Steps to Crafting Your Space
With all that you have learned so far, it is now time to finally put all of this together to craft your space to be in harmony with the Heart of the Earth! Each of us have different personalities that need to be taken into account when crafting our spaces. Considering others when contemplating how to change your space is very important, in addition to defining what it is that you would like the space to do for you. For example, how we interact with people in a professional situation is vastly different from that of a familiar situation, such as your home or dorm room. If you have animal companions, they also must be included and factored in to determine how the space has to be adapted to ensure that they too may be happy and thrive.
Our spaces are extensions of our bodies and spirit. It is your state of being that creates your circumstances and your environment, not the other way around! Life is a mirror. Everything you see around you is a reflection of your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that you hold inside, whether you are conscious of them or not. This includes the people you attract into your life, how they treat you, and how they react to the spaces that you create.
Exercise
Smudging Ritual: A Simple Ceremony
for Blessing and Clearing
Smudging is a traditional Native American technique to bless and clean the energy of items, places, and people. This ancient form of purification, which calls in the Seven Arrows, is always done before the undertaking of any task. Smudge is made of specific herbs to accomplish this. The combination of herbs that I prefer is cedar, sage, and sweetgrass. Although these herbs are typically burned to produce the desired effect, they can also be just as effective when turned into a liquid holding the essential oils of the plants. This is especially useful if you have someone with respiratory issues or are in an environment where smoke is prohibited.
Here’s what you’ll need for the ritual:
• Smudge stick, which can consist of bundled herbs or essential oils. The herbs or oils can be purchased online from reputable holistic vendors.
• A feather for fanning the smudge to the Seven Arrows. A turkey or goose feather is the most common.
• A shell or other fireproof container to hold a burning smudge stick.
• A compass to determine where the four cardinal points are (optional).
The ritual of smudging is performed the same way whether smoke or liquid form is used. If using the liquid form of smudge, create a misting spray with the oils and water. Spray the mist into the air and use the feather to waft the mist in the direction that it’s supposed to go. If you are burning smudge, make sure that you have the windows cracked or that the place has good air circulation so that the smoke does become too dense and can dissipate quickly.
Steps for Smudging
• Begin by smudging yourself plus any tools or items that you will be using.
• Look to the south and offer the smudge to the spirit of the south by wafting the smoke or mist in that direction four times. Give thanks to this sacred Spirit Keeper for coming to help you.
• Turn ninety degrees to your right so that you are facing west. Repeat the previous step, but offer the smudge to the spirit of the west.
• Turn ninety degrees to your right so that you are facing north. Offer the smudge to the spirit of the north.
• Turn ninety degrees to your right so that you are facing east. Offer the smudge to the spirit of the east.
• Turn ninety degrees to your right so that you are again facing south, then turn toward the center. Fan the smudge to the ground to offer to Earth Mother.
• Look up to the sky and fan the smudge to the heavens or to the ceiling to offer to Sky Father.
• Fan the smudge over yourself and whatever is in the center to honor the Great Spirit.
• If using a smudge stick extinguish it thoroughly. You are now ready to begin your project. You only need to smudge once before you begin working every day.
Important note: If you were burning the smudge and after you make sure that it is properly extinguished, you must bury the ashes or offer them to the winds. Returning the ashes of the herbs back to Earth Mother honors the spirit of the plants that gave themselves for your prayers. From a practical standpoint, the ashes of these herbs act as nourishment for the next generation of plants. This completes a Sacred Hoop.
Establishing the Heart of a Place
This is one of the most critical steps in this entire process of crafting your space! Please do not rush this step for the Heart of your space will hold its essence and its health for the duration that you are there. Determine whether you will be using the natural Heart of your space or one that you establish. It is best to use the original Heart whenever possible. It will allow for the innate rhythms of your space to flow naturally with the greatest benefit to you and those who are there. However, sometimes it is necessary to move the Heart of a place, which we’ll discuss in the next section. This can happen when the natural Heart is in a location that is extremely inconvenient or hazardous.
Getting back to using the existing Heart, once you have determined where it is, choose an item that will symbolize the essence of what you are creating and place the item in the exact center of your space. Focus your energy and your feelings while touching the item and concentrate on the qualities that you would like the Heart to hold. Think of different blessings you would like for yourself and for those who will be there with you, such as strong health, prosperity, or love. Envision the item filling up with the energy of the blessings and awakening a heartbeat within it. Imagine the heartbeat becoming stronger and radiating the energy, your intentions, and blessings within it.
After you have completed this process, you may carefully select where you will place the item, as it is the anchor piece of your space. I would like to emphasize that the anchor piece does not have to be the focal point of the room. The item that holds the essence of the Heart merely needs to be present somewhere within that room.
Method for Establishing a New Heart
There are extra steps to do if you are going to create a new Heart for your space instead of using the original one. In a way, the term “new” is misleading for what you are doing. You’re not creating a new Heart but merely channeling the energy from the natural Heart to another space where you wish for the heartbeat to be strongest.
For this, you will need two anchor pieces, rather than just the one used in the previous section. The first step is to find the center of the room or space that holds the natural Heart as well as the place you would like to create the new one. Use common sense and safety if the natural Heart is not in a safe location to reach. If you can’t safely reach the Heart, get as close as you reasonably can to it.
Once you’ve reached the Heart, choose which of your two items will remain in the original location of the natural Heart and which will anchor down the other end of the energetic bridge as you are establishing the new Heart. The items do not have to be identical, but they should be similar in theme since the physical link of energy is more powerful when you do this.
Bless both spaces and the items by calling in the Seven Arrows with a smudging ceremony. Take both items to the room or space where the natural Heart is located and once again focus on filling both of them with the energy of the natural Heart as well as envisioning infusing the items with the blessings that you would wish for you and those who live with you.
Walk only the item that is to be the anchor for the channeled energy from the natural Heart to the center of the desired room that is to be the home for the new Heart. Envision and feel the energy flowing freely and strongly from the natural Heart to the anchor item in your hands. It is vital that you take time to feel and envision the flow from the natural Heart to the new one that you are creating. The essence that the Heart will circulate will only be as strong as the effort you put into creating it! Place the anchor item for the new Heart somewhere in the space where you are moving it.
The other item will remain somewhere in the space where the original Heart is. Please note that the channel between the two rooms should always be kept clear! It does not mean that the two places have to be in a straight line, but the corridor or rooms in between them should be kept free of obstacles, similar to the idea of keeping the arteries of your human heart clear for better health.
The Impact of Color
On the topic of colors, I will bring only the most basic and general of tips. I am not an interior designer, but I will give you the bare essentials so that you may be successful in creating a place that will make you and others with you happy. Color is all around us and it affects our moods and energetic levels, whether we are conscious of it or not. Colors are used all the time to influence us. You see this when you are enjoying a movie where the scene might be humorous and light, or mysterious, dark, and foreboding. Colors are constantly used in marketing to try to catch your eyes and sway your feelings and opinions about a product.
Here are some general rules of thumb so you can get a rough idea as to how to choose your colors and how to apply them. Warmer colors can inspire energy and enthusiasm. Warm colors include red, orange, yellow, or pink. Avoid using warm colors in small spaces, as they can make a space feel closed in. Cool colors, on the other hand, instill calm and will help you focus. In the work space, cool colors speak of professionalism. Cool colors in a large room will make it appear even larger and can create a disconnected, stark, and unwelcoming feeling much like being lost in an impersonal place like an institution. Examples of these types of colors include blue, green, and purple. Shades of white tend to open up space. Using gray colors will help to make things seem more businesslike and sophisticated, and have a sharper look.
Colors can be used to your advantage. If you have a space that is small, then using a cool color that is lighter will make a room feel safe and a little larger. On the other hand, a color that is darker will make a place appear smaller. This knowledge can assist with making a smaller space appear roomier or a larger space a bit cozier. For a very large room a warmer color that is darker or more intense can be painted on one wall to act as an anchor wall that draws attention and will act as a natural gathering point. An anchor wall in a large space makes a room feel more grounded because it gives it a point of orientation, and therefore makes it more comfortable.
When choosing colors, it is best to have a dominant color with other complementary ones alongside it to make a room feel complete and more interesting. This is not only for aesthetic reasons. The dominant color acts as a foundation that steadily holds the type of sacred Power you want in a room. I would ask you to consider two factors when deciding on a dominant color. One of them is the Medicine Wheel. Please use the Medicine Wheel color chart in Figure 8 to establish the type of sacred Power and element you want in that room.
What you select as the primary Power needs to be represented in the space in some way, such as a piece of decor if it is not to be the dominant color. Another thing to consider is how a color makes you feel both emotionally and energetically. Both of these factors are equally important! Once you have decided which color will be dominant, use a standard color wheel to locate your dominant color and see the color options that will accompany it.
I will mention four methods to assist you in choosing your color scheme. Please know that the internet can go into further detail, or if you prefer, consult someone who is trained in interior design.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel, such as blue and orange. You would select one of them to be the predominant color and the other as an accent. The contrast can be rather striking. You must use a neutral color to help bring harmony by acting as a bridge between the two complementary colors. For example, I could choose to paint a room a sky blue color and have the trim be silvery white of summer clouds. Then I could choose decorations or an item in that room that is a variation of the color orange. Blue and orange are complementary, silvery white is the neutral bridge between them.
Figure 8: Complementary and Secondary Color Wheel
Complementary Combinations
Another way to combine colors is through a complementary combination. This is a great way for beginners to choose colors for a room because it naturally lends itself to a greater harmony. A complementary combination is when you choose one color to be dominant and, instead of choosing the complementary color directly across from it on the color wheel, you choose the two colors next to its complementary color. Say, for example, you choose blue and to either side of its complementary color, which is orange, are the colors yellow orange and red orange. If I paint the room to be a sky blue color, I would choose my trim and baseboards to be a neutral color. Wherever I would like to draw the eye, I could put accent pieces, such as pillows, that would be yellow orange and red orange. Use both the complementary and split complementary combinations when you really want a vivid contrast that pops.
Triadic
The third combination of colors is called a triadic. This is when you skip an equal number of spaces between three colors to make a combination. A combination could include red, violet, and orange; or blue violet, blue green, and yellow green.
Analogous
The fourth and final way to create color combination is called analogous. This combination occurs when you choose three colors that are side by side, such as yellow, yellow orange, and orange. When using this form of combining colors, it is best to keep cool colors with cool ones and warm colors with warmer colors, unless you have a very good idea of how to use colors. The best way to manage this combination is to choose a dominant color and have the others serve as accent colors.
Proper Use of Light
Just as color can help to influence our emotions, lighting also has a profound impact on our energy levels, attitudes, and perceptions. The reason is that light affects our circadian rhythms. These rhythms are the natural cycles in our bodies that affect our mental and physical behaviors, as well our personal energy levels throughout the course of a day.
Because of this, light is a very important aspect to ponder when crafting your space. The amount of light in your environment will have an impact on your overall mood and well-being. It will amplify or diminish the effects of the colors you put into a room. Reflect upon how you feel more upbeat during months when there is more sunlight, such as the spring and summer. Conversely, you may find yourself feeling more sluggish or depressed when it becomes darker for longer stretches of time during the fall and winter.
Whenever possible, natural lighting is always preferable as it shows the true colors of the items that you are putting into a room and the paint on the walls. If you find that there is little natural light or there are no windows, it is better to install light bulbs that mimic natural light in the places you tend to be in the most.
Beyond helping you remain in a good mood, another reason to keep your spaces well lit is that insufficient lighting can make a small room feel even smaller and very cramped. Imagine a small room after it is full of furniture and is dimly lit. It can feel like the walls are closing in on you and you are going to be smothered alive in that place. Fortunately, technology has advanced beyond incandescent light bulbs so that there are good selections of different types of lighting, keeping both our planet and your budget happy.
Think about what feeling you want a room to have in relation to its function in order to decide if you should go with bright or gentle light. Brighter lights will help you to focus. They are often the choice for places that require consistent concentration and intensity for prolonged periods of time, such as a work place, a medical or educational institution, or a sports facility. Would you like help eating less to stick to your diet? Install a bright light where you eat. You will find yourself eating more deliberately and eating lighter meals. Restaurants use soft lighting, which makes you relax. The more you relax, the longer you will linger. The longer you linger, the more you will eat and drink. Putting brighter lighting into a space subconsciously gives you the message that you need to focus on finishing your meal so that you can move on to your next set of tasks.
If you wish to create a cozier space, then gentle lighting is preferable. Soft lighting makes it easier to release tension and creates a sense of safety for your spirit, body, and mind. It is the ideal choice of lighting in a bedroom, meditation space, or recreational room. It can also help a huge space seem less intimidating by making it feel smaller.
Because I want to live in harmony with nature’s cycles, as well as of those of my body, I have different types of bulbs in my house that produce both bright and soft lighting. I have put several LED bulbs in my ceiling lamp where I work and full spectrum lights throughout my home since I don’t have dimmer switches. It gives me the option to create bright light when I need to work, and as I grow tired as the day goes on I back it down to soft light to help me to relax. This does wonders to improve my mood and enhance my energy levels, even on the darkest of days! Be aware that LED and compact fluorescent bulbs produce a significant amount of blue light, which can interfere with sleep.
Making a Small Space Seem Bigger
One of the most impactful ways to make a small space seem larger is to find ways to spread light around and soften corners and recesses of the room when illuminating them. You can visually create a larger space with corner lamps, wall sconces, or a bright central hanging light. The idea is to draw the eye vertically and upwards with your lighting. In a small space, drawing the eye horizontally will make a room seem much smaller. You can also use mirrors to reflect more light into your room.
Another impact on the size of a space is that the furniture has to be in proportion to the room. For a small space, use one large piece of furniture, or two at most, which either go wall to wall or ceiling to floor. This can trick the eye in making a room appear larger. In addition, I also recommend using pieces of furniture that are low to the ground and that show their legs. A room seems airier if you use sleek furniture versus big, heavy pieces. If you absolutely feel the need to use a heavy piece as a focal point for the room, a work of art hanging on the wall would be a good choice. I personally prefer multifunctional furniture. In my small space, I have a futon that has drawers underneath to store of blankets and pillows.
A small space benefits from the use of reflective and shiny surfaces. Placing a mirror strategically so that it reflects the natural light of the room will fool the eye into making a room seem much larger than it is. These surfaces create a sense of openness and brightness, which makes a room feel lighter and more spacious.
Make sure that you create paths so that movement is easy throughout the space. If necessary, you can group your furniture to one side of the space. The idea is if you can move freely throughout the room without bumping into something, it gives the impression and sensation that the room has ample space. Another idea is to use either no drapes or breezy fabrics on the windows to avoid visually separating the room. Of course, we all have the need for privacy so the use of some blinds may be necessary.
Getting storage that is appropriate for your needs is mandatory in a small space. Think beyond the present and calculate how much more storage space you might need as you accumulate more possessions. As I mentioned before, furniture that has built-in drawers or storage bins is perfect if you have a small home or work space. In addition to making your place look tidy, it is very convenient to have what you need within hand’s reach at all times. Although this might not seem like an important piece of advice, leave some empty space on any shelves instead of cramming them with things. When you leave space, it subconsciously gives the message that there is room for expansion.
The key to making a small space seem bigger is to use many different elements to reinforce a sense that the space is open and airy. You will definitely feel that you have room to breathe and stretch. It makes all the difference between a space that feels open and entices you to snuggle down and get comfortable versus a space that feels full and like you are huddled in a tiny cave.
Making a Big Room Seem Smaller
If you find that a room is so large that it feels more like a ballroom, here are some tips to help you make it cozier. First off, small furniture in a large room only helps to exaggerate how large the room is. Whatever furniture you choose should be in proportion to the size of space. In a big space, large furniture, such as a long sofa or large area rugs, can help the room feel more manageable. Short bookshelves or cabinets help to lower the ceiling in a big space. Another trick is using corner furniture, like a table or a corner shelf. When placing furniture in a large space, keep it away from any walls. Putting something closer to the center of your space and away from walls draws attention to the furniture and makes it serve as a centerpiece.
In many modern home floor plans, it is more common to find an open floor design, rather than a design of small rooms. For spaces with large, open floor plans, it’s best to break that space down into two or three smaller areas that have different activities.
For example, one portion of the space could be used as a recreational area where you can unwind and watch movies. That area could be furnished with a big sofa that has nice fluffy pillows, perhaps even a fireplace. The other portion of the room could be used as a sitting area where you put a round table with straight-backed chairs. This would break up this large space into two “rooms,” one for enjoying a relaxing activity and the other for sitting more attentively to do work or engage in conversation.
In a large space, you also need to pay attention to colors. The lighter the color, the larger and more open a space will seem. Using darker and less reflective colors will make a large space look smaller. If you wanted to use a green color in a big space, selecting a rich forest green instead of a light mint cream hue would be the proper choice. You could achieve a similar effect with wallpaper that has subtle but large patterns.
I should emphasize that you must use good lighting! This way the dark colors will bring a richness to the space. Dim lighting will make your space appear overly dark and depressing like a cavern. Also, shy away from shiny and reflective surfaces in large space. Instead use a matte or eggshell finish with paint. Incorporate wood or stone because they are grounding elements and they also subconsciously give the message that the space is cozier than it really is.
Just as the furniture needs to match the size of the room, the decorations should also be equal in scale. Always use larger decorations or paintings in large spaces. As you hang works of art or decorations, remember to place them lower to create a horizontal line. As the eye follows the horizontal line, it helps to create a subconscious idea that the ceiling is lower and the room is not quite as large.
Secondhand Items
Everything around us absorbs the influence and intensity of our moods and the emotions generated by our activities. Because of this, I strongly urge that if you buy objects from a secondhand shop, you perform a cleansing smudge ritual on them before using them, including items gifted to you from a friend or relative. This will be especially true for those of you who are empaths!
I remember an acquaintance who purchased an old Victorian-style dresser from a secondhand shop. Shortly after the dresser was moved into his home, he started seeing the shadow of a man. Although this ghost never did anything alarming, it would frighten him terribly. He contacted me because of this new haunting, and as a part of the work, I asked him to inquire about the history of the dresser. He discovered that this piece of furniture was from an estate and belonged to a man who had died alone. Once I performed a cleansing ritual and said a prayer to ask the spirit of the former owner of the dresser to have a safe journey back to the Creator, everything went back to normal.
Any item, whether it be clothing, furniture, or even a decoration, can carry more than just the dust and physical remnants of the past. In order to clean the objects, you need to bless them with smudge and offer the item back to the Creator. If the item can be wiped down without ruining it, make a mixture with a couple drops of lavender oil, or a combination of sage and cedar oils, with a cup of water. Make sure that you buy essential oils and not fragrance. Washing your item down with this gentle solution smells very pleasant and will eliminate any energetic residue that remained from previous owners.
It is wonderful to use items over again. I have found many treasures by going to secondhand shops, antique and curiosity stores, and garage sales. However, sometimes bargains, if you are not careful, can come with a bigger price than you anticipated.
How to Set the
Dominant Energy in a Space
As mentioned previously, you can see the energy of a space by noting which compass point it falls in and how that direction relates to the Medicine Wheel. The energy is also influenced by the people who will be in the space most of the time, the purpose for which the space is being created, and potentially by spirit forces or divine forces, if you are introducing Them into a space.
The natural sacred undercurrent is the Power that will be ever present and ever influential, regardless of what will go on in this particular space. Anything you put in that room will be like a boat that is in a flowing stream or ocean bay. Yes, an anchored boat would remain in the same approximate location, but it will turn in relation to the current or tide. If not secured, the boat would aimlessly drift. The same can be said for a room that does not have a focus. In order to enhance the energy that you wish to be dominant in a space, you need to introduce items that anchor that energy and use colors that will represent the element that you want to bring in.
The most harmonious arrangement is to have a room’s function follow the natural energy that is within it. If you wish to enhance the naturally occurring Power, introduce items or colors that bring in the energy of its opposite compass point in order to complete a Sacred Hoop of Power. This idea is similar to understanding the flow of energy between the front and rear entrances of a space if they are across from each other on the compass. This helps to create a miniature current of energy that will feel the most in alignment with the natural world.
Let us say that my goal is to design a room for writing and creativity. The room that I have available is aligned to the southeast. This is an ideal placement because southeast is a point between, which is a direction of moving energy. More specifically, the direction of southeast represents the Place of Self-Identity through the development of self-expression and creativity. If I wanted to reinforce the influences of the southeast, I would choose colors that represent it in some way. For example, I might place a bronze dragonfly on the wall. The dragonfly represents quick movement, piercing through illusions, and the transformations in life that come through living in truth. I might also add some room accents in harvest colors, like red, orange, or yellow. But since I would also like for my efforts to come to completion, I want to introduce elements that represent the compass point opposite of southeast.
The direction opposite the southeast is the northwest. The northwest is the Place of Surrender. Surrender, as taught to me by my Seneca Medicine Teachers, means owning and fully participating in the process of change and transformation from beginning to end. This is the perfect compass point for this purpose. So many times it is tempting to start things but never finish them. Introducing the energy of the northwest helps to complete the circle with the southeast. For this purpose, I may add highlights of silver in a space to represent the direction of northwest.
In this example, I also want divine masculine energy, so I may paint the room sky blue. From a psychological standpoint, it lifts my morale because the color mimics that of the sky on a beautiful, perfect day. The energies of the southeast and northwest work in harmony and enhance the influence of the undercurrent. I created a room like this in real life and having the energy come full circle has aided me tremendously in becoming an author and completing countless other important tasks in my life.
Whenever you introduce representations of a compass point that is opposite of your dominant one, it helps to complete a Sacred Hoop. Imagine that each space is like its own miniature Medicine Wheel. Completing the circle is harmonious with nature, since nature is a series of cycles. If you wish to review this topic again, please go back to chapter Three under Interaction of the Elements among the Four Cardinal Points.
Time to focus on another example. Let us say that you want the dominant energy of a space to revolve around the intended function of it. Pretend that the space is located in the northeast. You would like the function for this room to be your private meditation space to find inner peace after a hectic day. As you recall, the energy of northeast is that of a Place of Becoming, which is infinite potential. This compass point is a place of discovery, but of no final concrete form.
In some ways, designing a meditation space with this energy is useful, but not ideal. It is not conducive to being able to go more deeply into your center and your meditations to find tranquility and answers to your questions. The points in between, like northeast, are compass points of constant movement, which are hardly restful for a meditation room. You need a source of energy to act as a stable foundation. You would do this by introducing one of the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, or west. For a meditation space, you’d need energy for finding solutions and transforming situations to the best possible outcome, which would be aligned with the direction of west. The compass point of west is a point of stability. It is the direction of the element of water and of the Heart.
Since this space will be for your use only, you need symbols representing and honoring the sacred beings that you walk with, plus any items that help you focus while you meditate. It would also be helpful to add personal comfort items, such as pillows or a comfortable meditation chair. These personal items should be sufficient to honor the western energy that you bring into the mix because these things are sacred in your Heart. If you wanted to request the blessings of the spirit of the west (Bear) specifically, you would put items in the space that honor and invite this divine being in, such as images or paw prints of the Bear, or stars to symbolize the night sky.
In this example, you are setting the predominant energy of this space to that of the west and the element of water. There is no harm in doing this because the undercurrent of the northeastern energy would have a tendency to leave things open-ended instead of giving closure or completion. This constant undercurrent of the northeast would drive things to be more superficial, which would work against you if your goal is to go more deeply with meditations and studies. To makes things smoother, you could also introduce another element, like spirit. Spirit would have a double benefit in this particular instance since your space would be intended as a place of meditation and spiritual study.
As a rule of thumb, when there are two forces that do not work easily or naturally with each other, such as this example, it is important to introduce the element of spirit, which is in the center of the Medicine Wheel and the place of the Great Spirit. The element of spirit acts as a balance point and a buffer so that the two potentially discordant energies can work hand in hand. Since the center of the Medicine Wheel is the place of the Great Spirit and it is a neutral force, it has no limitations when it comes to being represented. Any color representation is possible. This element acts as an intermediary between all points.
As such, it acts as a peacekeeper amongst all the elements and energies. If you wish to have more of a masculine energy, you would introduce colors or items that represent Sky Father. If you wish to bring in more of the divine feminine force, you would bring in items and colors that enhance Earth Mother’s influence.
In this case, you would choose a color that symbolizes the Creator. You could choose accent items or pillows with an off-white color that have the slightest blush of lavender. It would also be helpful to select items and symbols to represent the colors and energies of water. Since you do not wish to enhance the natural energy in this room, do not place anything that would amplify the energy of the northeast. For example, you would not paint this room with pink since it could enhance northeast energy.
Finally, add the colors or items that represent your own personal Good Medicine. These are items that reflect your talents and way of being. If this were my room I would add accents of the color of Aztec gold. This is one of the colors that represents the Fire Eagle Medicine that I carry. I would also have an image of a Fire Eagle.
A final option for setting predominant energy of a space is to choose the energy of a person to be dominant. Let us say that the person in question is an individual who has quiet energy and is very serious, but the room that they have faces south. The element of this space is air and the Arrow of the south is one of high energy. This Spirit Keeper watches over the essence of youth and is very lighthearted.
For someone who needs a peaceful environment of stillness and quiet, this would be equivalent to them going to a stadium where everyone is wildly cheering because their favorite soccer team just won the FIFA World Cup! Colors that should be considered to calm this room could be either those of the west or the north, since both of these directions hold more introversive and tranquil energy. The aspects of the southern energy would need to be significantly calmed down. The easiest and most natural way to do this is by bringing in the energy of its complementary compass point to form a Sacred Hoop. Here, it would be important to introduce elements and energies from the north.
The Arrow of the north is a place of tranquility and speaks of maturity and moving in a stately way, which can be brought about as a result of properly channeling the rapid excitement of the south. To bring in the energy of the north, that person would place elements of earth or some kind of heirloom in that room. The reason for this is that the energy of the spirit of the north represents the wisdom and stately pace of an elder. This compass point holds the element of earth. Completing this Sacred Hoop of Power, that of young energy touching the energy of the old and back again, allows for any events that take place in that room to move from beginning to end in a harmonious, peaceful flow. Under these circumstances, the energy from the south should not be amplified at all.
The rule of thumb is that it is preferable to complete Sacred Hoops whenever possible so long as the resultant energy is the type that you desire. Sacred Hoops formed from the cardinal points will produce a foundational energy that you can build upon. Sacred Hoops created by the Walking Winds (the points between) will result in a current of energy that promotes perpetual movement and change.
What to Do with Pockets
of Stagnant Energy in Your Home
Just as there are places of movement, there are also places of stillness within any space. Observe the areas in your home or work place where the flow of sacred energy moves sluggishly or comes to a standstill. The feeling of stagnant energy is similar to being by a river or stream where there are odd pockets of still water along its edge. The same can be said to be true of a building. You will notice that there are places where things tend to accumulate, are forgotten, or act as a clutter magnet. The remedy for those areas where there is stagnant energy is putting something there that will anchor and strengthen one of your intentions. When you do this it converts this dead space to one of stability with a purpose.
Imagine there is a house where the front entrance faces the northeast, which on the Medicine Wheel is the direction of becoming (infinite potential). The rear entrance points southwest, which on the Medicine Wheel is the direction of the power of storm (catalytic forces) and self-empowerment. There is a poorly lit hallway that meanders through the house and joins the front and the back doors. In one of the nooks, created where the corridor changes direction, is a place of stagnation.
Instead of allowing an ever-growing pile of clutter that you promise to get back to later (but never do), place a physical item that is a symbol or the embodiment of a blessing or concept that you want to take root. Maybe you wish to focus on one aspect of your happiness, like developing a healthy balance between family life, or attracting prosperity, such as growing your career. To represent a tight-knit family, you could put a picture or reminder of your family.
However, you also want to anchor opportunities for prosperity and abundance to consistently be brought into your home. After all, there are always bills to pay, right? To represent that idea, you could put a stone there that has the word prosperity on it. Note that for the aspects of work and abundance, I place something made of stone because stones are considered to be the bones of Earth Mother. They embody the earth element, which is an element that creates consistent energy and attracts practical resources for building upon for years to come.
For the representation of family, I would recommend an image or a figurine made of a substance other than stone to bring in another element and feeling. Stone can be very cold, which is not the mood you would want for your relationships with your family! Because of this, your representation of family needs to give you, and anyone who gazes upon it, a heartwarming and comforting feeling.
With an anchor set, the sacred Power of the space will no longer get stuck in this spot and will flow along. It will swirl through this eddy and as it does so the Power becomes filtered so that what begins to be diffused throughout your house is an even stronger expression of your current goals.
Harnessing Energetic Features
Now is the time to refer back to your notes from when you used your pendulum to determine the energetic features—ley lines, portals, or vortices—of your place. If you would like to double check your findings, you can refer back to chapter Four if you need to remember how to do the steps and how to interpret them.
I would like to mention some basic characteristics that pertain to all energetic features regardless of what they are. Since ley lines, portals, and vortexes are connected beyond this three-
dimensional world, they can behave independently of the land. For example, a ley line flowing from north to south does not automatically carry the blessings of the Spirit of the South. You need to feel and/or ask your pendulum as to what type of energy that this ley line would hold. You can also ask your spirit guides. To make it easier, you can ask using the energy types based on the Medicine Wheel to get an idea as to the quality of the energy that flows within that specific ley line.
You also have the option of leaving these features alone if they are not interfering with you. The less that you interfere with nature, the better it is for everyone. In Native American traditions, a fundamental principle is to work in respect and harmony with the land as much as possible and not impose upon it unless absolutely necessary. However, it is okay to harness a ley line, portal, or vortex if it will affect you or those who share your home or work space. This is especially true if the energy is draining, discordant, or toxic.
It is paramount that you understand that the essential characteristics of an energetic feature cannot be changed by mere human beings. In other words, you cannot convert a portal into a ley line or a vortex. You would not be able to change the innate direction, flavor, or strength of the flow of the sacred energy moving through this energetic feature.
If you’re relaxed and receptive while evaluating the energetic features of your space, your senses often become enhanced and it is common to be able to feel the strength, direction of the flow of sacred energy, and the overall feel of the energetic feature in question. You may also receive suggestions from the land itself as to what it prefers or needs in order to hold your intentions so that the sacred energy runs smoothly. It would also help for you to determine the boundaries of the area you are working on by trusting your body’s senses or to use your pendulum to see the boundaries. If you still feel that unsure of your results you could always hire a professional geomancer such as a shaman, or a dowser to confirm your findings.
Before empowering an object to harness an energetic feature, place it in the area of the energetic feature. Feel if the energies enhanced by the object are compatible or if there is resistance. If you feel any discord between the object and the energetic feature, try a different object. Let the land speak to you. Once you find the object that will work in harmony with the land and in alignment with your intention you will need to follow the same process to bless and empower the item like you did when establishing the Heart of your space earlier in this chapter. The only difference is that this will only affect the specific ley line, portal, or vortex that it is connected to and it will not interfere with the Heart of your place. As a reminder, never put a picture of a person in any type of energetic feature, as it may accidentally and detrimentally affect their lives and their health. That being said, let’s move on to how to uniquely handle each energetic feature.
Ley Lines
After ascertaining the strength of flow, direction, and type of energy of a ley line, you can now choose how to interact with it. Pay attention to the rooms it moves through. If the type of energy is agreeable, you can leave it alone, dampen, or enhance its effects. For example, let’s say the energy is able to help you recharge and runs through the family room, the hallway, and a bedroom before going back outside. Remember that ley lines are like streams. This means that you don’t have to put an object to enhance or adjust the ley line’s energy in every room, you could simply put it in the family room where the stream will pick it up and it will naturally flow into the other rooms. In this particular example, this type of energy might be too active for a good night sleep, and I would suggest placing a grounding item, such as wood, stone, earth, or plants, to help soften or ground the energy.
If the energy of the ley line is not conducive to what you want, it would need to be dampened or redirected. Again, the vision of a stream is very useful here. Remember that a ley line is a force of nature and it cannot be dammed up without severe and potentially punishing results. Let’s pretend that the energy from this particular ley line is one of breaking things down. It runs through an office, a bathroom, and a lounging area. You could leave it alone for the bathroom. But for an office or lounging area, this can go against what you’re trying to achieve. In the office space, you can redirect this force and ground it by using a stone or grounding crystal. The stone or crystal would push this energy field back into the earth where it would resurface in the next room. You could use the same strategy for the lounging room, but I would offer another suggestion. There is nothing wrong with using this “breaking down” energy in a lounge space to let go of tensions, anger, or frustrations. Here you could use one of the colors or symbols of the west in the ley line to enhance it, since the west holds the power of transformation. You can set the intention of breaking down toxic emotions so that people become liberated from them and feel better when they leave the lounging space.
Portals
As discussed earlier, portals can be thought of as doorways that can swing either in one direction or two. If you feel there is a draft in your space that moves away from you, it means there is a portal that opens into the spirit world and moves spirits and energy from this world into that realm. If you feel a draft blowing over you, similar to opening an outside door leading into your house, that means there is a portal bringing energy or spirits from the spirit world to this one.
Portals are natural passages between our world and other spiritual realms. The majority of portals are benign and helpful and can be left alone with no ill effects. If you do not feel secure with a portal because you are unsure of what will be moving through it, you may dedicate it to a specific purpose. You can attune a portal so that only specific beings have access to it or so only a specific type of energy can flow through it.
If the portal is outward bound, meaning the energy flows from our realm into the spirit realms, you may place an item or color that represents what you wish to have removed from your home or space. I have one such portal where I placed a small statue of a gargoyle that was gifted me by a friend to help escort any toxic or chaotic energies that could cause illness or ill fortune to me and those of my household. Because I live in an apartment complex, the energy around me can be mostly good but unpredictable due to the wide variety of people who live around me. In order to be respectful of the spirit realms, (they are not a dumping grounds after all) I’ve asked the gargoyle to escort this energetic trash to where it needs to go so that it harms no one else.
If the portal in your space is inward bound, meaning the energy flows from the spirit realms into ours, you may place an item or color the represents a guardian that you want watching over the portal, or energy or spirit beings that you would welcome in your home. A strong note of caution: if you invite spirit beings, stick to beings of the highest order, such as gods and goddesses, ascended Masters, or angels. Please only invite spirit beings if you are experienced or are familiar with the beings.
I personally feel that it is an intelligent practice to ask a guardian to watch over a portal that is inward bound and put a representation of that guardian at the location of the portal. In addition to the guardian, you may also place anything around the portal that represents the blessings or energies you would like for the portal to usher into your home.
If the portal is inward bound and is bringing energy or spirits that are unwelcome, call a professional, such as a shaman or spiritualist, who is trained in spiritual matters to help you handle the portal. Otherwise you may accidentally escalate your situation, and have it become much worse than when it first started. A professional will know how to mitigate these types of circumstances. In the meantime, you may ask a sacred guardian to watch over the room. If you do this, make sure whatever object you use to represent them is not placed immediately at the foot of the portal. This avoids the object placement being seen as an act of aggression, preventing the situation becoming worse.
Vortices
Vortices carry energy and the energy can only go in one direction. They are very catalytic and dynamic. Their function is to make sure that energy runs smoothly and to equalize pressure between this world and the spirit realms. A vortex in and of itself is neutral in its energy. Since vortices act as shunts, what you feel is what they carry in their wake. Their intensity depends on how much energy they have to shuttle to make things harmonious. Vortices cannot be changed but can be interacted with so that they can be beneficial for your household.
If a vortex is outward bound, it can be employed to help you remove obstacles or excess energy. You can place an object within the vortex’s radius of influence that represents what you need help with. For example, let’s say I am working on myself to reduce negative self-talk. I could put a journal on a table by the vortex in my space to assist me with letting go of toxic habits. I could also hang reminders on the wall of the bad habits that I’m trying to break.
As another example, let’s say there is an excess of hyperactivity in my environment. I could place an object or an image that represents what that hyperactivity looks or feels like to me, along with what I want the end result to be. The vortex would draw into itself the excess energy of my space, leaving behind a more harmonious feeling.
If the vortex in your space is inward bound, it can help you bring in sacred energy, rejuvenation, and assist with manifestation. The procedure and cautions you would follow here would be identical to the steps for an inward bound portal.
Regardless of which way a vortex goes, it is important to be specific as to what it is that you want moved and the endpoint where you consider a space to be equalized. A vortex needs that gauge so that it can balance the energy so it ends up being useful, harmonious, and healthy.
Let’s revisit the topic of gridding and give you a technique for gridding of a space This idea was first mentioned in chapter Six. The gridding of a space further defines, secures, and generates steadfast Power in it. Gridding refines the energy and keeps it on track in places that are hyperactive or prone to chaos. This idea is very similar to using a balancing pole when walking on a tightrope. The gridding of a space helps to keep things stable in an environment where conditions are constantly changing and the unexpected is normal.
Examples of spaces that would need gridding might include a public location where activities and people radically change, such as a meeting room, conference center, or a convention center. The types of people that are attracted to these various venues bring in dramatically different types of emotions and energy. However, in this situation there is a desire to make the space inviting to everyone, regardless of who is using it.
If you are a counselor or are in the healing arts, I strongly encourage you to grid your office. The energy in your office can shift radically if you are dealing with people who are working their way through trauma, catastrophe, or a life-altering event. The release of energy from the highly emotionally charged situations of people that are working through their issues can be staggering. As I stated previously, whenever there is a strong emotional response it can and will create an energetic residue at a location. A grid would help to keep the undercurrent of what is happening there on track. It would also reduce excess emotional disturbance because it would continuously cleanse the energy of the room.
Another situation where a grid could be useful would be when a space is directly down a hallway or adjoining an area or property where there are toxic people, routine pandemonium, or counterproductive energy. In all these situations, the use of a grid will assist you in being able to comfortably coexist in your location, despite the unquenchable chaos that can be around you.
Although there are many configurations to grid a room, I am going to teach you the most basic one. To start, simply place an anchoring item in each corner of your space. These items need to be made of an earth element, like stone, and not a living being like a plant or wood. The reason for this is because these anchors will be in places of extreme turbulence; wood and living plants are too flexible and should only be used in environments with light or average energy. Putting a poor plant in the middle of an intense energetic cyclone would sentence it to death. The anchor has to be in proportion to the level of instability. If there is only minor chaos, then items made of wood could be sufficient. I still would not recommend a living plant. If you used a plant, in time you would find that it would grow to be either stunted or develop in a very odd way.
Grid points do not always have to be at the cardinal points, but they do need to be at the four extreme points within your space so that they can create a field of effect. However, it does matter if the corners of the room are close to the cardinal compass points or somewhere in the Walking Winds because that will determine the amount of Power you will need to create the consistent field that you desire.
Rooms with corners that fall in the directions of the Walking Winds positions can easily intensify chaotic energy. If you find your corners to fall in those directions, put an extra stone or crystal there to reinforce your intentions. The stones and crystals that you use do not need to be huge nor expensive nor fancy. They should however be in proportion or greater to the level of energy they are they are supposed to modulate. This includes fortifying healthy energy flow as well as keeping harmful energy at bay. There always needs to be a clear definition of what energy you wish to put into a space. What blessing or quality do you feel you need in order to make the space friendlier for you to spend time in it?
For example, a space intended for teaching can be a place of happy chaos and minor drama. This is a space where the people who gather are noisy as they enthusiastically learn how to create a crafting project or learn a new skill. Putting four small pebbles in each corner would not be sufficient for the tremendous uproar that ten or more young people and their guardians can create. In this case, a stone about the size of an orange could handle all the energy. I personally would use river or field stones, rose quartz, aventurine, or labradorite.
The way to judge the size of the stone needed is to feel the level of chaos that you are trying to calm. Feel and think about how much the energy needs to quiet down. The feeling is similar to trying to judge how loudly to speak when there is music playing or a group of people talking. The stone that you pick should be of the caliber and of the size to handle the intensity of the erratic energy that you are mitigating. This does not mean you need to bring four monoliths for each corner of the room if you are dealing with pandemonium! Instead, you can pick stones with qualities strong enough to handle these intense energies effectively. Examples might include obsidian, petrified wood, smoky quartz, or hematite.
How do you determine which stone or crystal to use? I would recommend that you refer to a good crystal book, such as Love Is in the Earth by author Melody, or the Crystal Bible by Judy Hall. There are also good sources online. As with anything, make sure that you look up more than one source of information. Most importantly, pay attention to how a stone makes you feel. This will give you a clue as to whether or not the stone will be the proper ally for what you need to do.
Before placing any stones or anchor items, it is imperative that you bless them, in addition to physically cleaning them. From a practical standpoint, the stones and crystals will look much more attractive as people look upon them. From a spiritual aspect, your physical contact with the items as you cleanse them connects you with their energy while you focus on what you are asking the stones to do. This is the respectful way to awaken them to their purpose.
To place your anchors inside your space, begin by facing the door and then start in the corner to the right of the door. Move clockwise to the other corners. Why does it matter where you begin, you may ask. The entrance of a space always ushers in new activity. When you move clockwise around the room it mimics how we perceive the movement of the sun across the sky. It is the way of order. The reason for starting closest to the door is because the door is where there is always an influx and exit of new energy. Because of this, it is key to anchor that energy point first as you grid and continue to concentrate on what it is you are asking the crystals to do. You are not done placing all the stones and crystals in the corners of the room until you finish your circle. In other words, walk back to the starting point so that you can form a closed grid of protection and blessings! After that, go to the center of the room, close your eyes, and focus on the stabilizing elements and energies that you want there.
Envision the four stones creating your desired field of Power that saturates the entire space from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. You can do this by envisioning a color. For example, say in this room of creative chaos I wish to bring an energy of happy focus. For me, that color is a blue green turquoise color. I would go to the center of the room and with my Heart focus on what the words peace and creativity mean to me and what they feel like. I would also envision the color turquoise, which holds the energy and embodiment of these words, permeating the entire room following the path from when I placed the circle of stones, back to the center and from there feeling this color saturating the entire room.
You could use more than four stones along the wall, but this can be highly impractical. You do not need people tripping or kicking stones and crystals around your room. You know you will have done the gridding right when the nervous or chaotic undercurrent feels comfortably under control. You will also notice that people will calm down in that room much more quickly and when they leave that it does not take that long for the room to reset itself after it filters out the extra, unnecessary energy.
Places of Honoring and Remembrance
While crafting your spaces, never forget to make space for places of honoring. These are places where we put pictures and tokens of our loved ones, both living and those that have crossed over. These places of honoring act as anchors of intention and a reinforcement of the quality of the energy and mood you want supporting your cause. Make sure that these areas of honor are placed as a focal point of the room they are in.
If the space for honoring is in a residence, then these mementos should be in a room where you want to deepen family bonds. If the place for honoring is in a public space, then the placement of the mementos should be in a spot intended to lift morale and give encouragement. In a work space, a space for honoring could include certificates, pictures of employees of the month, or plaques commemorating special achievements.
If you want energy from this area of remembrance to increase throughout an entire building, the area of remembrance should be placed in a corridor or stairwell where the Power is freely traveling throughout the building. This is similar to when you dip something in moving water. As the Power flows and moves, it begins to disperse what you have placed in its stream. Any energetic quality you wish to have permeate throughout your entire room or building needs to be placed in a corridor or stairwell.
Inviting a Divine Being
into Your Home
Whether you’re inviting a human or spiritual being to reside with you, it’s important to be careful and think things through before you do this. Just as I have spent time talking to you about how to bring energetic elements into your space to create greater harmony and peace, I now will speak about bringing in a stronger spiritual element. In the tradition of the Good Red Road, there is always practicality and spirituality. I strongly encourage you to have a place to commemorate your spiritual helpers.
Just as you would have a nook or shelf to celebrate your relationship with an earthly loved one, there needs to be a place to honor the sacred spirits that you wish to invite into your home. The space does not need to be large. I live in a small home and I have dedicated one portion of my dresser to honor my patron, Lord Feathered Serpent. The honoring does not need to be limited to just one space. You could use different colors and symbols to honor a divine being throughout your home. This type of observance is a respectful request for beneficial blessings and flows of benign energy from that sacred spirit.
If there is no specific god, goddess, or sacred spirit that you are strongly called to, but you have a few in mind that you are considering inviting into your home, this is the time to research them! Even if you are familiar with the divine being you would like to solicit, go through the extra effort to learn what this one watches over and what is pleasing for this sacred being. This is no different from taking the time to learn what makes your loved ones happy and making sure they can feel at home. The research will also give you insights and information in case this divine entity spirit has requirements or restrictions that would affect your practices or lifestyle.
Just as with your loved ones, divine beings can vary greatly in what they prefer. If I wish to welcome the Wolf spirit into my home, I would have at least one place in my home where an image or some sort of representation of the Wolf itself resides. This sacred teacher watches over and reinforces the lessons of family and learning. With this knowledge, I would dedicate a space within my family room or my study to the spirit of the Wolf.
This would be very different if I were trying to honor the Archangel Michael. Yes, just like the others, I would have a place that either would hold an image of this archangel or a symbol of him. However, one of the things that pleases this archangel is acts of kindness, honor, and bravery. To honor Archangel Michael, I would have space in my home where I would offer hospitality and perform good deeds and acts of kindness outside my home.
Remember, any divine being you invite to reside in your home is another honored member of your family! You should not be afraid of punishment or be forced to live in a way that is unnatural to you. The exception would be if you chose a deity or spirit that has a stricter code of discipline or if you intentionally go against a restriction or requirement that is asked of you.
If you have done your research properly, you will know beforehand if this honored spiritual family member will be in perfect alignment with how you wish to live and what you believe in. You must also know ahead of time how you should approach these sacred spirits and if there are any special offerings that need to be made as you are making your request.
Once you are done your research, acquire any necessary effigies or specific symbols that would honor this divine spirit. When you place these items in your space, remember to bring energy from your Heart. The random placing of items means absolutely nothing if it’s not done from the Heart. Unless a particular god or goddess has specific demands, the symbols and items can go anywhere in your room as long as they are not in a spot where they will be touched recklessly and without permission.
Although this step is optional, I strongly recommend that you do it. Even though you may already know the divine spirit that you wish to have reside with you, it is always better to connect with them before formally introducing them to your household. Just like you and I, they appreciate being invited rather than being shoved into a house or room. Make no mistake, however, this is not to say that we are equal to them! It is more along the lines of remembering your place. These are very powerful beings, much more powerful than us, and it is important to always approach them with reverence and respect. Think about it. You would definitely have more decorum and be mindful about how you welcome someone at your home if it were someone you admire or a leader of some sort. This should be the case when dealing with a god, goddess, or other blessed being.
Exercise
Requesting a Divine Presence
in Your Space
1. Before starting, make sure that you are prepared by having some items in mind and present to represent this divine being as you are performing this spiritual exercise. Make sure that you cannot be disturbed and that all electronic devices are shut down. This exercise has no set time limit and can take anywhere from a few minutes to less than half an hour. Smudge yourself, the space you are doing this exercise in, and any items that you want considered by this divine entity.
2. Take time to pray, meditate, or journey. If there is particular ritual or routine that is requisite by this god, goddess, or sacred spirit, then perform that. If not, then it is okay to do your own practice. If you do not have a practice for meditation, journeying, or prayer, taking quiet time to contemplate and speak from your Heart is sufficient.
3. Reach out to the divine being with your Heart. Ask if they would like to be with you and if there is anything or any specific manner that they would like to be honored with.
4. When you are done, or if you are dismissed, give thanks for the time you were given to be heard. This ritual is now over.
5. Interpret what you have been given. If you feel a peace or warmth as you are doing the prayers and meditations, it means that the items you have presented are acceptable. At times you might get flashes of insight of adding something new a few days afterwards. This is normal. Requests from a divine being will always be compassionate and in relation to what you can reasonably do! It is possible to honor more than one sacred spirit. You need to follow this procedure each time with each one individually.
Just like any other relationship, you will get out of it what you put into it. The setting up of an honoring space and symbols but then forgetting about it will cause the blessings to fade over time or, even worse, feel the displeasure of the divine spirit. We all have been in those relationships where someone was a friend and they slowly drift away. We might still be open to them but we no longer feel close to them. Because of this, I would encourage you to create a meaningful routine of meditation prayer or contemplation. Every time you do this, you should honor the relationship that you have with the sacred being to keep it strong.
Say I wanted to honor the spirit of the east, who watches over new beginnings and new creations. I could set the symbol or the colors of the east to represent a sunrise in the room where I craft sacred items or where I do my writing. However, if I was honoring the Archangel Ariel, who watches over animals, I could put a symbol of the archangel where my animals and I tend to spend time together. Placing these symbols in an appropriate location shows respect and that I am paying attention to the unique preference of each of these beings. My continuing positive activities in alignment with what they watch over fortifies my bond with each of them.
Doing acts of devotion outside of your home will also reinforce your relationship with a holy being. It is very similar to going out and bringing home a thoughtful little gift or a favorite food or drink for a loved one to surprise them.
Protections
All things in nature have a way of protecting themselves. Roses have thorns, porcupines have quills, and our own bodies have an immune system. It is unfortunate, but true, that not all things in our environment and in the spirit world are benign. Places subject to or in the vicinity of unrest, historic trauma, or malign energy would greatly benefit from creating a protective space within them.
After a physical and spiritual cleansing has been performed, installing a place of protection will establish the new energy where poisons of the past or present continue to be released. The toxic energy is channeled to ground in a protective space so that it is rendered harmless and avoids hurting others.
Making an area like this is not difficult, but it does require some forethought before putting it into action. Creating a place specifically for protection within a dwelling helps to boost the space’s spiritual immune system and provides a wellspring of good, healthy energy. There are two basic types of spaces that you can create in order to have this effect.
The first type of space I actually already mentioned in the discussion on divine beings. Having a place of devotion to a divine being automatically introduces holy energy. The presence of this powerful being automatically creates a powerful field of protection and greatly increases the blessings of a building. This effect is even more pronounced when the divine being is renowned for protection against evil.
The second space is a place where you meditate and is dedicated to specific universal values, such as compassion. These are very potent locations that provide protection and centeredness. What I must emphasize for this type of protective spot is that you must connect heaven with earth! This will ground negative energy and render it neutral, much like a lightning rod redirects lightning to protect a building. This is accomplished by making sure you have some element of nature represented in a dynamic way, whether it be with plants, a water fountain, wind chimes, or a candle or incense.
Doing this helps to channel the energy from heaven to earth and back again, completing a Sacred Hoop. You are converting your space into a place where Waterfall energy, discussed in chapter Three, is constantly active.
Although not a form of protection per se, anything that bumps up good thoughts, good feelings, and good energy in a healthy way will vastly boost the energetic immune system of your space. This is similar to the concept of taking vitamin C to bolster your immune system. A positive environment that engenders optimism and good will generates positive energy and bolsters an ambience of constructive creativity.
Think about how you feel when you are in a location where you can be completely immersed in something that gives you joy or where you can work off your frustrations, and how it lifts your spirits and feeling of well-being in a huge way. I must caution you that even though this provides huge amounts of beneficial energy, it is not the same as a protection space designed specifically to ward off evil or malice that is directed personally at you.
It is an asset to have a protective space even if you are not in an area that is prone to toxic energy and negative chaos. Having a room or even a small space that is dedicated to combating the negativity you might face on a regular basis assists in turning poison into sweet water. Minimizing your exposure to toxins, both physically and energetically, boosts your health and improves your overall quality of life.
A protective space also provides a stable place of positive Power where like attracts like. This positive energy can rejuvenate you, in addition to giving you the opportunity to think clearly and reconnect with your body and your spirit. Having a protective space is a gift of solace and safety for yourself and those who are with you. A protective space helps to repel weaker toxic beings, such as bad chaos spirits. Bad chaos spirits are entities that are attracted to toxic emotions and patterns. They feed off of pain, misery, and depression. A home or work space that is full of serenity and optimism is very repellent and poisonous to these beings. It will also help to lessen the chance of mischievous and transient spirits coming to your space.
When there is discord or unnecessary chaos, it acts like a homing beacon to beings that thrive on mischief. Mischievous spirits bring confusion and tension and some can act like angry poltergeists. Transient spirits can bring a sense of unrest or depression, in addition to whatever memories and other energies that touched them before they crossed over. Having a strong protective field will help to repel negative energy and make space for that which is life-sustaining and nourishing.
Dealing with Unwanted Spirits
It is not uncommon to have an odd transient spirit being passing through. Do not hold on to the idea about making threats to kick the spirit out. However, before you claim that there is spiritual activity, try your best to debunk it first! Pay attention to see if there are any quirks that your space might have, such as an old drafty window that produces cold spots or a house that is settling and making weird noises. A buggy electric system can cause odd light phenomena. I have been out with several paranormal investigation units, and many times there was absolutely no supernatural activity but a previously unknown house repair that needed to be completed.
I would like to give you two cautionary tales to consider if you should have, or think you have, an unexpected unseen guest in your home or work place. I remember years ago helping a family in New York. They purchased a very lovely older home through an estate auction. The young couple delightedly moved in with their new baby. They grew increasingly alarmed as they kept on seeing the ghost of an elderly woman appearing by their infant daughter’s crib throughout the day and night. The ghost of the elderly woman never caused them any harm, and the little one would smile and coo at the ghost. However, the idea of this unknown entity near their baby daughter made them extremely apprehensive. Another daily phenomena was that every time they shut the door to the upstairs family room, it would open back up. This would happen even if they locked the door.
The couple had heard that they could get rid of ghosts by performing a very thorough smudging, along with a very strong, harsh, and heartfelt demand that she leave. When they did this, they felt a wave of sadness, but after that it was quiet. The young parents were happy thinking that they had succeeded, but their peace did not last long. After about a month, there came another entity, the ghost of a large man. This ghost was darker and brought with it feelings of dread and anger. They would experience poltergeist-like activities, which deeply frightened the new family. The ghost was especially aggressive to the mother and it was not uncommon for the baby to shriek in complete horror. They tried twice to perform the same ritual as they did with the spirit of the old woman. The result was retaliation from the ghost with more frequent terrifying hauntings and physical attacks.
Around that time, I was called in to help. I performed the necessary ceremonies and was successful in removing the malicious entity. I had them research the history of the house. Through their research, they learned there had been an older lady, a widow, who lived there by herself for many years. She was very kind, loved by the neighbors, and enjoyed watching over her grandchildren.
However, previous to the widow, there had been a family that had an abusive man who beat and abused his wife and children. When the young couple had commanded the spirit of the elderly woman to leave, it left an energetic vacuum that created an opening for the angry spirit to move in. In addition, it is not uncommon for a young child or an infant to attract spiritual activity. This is because the life force of little ones is very strong because they are still so close to the spirit world.
Interestingly enough, the spirit of the older woman reached out to me after I had removed the angry man’s spirit. All she wanted was to have permission to visit the home she cherished so much in life. She requested that the door to the upstairs sitting room be kept open so she could sit and watch out the window, gazing at the neighborhood she loved so well. She also asked if she could visit them and their baby girl because it reminded her of her own family. She promised never to frighten them.
At first the couple was not thrilled, but they soon came to love her and call her nanny. This spirit became an extra set of eyes for the young mother because she would make the mother aware whenever her daughter needed anything. As time went by, the elderly woman’s ghost would help the little girl to be unafraid at night by being a protective spirit.
Although the idea might seem strange, at times it is not the spiritual entity who is the invader, we are! I remember another case I was called to in Virginia many years back. In this case, the home was newly constructed on the top of a small wooded mountain. Since the owner was an architect, he designed his house to perfectly match the needs of his growing family. He wanted it to be the home that he and his wife would grow old in, have their children in, and, in time, grandchildren.
However, from the very beginning, construction of the building seemed jinxed. Odd things began to happen and only increased in intensity after the family moved in. Some of the phenomena they experienced included objects moving on their own, a dark fleeting shadow darting periodically throughout the house, and a sense of threatening dread. No one was ever harmed, and oddly enough, the two dogs of the family would happily wag their tails and eagerly bark as if greeting an old friend before the disturbances would begin.
Full of fear and thinking they were doing the right thing, this family also attempted an ill-conceived exorcism using smudge and forceful language. The haunting became much more intense after the attempted exorcism. The family would hear ghostly footfalls and a dark figure about the size of a man would be seen walking through the place. Objects were thrown across rooms and smashed. Things requiring expensive repairs, such as the plumbing, would inexplicably break down. At times, they heard what sounded like drums or the voice of an angry man, but the words could not be made out. The overall sense of not being welcome in their own home grew to such a point that the family would stay away from the house as much as possible. Any repairs that were started would be thwarted and freak accidents would happen. The accidents were always enough to seriously stall any work, but never to injure anyone.
Soon after, I was called in to help. Upon doing my prayers, I was allowed to shamanically connect with the entity. I learned that this being was not evil at all but rather a very angry and outraged Sacred Ancestor of the Land. From the spirit’s point of view, imagine being happy in your own home, minding your own business. Suddenly, some intruders come in and completely destroy your house and the land around you. These interlopers have the nerve to settle in, and, to make matters even worse, once you begin to complain and try to kick them out, these uninvited guests attempt to throw you out of your own home with the very same rituals of your own people! I do not know about you, but that would seriously infuriate me. I explained this to the family. The owner confirmed that the land his house was sitting on and the surrounding area was historically known to be a location where the local Native American tribes used to live and hold sacred ceremonies to honor the Creator and the land. This entity was an outraged Sacred Ancestor of Land, one of the many benign spirit beings of that area who had watched over and blessed the tribes that used to live there.
Upon learning this, I relayed the information to the very skeptical family. Although they were very unsure about what I shared, they were desperate and took my advice. The family needed to make amends with this divine being. Only after seeking forgiveness might they ask permission to dwell there.
When I journeyed, I learned that the Sacred Ancestor of the Land required a native tree species to be grown to honor the spirits and the indigenous people who had dwelt there before them. The tree needed to be kept well so it could provide nourishment, physically and spiritually, for humans, spirits, and animals alike. The land and surrounding woods were to be cherished and preserved. Fortunately, the family did as was requested of them and more.
Since they liked apples, they planted an apple tree. For good measure, I taught them a simple honoring ceremony when it was time to harvest the apples. They also planted a small grove of eastern redbud trees. As the years went by, the trees grew more beautiful, and as they matured the family prospered too. What about the Sacred Ancestor of the Land? The blessed spirit adopted the family and became their protector and guardian.
The lesson of these examples is that what is easy to escalate is not so easy to diffuse! I would like to take away some of the mystery and introduce some common sense when it comes to this topic. Let us pretend that we’re working not with some unseen entity, but a human being. Under normal circumstances, your first inclination would not be to pick a fight. If there was tension, I am very sure you would do your level best not to instigate any further hostility. You would try to see where the misunderstanding and miscommunication came from with this individual and then see where to go from there. So, just as you would with an unknown person, do the same thing with a spirit. If a situation felt threatening with a person, you would call the police immediately. If you feel that an entity is intimidating, then you should call on someone who is specifically trained to handle these situations, such as your friendly neighborhood shaman or other expert spiritual practitioner.
In my experience, the majority of the paranormal cases involve spirits that act like a normal stranger who is levelheaded and means you no harm. An offering of goodwill, such as respectfully talking through a misunderstanding so that a reasonable and friendly resolution can be reached, is the proper course of action.
In the case of an unknown spirit, never offer a place to stay in your home until you know more about them! It is the same precaution that you would take before offering a random stranger a place to stay in your home. As with any misunderstanding, you would explain that you mean no offense to them, but that you will not tolerate being treated in a manner that frightens or potentially harms you, your family members, or your animal companions in any way. Have the same attitude with an unseen guest as you would with someone who accidentally walked into your house or a private event. You would firmly, but politely, ask them to kindly leave in peace. The average person, or spirit, who made the mistake would apologize and be grateful that there was an easy conclusion of this awkward situation and that both parties saved face.
However, if things get worse or feel worse, you would call in a professional! If you had someone who is of ill intent, or not in their right mind or senses, and becomes increasingly hostile no matter what you do, you would call the authorities. The same rule applies here. If you have an unseen entity that is becoming more and more threatening, call in an expert who knows how to handle this type of situation.
In my personal opinion, it is not a bad idea to have someone who has a good reputation and is well trained in talking to the spirits, and other nature entities such as elementals or earth spirits, to come over anyway. It does not do any harm to have a second opinion to give you fresh insights or validate what you have been sensing. Just as you would for any other service, it is important to check the ethics and background of the practitioner! Only a con artist would casually say that you are cursed, frighten you, and then make more and more demands of you, costing several hundreds or thousands of dollars to liberate you. The primary focus of any ethical spiritual practitioner will always be the welfare of all involved, seen and unseen! They will do their very best to guide the situation to the best possible conclusion. If they charge, it should be a fair price with a detailed explanation of what you can realistically expect. Think of the type of questions you would ask of any expert in any other field, such as a surgeon or a major home remodeler, before you contract them. These are the same types of questions you would ask before hiring an expert spiritual practitioner.