The success of any journey depends on the attention given to preparations made at its outset. There is immense power in beginnings, for as the seed is nurtured, so grows the tree. Taking the time to prepare yourself, your tools, and the space you are clearing will dictate how powerful the transformation will be.
The techniques described in this chapter are safe for everyday use in your home. However, do not attempt advanced techniques, such as the release of an earthbound spirit, until you’ve had further training and experience. (See the Recommended Resources or visit www.deniselinn.com.)
The strength of your space clearing depends on your ability to intuitively sense energy, clarify your intention, and project your will into a space. There are a few exercises you can do every day to continue developing your intuition and ability to sense energy.
Your intuition is the key that will open the door into the revealing world of energy in your home or business. All space clearing has its roots in shamanism, and shamanism has its basis in attunement to the natural cycles of nature. So, to develop your intuition, spend time outdoors. Lie on the earth. Feel her energy radiate through your body. Look up to the heavens. Watch the clouds as they form and reform above you. Notice any signs or messages in what you see. Doing this exercise helps you develop your intuition for perceiving the hidden messages indoors in houses or businesses.
Another way to develop and prepare your intuition is to spend time being absolutely still in nature. Only when you learn to silence your thoughts can your inner voices be heard, and this is easier in a natural environment.
One of the skills necessary for space clearing is the ability to sense energy fields. Developing this awareness is what will allow you to sense when energy is out of balance in a room and what changes need to be made in order to restore harmony.
To develop this skill, go around the periphery of a space very slowly with one hand extended outward. Notice places where you feel a difference. Your arm may feel heavy or light, or warm or cold in places. There may be places that seem to feel sticky and places that feel smooth. This is not your imagination. You are sensing energy. The secret is to slow down, still your mind, and trust what you are perceiving.
Where intention goes, energy flows. Before you begin any space clearing, as mentioned earlier, it is essential that you become very certain about what you hope to accomplish in a dwelling. The clarity and vigor of your intention will determine the direction and focus of the clearing. If your intention is to create a calming energy, this is what will occur. If you resolve that your space clearing will bring a dynamic vitality to a household that has been stagnant, then this will be the outcome.
If you are doing a clearing for another, you’ll want to set up an interview so that you can understand the intentions of all involved. Ask a few questions: What do they want to release? What do they want to attract more of in their life? Make sure to listen more than you talk. Build a comfortable rapport.
The more chi (inner energy) you have, the more powerful your space clearing will be. When your chi is flowing, you can project your intention into a space magnificently and gracefully. To develop your chi, you might consider practicing meditation or taking tai chi or yoga classes.
An exercise to activate this unseen, yet very real inner life force is to imagine that you have a ball of energy in your hands. Slowly move this energy ball around. After a while you should feel an increasing sensation in your palms. This is your chi increasing.
A visualization to project your will into a space is to imagine that your body is a sacred vessel through which vast loving energies of the universe are pouring through your hands and into your home.
In your space clearing journey, you might consider naming your home. In many native cultures throughout the world, homes are named. Sometimes it’s a sound rather than a word with a specific meaning, but most often it comes from nature. Naming comes from the belief that there is a living consciousness within each home, which becomes a kind of silent guardian and protector in a spirit of gratitude for being named.
A name is more than a label; it also speaks to an object’s energy. Each name has a unique energy vibration, so it can help evoke specific qualities in that object. It also places intent and a purpose in the environment in which you dwell and can change how you vibrate within its space. It has been shown that people relate differently to each other because of their name—the same is true with you and your home.
It’s important when naming your home to find a name that matches the essence of your home. One name isn’t better than another; they just possess different energies.
A home that is named offers greater protection and security than one that is impersonal. Calling your home by its name will continue to increase the bond, connection, and vibrancy between you and your home. In this process of greeting your home, you awaken its vibrancy, which translates into your life as well.
When you space clear your home, it’s valuable to first connect to its essence. You should feel at home with yourself in this space and feel at home in the universe. Connecting to the essence of your home will strengthen these feelings. You can do this anytime you feel like you need to check in with the energy in your home.
To do this exercise, close your eyes and relax. Imagine it is late at night and you are walking through your neighborhood. The lights are off and people are sleeping. As you stop in front of each house, use your inner sight to look through the walls. Inside each home you can perceive a luminous glow. You are sensing the seed energy, or core essence, of that home.
The seed energy of each dwelling may look different: one may be a radiant symbol such as a star; another may be undulating golden light. As you approach your home, imagine standing in front of it and noticing that within its walls is a luminescent light—its seed energy, its essence. Now visualize a strand of energy flowing from you to the essence of your house. This deepens your connection with your home and helps to make it a more nurturing place for you.
The seed energy of your home is like the chorus of a piece of music. It is a recurring motif that will appear again and again. Even though it may be slightly different each time it is heard, there will still be easily recognizable characteristics that give artistic unity to the piece as a whole.
The seed energy of your home captures its essence. When you connect with this energetic essence, you feel more at home when you are there. Every time you connect with the true essence of something, you deepen your connection to it.
Consider doing any of the following meditations before a clearing to deepen your experience or gain added insight.
Affirmations are any statement said in the present tense that affirms your intent. An example of an affirmation you can say while space clearing is: “My home is filled with empowering energy, expanding love, and incredible life force.” While most people are familiar with positive affirmations, it’s important to note that negative statements can also be a kind of affirmation that can (unintentionally) attract more of an unwanted energy into your life.
Using affirmations while clearing each room will bring sparkling energy and intention within the space as the old energy is released. It might sound strange that this could change the feeling in a room, but try it—it works! Each room in your home has a specific purpose, and by using an affirmation that clearly states the purpose, you supercharge the energy of your clearing.
Consider some of the following ways that you might practice affirmations in your space clearing ceremony:
The following are examples of affirmations that you might take as inspiration to create your own:
The following are commonsense preparations to keep in mind before doing a space clearing.
Before any major space clearing, make sure that you go through every room, removing as much clutter as possible. For more information on clutter clearing, see Chapter 4.
In addition, do a thorough cleaning. Vacuum the rugs, mop the floors, wash the windows. Open the windows wide to allow sunshine and fresh air to fill the rooms. Put away any open containers of food, as they may absorb some of the energy being cleared.
Make sure arrangements are made to keep children and animals out of the working space on the day of the space clearing. The wagging tail of a friendly dog can send space clearing tools flying.
The clothes you wear during a space clearing matter. They should be clean and carefully selected for the occasion. They can be of your choosing but should be appropriate to the situation and shouldn’t be casual, everyday clothes. The colors of the clothes you wear are also important. Light colors reflect and dark colors absorb. During your clearing, it’s best to reflect the energy rather than absorb it. See Appendix A for the qualities of colors that you might choose for your clothing.
It is best to remove jewelry, particularly rings and bracelets, as they can subtly impede your ability to sense energy. (This is optional; do so only if it feels right intuitively.)
It is vital that you are properly hydrated before and after the space clearing. The water will help you transport energy through your body and release any unneeded energy that you may have taken on during the clearing.
Should you protect yourself before a space clearing? There are compelling reasons on both sides of the debate. From a spiritual perspective, it’s not always a good idea to protect yourself, for there is a mystical dimension within each of us wherein dwells the entire universe. It is a domain where you are not separate from the mountains, clouds, or great seas. Ancients, sages, and visionaries have spoken of this dimension with awe and reverence. On a very deep, spiritual level, there is nothing that is separate from you, so there is no need to protect yourself … because everything is “you.”
As soon as you set up protection, you are defining some things as outside yourself and harmful. In a strange way, this makes what you deem as “bad” become even more so. It is a kind of polarization. What you resist persists. If you spend a lot of time and energy resisting “bad” energy and protecting yourself, you are creating the very things that you need to protect yourself from.
Those who constantly feel a need to protect themselves have a tendency to be a victim of life; often they may feel a lack of personal power. By continually repeating rituals for protection, they are actually defining themselves as helpless and affirming their own powerlessness. It’s important to be aware of this.
However, as most of us don’t experience a beneficent state of grace on an ongoing basis, and as it is not always possible to maintain this feeling of unity and oneness with the space around you, there are occasions when it might be valuable to cloak your energy field so that you can be more effective in your space clearing. Do not hesitate to protect yourself if you feel the need.
Before you do any protection techniques, follow these steps:
If you ever feel the need for extra protection, the following techniques are highly effective. These techniques are not specific to space clearing. You can do them anytime you feel you need an added barrier between you and the negative energy of the world.
You do not need to use all these techniques. However, you can try each of them, one at a time, to discover which work best for you. Alternatively, you might want to combine a few of them.
The best way to experiment with them is to try one during a non-space-clearing situation in which you are aware that you’ll need your energy “mantle.” For example, you can try a technique at a family gathering that always leaves you drained.
Imagine two intertwined spirals like a DNA strand. They are twirling up from the earth like a whirlwind. Visualize yourself in the center.
Stomp twice—once with each foot—to activate the spirals. With each stomp, cry out “Haa!” with passion. (An interesting sidenote: in the Hawaiian language, the word Haa means both “breath” and “spirit.”)
If you’d like to use colors in your visualization, make sure the entire whirlwind column of color is surrounded in shimmering, radiant white light. Visualize the colors as incredibly bright and sparkling. See “Colors for Protection” in Appendix A.
Breath of Fire is a powerful protecting and clearing kind of breath that has been done in Indian healing traditions for many hundreds of years. It clears your energy field and also creates a healing, protective energetic boundary around you. Breath of Fire is good for clearing your auric field after your space clearing as well.
You can use whatever feels powerful and protective to you as a talisman such as a crystal, stone, symbol, word, or special gift. The exact nature of the item is less important than the meaning that you assign to it.
Talismans can be worn around the neck or taped on the body. (If you use the latter method, use surgical tape or another tape that can be removed painlessly.) Consider taping your talisman onto the solar plexus area, which is where we lose energy. Notice that when people are afraid, they often wrap their arms over this area.
Make sure to cleanse your talisman periodically, via one of the methods in Part II. Also refer to the box “Simple Cleansing Techniques”.
If you’d like to use a stone as a talisman, refer to Appendix B for guidance in your selection. The following are particularly good options for protection; however, any stone that feels powerful and protective to you is a good one:
Note that a crystal, if used as a talisman, must be cleared immediately and reprogrammed. Be aware that a crystal can absorb energy rather than dispel it, if not used in a discerning way.
Salt can be carried in a pouch around the neck or in pockets during a clearing. Although the difference is subtle, rock salt is slightly more grounding than sea salt, but both are excellent—the less processed the better, and the bigger the crystals the better.
Consider taking a salt bath before and after a clearing. (Epsom salt can be used.) If done before, don’t rinse off completely, ensuring there is a subtle mantle of salt on your body.
You can also take a shower and scrub with salt to create this mantle of energy. Make sure to use the salt under your armpits. Energetically your arms usually cover this area but when you lift your arms in your space clearing, it is exposed.
Call upon angels, guardian spirits, and spirits of the Four Elements to stand before you, behind you, and on either side of you, so that your spirit helpers surround and protect you. You can also call upon your ancestors for protection. This is powerful beyond measure.
Spray or dab on protective essential oils, such as the following:
See Appendix D for more information on different essential oils.
Even the clothing you wear can add some protective qualities. White is a reflective color and so adds some protection during a space clearing. For the qualities of other colors, see the box “Colors for Protection” in Appendix A.
To deepen a protective mantle around you, declare out loud (or silently to yourself), “My word is law in my universe, and I am safe and strong no matter where I am.” You can then thump the center of your chest three times with passion and say out loud, “I am safe!”
This can be done several times during a clearing if needed. Each time you hit your chest, say, “I am safe.” Thumping the chest dispels anything that is not needed out of your energy field.
Long before Christianity claimed it as its symbol, the Cross was a symbol of protection and sanctuary. Imagine a fine netting surrounding you that’s made of thousands of crosses. You might imagine that the Creator (or Christ) is tossing this netting over you wherever you need protection.
If you live in an area with some soulful trees, you might want to adopt one so that you not only have a Spirit Tree as your protector but also a physical tree that you can call upon. To adopt a tree, simply stand next to it in nature and imagine that you can communicate with it. Ask it if it is willing to be your protective tree. If it feels as if the tree is answering in the affirmative, then it will act as an energetic protector. (Most trees love to serve in this way. It’s one of their gifts to humanity.)
Immerse yourself in a sphere of divine white light, allowing it to flow through and surround you.
Alternatively, imagine yourself in an orb of pink light filled with pink etheric roses to represent unconditional love.
As you shower, imagine divine white light flowing over your body, cleansing your entire body and your energy fields … thus replenishing your energy and creating a sphere of light to protect you.
Visualize yourself surrounded by a mirrored bubble with the reflective side facing out. Anything less than positive sent your way is cleansed and reflected back into the universe. You may wish to set the intention that anything serving your highest purpose is allowed to pass through, while anything else is reflected away.
Imagine a wall of golden light between you and whatever you wish to be protected from. Nothing can penetrate the wall of golden light.
Part II will delve into all the tools that you might choose for space clearing. It’s important to note that the tools you use are only a vehicle for your intention and prayers. By themselves, they cannot sanctify a home. Your bell, drum, or gong only serves as a focal point for you to direct energy toward a space. However, the tools that you choose are important because when you feel a close connection to them, they serve to amplify your intention.
Choosing a tool for space clearing is very individual. One person may fall in love with the frame drum and find that every time they hear its sound, they can sense energy more perceptively. Someone else may find that burning incense resins creates a powerful shift of consciousness in a space.
The best space clearing tool is the one that you feel most attracted to. How much you pay for it or where it came from does not matter as much as your love for it.
A tool that is loved will be a powerful ally in your quest to bring harmony into living spaces.
Empower your space clearing tools before the first time you use them, and re-attune them before every space clearing. To do so, hold the tool close to your body and visualize it becoming an extension of your body and soul. When you and your space clearing instruments are thus attuned to each other, that bond creates a special kind of alchemy that strengthens with every space clearing ceremony that you perform. A tool that has been attuned to your energy is a powerful ally in your space clearing.
Naming your tools further facilitates their effectiveness. Naming is a powerful and magical act. In ancient cultures an instrument used for ceremonies was revered and named. Words structure reality and anytime you name something, you develop a much more intimate connection with it.
The feather fan I use for smudging is named “Dragon Wind.” Every time I use it, I imagine that a powerful healing wind created by the wings of a magnificent emerald-green dragon is fanning the smoke into a room.
Before each use of a space clearing tool, mentally address it by its name. This will automatically call forth stronger, more resonant energy.
Keep your space clearing tools scrupulously clean. Shake out or wash your altar cloth, incense burner, and other such items after each use. It’s important to also energetically cleanse your tools before and after a space clearing. There are multiple methods described in Part II for doing so. Refer to the box “Simple Cleansing Techniques for your Tools” for some good suggestions.
Your space clearing tools should be held in a special place when not in use. Select a place that’s clean and free of clutter—don’t shove everything in a drawer or messy shelf. You may find it useful to wrap certain items in fabric. For example, wrapping your crystals in silk will help keep the energy intact. Use your intuition as to the qualities of different fabrics and colors, and see Appendix A for further guidance.
The Blessing Altar creates a vortex of energy for the clearing. It grounds and stabilizes energy, allowing the space to adjust gently to the clearing so there isn’t any ensuing chaotic energy. Furthermore, it magnifies your efforts during the clearing and activates spiritual guidance. It becomes a sacred center from which you can draw energy as you work throughout the home. It helps anchor and strengthen you during the space clearing.
In many ways the power of the altar lies in its visible appearance. The structure and objects of the altar appeal to our psyche because they give form to the formless and provide a visual representation of the Divine. It is difficult to comprehend the spiritual realm because of its unseeable nature. However, when objects are thoughtfully placed on an altar to physically represent thoughts, plans, ideas, or dreams—which by their very essence are invisible—this gives substance to your intentions. The care that goes into a Blessing Altar can positively impact an entire home.
The first step in preparing your altar is to become clear about your intentions for the entire house. If you are doing a clearing for another, take care to interview them about their goals. Then, simply decide what altar objects would best symbolize those intentions.
Every object on the altar, as well as the placement of these objects, is meaningful. The organization of the altar creates a template for the rest of your ceremony, and the overall intention for your space clearing should be reflected in your Blessing Altar. Carefully chosen objects placed on your Blessing Altar in a deliberate and conscious way can create a mystic center of powerful energy that ripples in all directions.
The following is a list of some qualities commonly associated with a number of objects you might place upon your altar. It is by no means complete; this is intended only as a starting point. Remember that symbols and their interpretations vary widely from culture to culture. Use what works for you; your intuition will be your true guide in your selection.
For ease of transport, I suggest keeping all your tools and altar cloths in a special basket or wooden box. (I like to call this the Blessing Basket.)
An altar cloth is the piece of fabric that will serve as your altar during your space clearing ceremony. You can go to a fabric store or specialty store to get cloths of all colors, materials, and designs to activate different kinds of energy.
Colors: Our response to light is very deeply ingrained in our nervous system. Because consciousness is so closely related to the spectrum of light, the color of your altar cloth and other items on your altar will dramatically affect the energy of your space clearing. See Appendix A for color associations you might want to consider.
Designs: Be aware of the symbolism in the designs that you choose. For example, I have an altar cloth with a serpent on it, which represents transformation and change. So if someone really wanted a new life, to let go of the old, this cloth might be a good fit. If you find life dull, you might reach for a colorful, sparkling cloth.
Fabrics: Note the fabric of your altar cloth. Every material has a different energy you can intuit. For example, a soft cashmere would be wonderful for someone who wanted to bring that soft, loving energy into his or her life.
You don’t need to spend lots of money to get many different, expensive cloths; you can have just one altar cloth. Do not equate stuff with results.
Using specially chosen stones or metals on your Blessing Altar can quicken the specific kind of energy associated with them. See Appendix B for the qualities commonly associated with some gems and stones you may find useful.
Natural stones that you gather from special locations can be sources of healing energy for space clearing. Similarly, a stone given to you by a teacher or someone special to you will contain the energy of that connection. Placing these stones on your Blessing Altar is one way of implanting their energy in the space.
On altars throughout the world, you will find offerings of fruit, flowers, and grains. These are traditionally used because they represent the bounty brought forth from the Earth Mother. A glowing orange, a small bowl of rice, a beautiful arrangement of bright flowers—all of these things add richness, beauty, and a feeling of abundance to the Blessing Altar, as well as anywhere else they are placed in the home. They call in these qualities for your clearing and can secure them into the energy of the home once your ceremony is complete.
When you are choosing items for your Blessing Altar, keep in mind the meaning that each item can bring to the overall energy of the home. An essential oil burner or a stick of incense can also deepen the energy of a clearing. (See Appendix D for guidance.) Turn to Appendix C for a list of the meanings of different flowers you might use to adorn your altar or use in a flower offering.
Here are a few other commonly used offerings and their meanings:
Once you have decided which objects to use for your altar, in a deliberate, soulful way, set up your altar. You can set it on the floor, on a coffee table or table, or any place that feels central to the space that you are clearing. Take each item out of your Blessing Basket (or whatever you’re using to contain them) in a ceremonial way with love and care.
You can do this arranging in silence, or you can say a blessing for each item on your Blessing Altar. For example, as you place an offering bowl filled with rice on your altar cloth, you might say:
I dedicate this offering of rice to abundance and prosperity for this home.
After you have arranged the Blessing Altar, take a moment to center your thoughts. Hold the intention of what results you desire for the clearing. Then, either aloud or silently, offer prayers for the space and all who occupy the space. An example of a prayer might be:
I dedicate this space clearing to love, joy, and good health. May harmony and peace embrace all the members of this family, and may all who enter this place find comfort here. I humbly ask for spiritual guidance during this clearing.
Beginnings are important, and the initiation of any space clearing is a sacred time. If you start clearing a house or office without first taking the proper steps, your ceremonies will not be as profound and powerful as they could have been. Your Blessing Altar is the place where you begin your ritual, open your heart, and call for spiritual guidance. Angels, spirit guides and guardians, ancestors, and totem allies respond and send beneficial healing energy when prayers are sent straight from the heart.
The completion ceremony performed at the Blessing Altar is as significant as the one done at the beginning. The time and energy you spend at the end of the ceremony will integrate the energy of the space clearing you have just performed. If a space clearing is done without grounding and integration, then disruption and turmoil can occur afterward.
The length of time that a completion blessing ceremony takes may vary. Usually it lasts about 10 minutes, but it may last longer depending on individual needs.
The process itself is very simple. Spend as much time as you intuitively feel is necessary at your Blessing Altar, serenely sending forth prayers for the home and its occupants. The following is an example of a prayer you might say at the conclusion of your clearing:
Creator, spiritual guardians, and angels, thank you for the loving assistance that was given to us during this space clearing. Thank you for the peace and joy that is now flowing into this home. May the benefits of this clearing and blessing continue for the months ahead. May the wonderful positive energy that has been instilled in this home bring comfort and rejuvenation to all.
Space clearing without integration can be compared to the process of continually stirring up a stagnant pond: the water will appear disrupted and murky. Space clearing can stir up old energy, and it can make an environment feel disturbed and agitated afterward. However, when energy is integrated at the conclusion of a space clearing, churned-up energy in the home is smoothed into gentle, flowing energy. It becomes like a stream of fresh water gently flowing into a stagnant pond, which eventually turns clear, without turmoil. Similarly, a grounded space clearing creates clarity and harmony throughout the home without undue disruption.
The completion ceremony done at the Blessing Altar grounds the energy of the home and prevents a sense of upheaval afterward. Without this integration, it is not uncommon for repressed energy to rise to the surface.
For example, if a couple is harboring suppressed, festering anger or resentment toward each other, space clearing can result in turmoil and even loud arguments after the clearing, unless there is a grounding. The couple might state, “Before the clearing everything was peaceful, but now there is chaos!” What they called “peaceful” might be very stagnant, suppressed emotions, but they usually don’t take kindly to you pointing that out to them.
Space clearing removes stagnant energy, which may be like allowing suppressed negative energy to rise to the surface. This can be like lancing a boil. Old issues can rise to the surface after an ungrounded space clearing. However, when there is an integration ceremony at the Blessing Altar, a home will be filled with clearer, more balanced energy. This way, hidden issues can rise to the surface in a safer and more harmonious manner, rather than through upheaval.
A space clearing done without integration can sometimes also cause problems in the house itself, such as water pipes breaking or fuses blowing out. To avoid emotional or physical disruptions after a space clearing, please be sure to follow the steps and suggestions in this chapter with clear focus and an open mind and heart.