The Energy of Spaces

Have you ever gone to someone else’s home and within an hour or so of being in it find you are grumpy or fearful and you don’t know why? Or for the more intuitive of us, you may immediately sense something is off and feel instinctively uncomfortable in that space or person’s presence – you might say that the space (or person) has “bad vibes”. Sometimes the same can be set of a hotel room or social event where somehow things just seem “off”.

Conversely, maybe you have found that you really enjoy going to a family member’s or friend’s house because you feel happy just being in their home. You might say something like, “The energy feels really good there.” But what does it mean for a space to have good energy? And how does a space get bad vibes?

Arguments or other disrupting situations that have previously occurred in a place or within a person just seem to create an imprint that may affect future events in the space. Consider how it feels to walk into a room where two people have been arguing, but when they realise you have arrived they pretend that nothing is going on between them. That old expression “You could have cut the air with a knife!” perfectly describes the experience. It seems like everything is normal on the surface, but something is really just not quite right.

What often happens next is that a person who has entered a space where something negative has happened starts to feel at least uncomfortable. Then the more people who come into the space seem also affected by the negativity, so the more negativity snowballs and the more “dense” the energy in the space becomes.

If this space is an office or workplace, people may have a hard time focusing on work or may feel negatively toward their jobs without really knowing why. If this space is a house that is for sale and not selling, it may be because people walk into the house and feel that negatively charged imprint and want to avoid it without really knowing why. I know this feeling well as a serial house mover! Some houses just seem “off” and I just couldn’t wait for the viewing to be over – I certainly couldn’t see myself living there.

Furthermore as a Complementary Therapist, often treating people at times of emotional crisis or clearing decades worth of blocked negative energies can leave us feeling drained and burnt out ourselves if we don’t take careful steps to protect ourselves before, during and after giving therapies.

Therefore it becomes apparent that clearing the energies in our homes, business or community space is an important aspect of creating a positive environment for us all to thrive.

Why should you consider energy clearing for your space?

A home, a room an office, or a community place and actually people themselves are like sponges.

Whatever transpires in your environment is absorbed into the walls, furniture, carpet, ceiling, and objects. Frequently, these negative energies can accumulate in the corners and tucked away places. Energy “debris” can be a result of negative emotions, thoughts, occurrences, and stress that you (your family, your co-workers) have experienced in a space. If you had a negative event happen recently or a lot of sadness or fear, there is a high chance that your space will have absorbed some of that energy.

At times and in particular for older houses or houses (and offices) that have been occupied by other people before you — those energies can have accumulated over time and be connected to tragic events that you have no idea about. Without talking about the land itself, that can carry energy from generations before us.

Actual cleaning and clearing clutter is the first step in clearing any space and I think many of us can relate to wanting to clean a house before and during a housemove – to make somewhere feel more like your own. But as I have grown older and developed as a complementary therapist, an important second step is to smudge the whole space and remove that energy debris that have been built up over time. Once this is done, the energy of the space lifts, brightens and circulates more freely. At times, I will need to journey to clear and transform things at a much deeper level using reiki that I have been attuned for. Once this energy work is done everyone in your household – or team! feels better.

When should you consider energy clearing for your home (or business)?

The following situations are good times to space cleanse:

• When moving into a new space (preferably before you move in your own belongings)

• After you remove clutter

• After a roommate or companion moves out

• After tradespeople have carried out work in your home or space

• After a strong argument or fight in the house or office, after a divorce or break-up, if you feel that your business is struggling somehow

• After an illness or death

• After a robbery or invasion of any sort at your house

• Anytime you desire fresh energy for a new project or beginning especially if you feel overall “stuck” in your life or work)

• If you or your children don’t sleep well, or have numerous nightmares

• If you suspect or feel the presence of some kind of malevolent energy in your home, or if things just don’t feel “right”

  
  

So how do we clear energy from our spaces?

In the past and to this present day, many people seek the help of priests to bless their home and space when they move house. Feng shui has always suggested sweet orange for space clearing. However, people these days immediately also jump to white sage! – White sage is used to “sage” a space because, traditionally in many cultures, burning white sage (a practice called smudging) is believed to cleanse a space of negative energy, leaving behind a feeling of purity and positive, essentially clearing a space energetically. This is often done through a ritualistic practice where the smoke from burning sage is passed through a room or around a person, incense sticks can also be used, or as I have discovered more recently: palo santo wood!

Whilst white sage is still the most commonly used substance for smuging or clearing a room of negative energy, there are also a significant number of people who choose to instead use palo santo wood, or “holy wood/stick.” Palo santo is derived from specific trees found in the South American rainforests and has been used for most of known history for a variety of healing including medicines, ceremonies and the spiritual clearing of a space, crowd or person. In addition to its ancient uses as a purifying agent, palo santo wood also harbours (to my senses at least) a better smell than sage and can be used in place of it as a matter of preference or to avoid allergies.

For the most part, using palo santo wood for space clearing follows the exact same steps as using sage. As with sage, the wood should be ignited then gently blown down to an ember to allow for spreading smoke around the room. Guidance of smoke to different areas of the room, including corners is important. Also, be sure to allow the wood to produce enough smoke to fill the air. As part of my routine, no matter who comes through my door, both in the home and in my treatment room, I have started to cleanse my space at the end of the day and more often than not if time allows, inbetween clients to ensure the energy has been cleared for the next person to come in and feel comfortable.

Another popular way to cleanse a space of negative energy or to create a sacred space for meditation and healing is to use sprays. Some sprays contain essential oils, herbs or have been charged with crystals. Some examples include:

• White sage spray: A natural room spray that can cleanse negative energy 

• Palo santo spray: A smoke-free mist that can purify negative energy 

• Aura and chakra spray: A mist infused with crystals that can clear and heal energy 

I do, from time to time, make my own cleansing or healing spray – which will include essential oils I feel instinctively drawn to, I may include dried herbs or flowers and if time allows, I may charge in a new or full moon. I often use an essential oil hydrolat as my base, such as frankincense or chamomile and this allows me to use my creativity and intuition in making a blend that seems suitable for the day or circumstance that I may find myself in.

My most recent discovery, thanks to my friend Clare, has been Florida Water. If you’ve never heard of Florida water, let’s get one thing out of the way first: No, this is not the water you’ll find in the state of Florida! Rather, it’s a special liquid that’s believed to help enhance any number of rituals. Spiritual Awareness or Florida Water is believe to help increased intuition and even psychic abilities. It is often used in meditation and spiritual practices to help enhance spiritual experiences and connect with higher realms of consciousness.

Florida water is an alcohol-based cologne first used in the early 1800s as a perfume. More recently, it has become a staple in mystical practices and to my mind carries a very citrusy, more floral scent than perhaps other clearing mists. Apparently it was given the name “Florida water” because the Fountain of Youth is said to be somewhere in Florid! In the past it has been used used for offerings, cleansing and more and is popular among those who practice voodoo, rootwork, and American folk magic. But more western practices has people adding it to their floor cleaning, household cleaning sprays and to their washing!

Ultimately, Florida Water spray stands as more than just a fragrance at least – its a timeless blend of heritage, utility and mystique. From its origins of 19th century perfumery to its enduring role in spirtual cleansing this citrus-floral elixir continues to captivate users worldwide. Whether spritzed to invigorate the senses or to ward off negativity and clear bad feeling, its a versatile stable and as vibrant as the state that inspired its name.

In the end, sage and smudging to me offers more than just a ritual – they provide me, my loved ones, friends and clients with a powerful, time-honoured way to reclaim peace and banish any negative energy away. Rooted in tradition and embraced across many cultures, the acts of burning sage, wood or spraying transforms spirits and places alike, with smoke and mist carrying away stagnation and inviting clarity and calm back. Cleansing our surroundings can also restore balance within ourselves and release anything that could be weighing us down, restoring energetic harmony to both our outer environments and inner worlds.