A month or so ago, I was feeling quite stuck and stagnant.
I started going through the list of “what could be the problem” in my head.
Was it something I was eating too much of lately? Sugar? Junk food? Dairy?
Had I not been getting enough exercise? I made a goal in that moment to do yoga at least 3-4 times per week.
Was I not sleeping enough? Maybe I was having too much “screen time” before bed, causing me to have less than quality sleep? Or, too much caffeine was keeping me awake?
Maybe, I should really tackle those closets and finally organize them!
Then, I remembered, it had been weeks, since I did an energy clearing in my home.
So, that day I lit my sage wand, placed it into my Abalone shell, picked up my turkey feather and walked around my apartment, clearing the stagnant energy.
The energy instantly shifted. All that stuckness and feeling like I couldn’t move forward was gone. Vanished.
My home felt uplifted, I felt renewed.
And in my head – a place that very much likes to make molehills into mountains, I realized that shifting the energy in my home and myself, does not need to be complicated.
Small things can add up to big changes.
While there are many layers to Feng Shui, small changes can make a huge impact in your home, which ultimately spills over to yourself and your life. You don’t have to do it ALL to notice a difference.
I am firm believer that doing a energy / space clearing in your home is one of the most powerful and potent ways to shift the energy in your home.
Throughout history many different cultures and religions have used smoke to clear and cleanse environments and people.
The Indigenous people of North America use sage for “Smudging” to cleanse and purify before ceremonies and to bring visions and aid in prayer. The ancient Celtic druids used sage for burning and medicinal purposes. The Indigenous people of the Amazon burn palo santo (a type of wood) in ceremonies.
Catholics use incense as a symbol to purify and cleanse the earthly home of God (church and altar) to make it worthy as a place of worship. Incense is used by Asian religions and traditions, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism and it was also used in Ancient Greece.
There are other ways to space clear your home, but I think using sage is one of the easiest and most effect ways. There has been a scientific study that shows that medicinal smoke clears the air of bacteria in a confined space.
Here are some Guidelines and Steps for Space Clearing with sage
Purchase the following:
a wand / bundle of sage, an Abalone Shell or choose some type of (non-flammable) container to hold your sage and catch the ashes while you walk around your home, and a feather (I have a turkey feather, but any feather will do).
These tools for space clearing can usually be found at a variety of shops and online stores – google sage and your area for where to purchase.
To do a space clearing, you really only need the sage and a non-flammable container, but it’s nice to have all three items I mentioned above, as they represent the five elements of Feng Shui. The sage is representative of Earth/Wood, the Shell representative of Water, the lit sage representative of Fire and the Feather representative of Air/Metal. (If you light the sage with a match – the match is also considered the wood element.)
When you are ready to space clear your home:
Open the windows – this allows the old energy out as you’re clearing, and new energy to come in.
Set an Intention – be as specific about what you want to let go of and want you want to create / allow into your life. You can write this down, or just make note of it in your mind.Light the sage. There should be a nice current of smoke, but flames should not coming out of it. Never leave the lit sage unattended.
Cleanse yourself first. Wave the Sage wand around, so the smoke encircles you. Be mindful not to breathe in the smoke.
If you’re using the shell and a feather, I let the sage rest in the shell and use the feather to push the smoke around me and into my space.
Start from the centre of your home, then move around to each room, focusing especially on the corners and closets. Listen to your intuition when doing the clearing – you might feel like one spot needs you to linger a bit longer.
Use your Abalone shell or non-flammable container to catch any ashes from the burning sage.
When you are finished, make sure you extinguish the sage by running it under the tap.
You can then store it in the container of your choice or in the Abalone shell.Enjoy the newness of your space!
When I first learned to space clear years ago, I was worried that I would mess it up.
But, the proof is really in the pudding. It does not have to be perfect or even done in an exact way to be extremely effective and transformative.
Please know that you can’t do this wrong. As long as you are doing this for yourself in your own home, you set an intention, and (of course) are being safe with the burning sage, you will have a positive experience and outcome.
Love,
Bre-An