Cleansing a space on a regular basis is a lovely ritual to incorporate into one's life. Arguing, negative people, stress, disorganize, an unpleasant thoughts are all examples of things that can cause a build up of unwanted energy in one's environment. Here are some tips and ticks to cleansing your space.
Smudging
Smudging is the act of burning a plant, resin or incense with the intent of clearing unwanted energy.
General Smudging Tips: Acquire a fire proof bowl. Traditionally an abalone shell is used, however any metal or ceramic bowl should be just fine. If burning a plant or wood light it on fire and let it burn for a few seconds, then blow out the flames. Smoke should start to rise from the plant, blow on it a little more to "stoke the flame." Place the plant in your bowl and walk around the room. Smudge anything that you feel has "off energy." If you are someone who has lots of crystals give them a good smudge bath. Crystals hold energy therefore if you are feeling bad energy they can sometimes amplify the effects. This isn't a bad thing for it's the crystal's way of telling you that something is wrong and that it needs to be dealt with. When smudging is important to to make sure to get all of the corners for negative energy likes to hang out there. If the plant stops producing smoke relight and repeat the steps. Some people start at the back of their house and work their way forward. I am not partially picky about this, when in doubt trust your intuition.
Things to smudge with:
Dried Plants:
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens): Is a wood found in South America, it is considered sacred in many cultures. Palo Santo is my all time favorite item for smudging. It can get rid of really dark energy.
White Sage (Salvia apiana): One of the most common plants used for smudging. Commonly used in native american ceremonies. Gentler than Palo Santo
Purple Sage, maiden hair sage (Salvia leucophylla):
Cedar leaves: Cedar is said to bring peace and contentment to ones life. A magickal tree, that is said to impart wisdom to those who kinder to it.
Juniper: Said to bring good helping spirits to the home
Resins:
To burn resins one must heat up the material so it can melt and produce smoke. People usually use charcoal or a "bed" of some other plant like sage.
Copal
Myrrh
Dragon's Blood
Frankincense
Sound
The use of instruments is a great way to shake up dense energy. It's as if you are breaking up a "block of energy" into smaller pieces so you can fit it in the trash can.
Instruments
Singing bowls: Can be made of metal, ceramic, or crystal. I've even seen crystal ones infused with gemstones. All singing bowls are generally pretty pricey.
Rattles and shakers: Ritual rattles can be purchased online, and from special metaphysical shops they tend to be on the pricier side. Shakers can be bought at basically any music shop and are usually only a few dollars!
Bells: Bells are great to use for opening and closing of a cleansing. For example ring your bell before smudging, etc, and ring again when you are finished.
Chimes: I like the chimes that are tied to blocks of wood, you can walk around the room and "ring" it in the corners like you would for smudging. They are great to use in places where burning things are not allowed like hospitals. They are light, portable, and not loud enough to cause a disturbance.
Gongs: I love gongs for they have a ripple affect the reminds me of water. They can penetrate deep.
Tuning Forks: Can be used to direct energy to a specific area, however I generally use them when working on a person or specific crystal.
Crystals
Crystals can be wonderful tools to assist with clearing.
Selinite- Is a stone that never needs to be cleared. It helps get rid of unwanted energy, and raises the overall vibrations of the space. Selinite wands are particularly effective.
Black Tourmaline- A wonderful stone for protection. Is particularly effective when placed in the four corners of a room. Black tourmaline won't clear the space per say, but it will help it stay clean once the energy has been cleared. Make sure to cleanse your crystals before placing them around the room!
Himalayan Salt Lamps- When Himalayan salt is heating up it admits negative ions. Negative ions attract positive ions adhering to them and makes them drop to the floor. This acts as a form of natural air purifier. In addition to making the physical air cleaner Himalayan salt also cleans the energy of the space. A salt lamp or the salt on it's own may be used. However only the lamps will help purify the air for the salt is heated by a light bulb.
General Cleaning
Organization and sanitation is one's space creates peace of mind. I always advocate natural cleaners whenever possible. Energy sticks to everything! Therefore it is important to wash your clothes, sheets, towels, rugs, and even curtains (if something crazy has gone down). Vacuum. Negative energy is denser than air hence will fall to the ground. So literally suck up the bad vibes.
Natural cleaners:
White vinegar can be used as a substitute for bleach and windex
Essential oils are very effective cleaners, however make sure to dilute them in water first. A little goes a long way. Always be careful when working with essential oils for they are extremely concentrated. I recommend buying a spray bottle from the store to make your natural cleaner in. The great thing about essential oils is that they physically clean as well as energetically.
Some essential oils that are particularly good for cleaning are: Tea Tree Oil, Lavender, Lemon, and Eucalyptus.
