with the energetic health of your home. For example, the students in our Spiritual Development Group learn to cleanse space as preparation for deepening other practices like chakra work, astrology or crystal practices. 

Do I need a professional space clearing practitioner?

Most people won’t need to enlist the help of a professional, though in some cases, the support of an experienced practitioner can be really helpful. Space clearing is an ancient practice and so we have many wonderful people who carry the tradition of space clearing for others. If you’d like to chat to a space clearing practitioner, our practitioners can help.

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