WHAT IS CLEARING?
Clearing is essentially energetic washing or purification. Each person, place and object, has the ability to emit and hold energy. We are all energetic beings and according to physics and the first law of thermodynamics, energy cannot be created or destroyed, energy can only be transferred or transformed, changed from one form to another. Everything is made of atoms and atoms contain energy. Have you ever walked into a room and thought, oh man, that person is in a bad mood I'm going to avoid them (without even speaking to them)….or maybe you have walked into a place and thought, ghee this is a really peaceful place!
Without even knowing it, your energetic body is responding to energy. Places, people and things all hold and emit energy and you are assessing and responding to it— all the time.
The act of clearing transforms energy within a space or object, and the process of clearing helps you to start fresh. Think about this, when you move into a new house or apartment, a bit of energy from each person who has spent time in that space remains there. This is why many new homeowners say, “it took awhile for the place to feel like it was mine” and that is because it takes time to fill the space with predominately their own energy. Clearing helps displace all of the inharmonious (negative), stagnant, or “not your own” energy and ushers it out.
Before doing any other spiritual or energetic work, it is important to clear both yourself and your space. This will help to set the groundwork for more light and higher vibration energetic engagement.
| CONNECTING WITH THE ELEMENTS |
FIRE:
Using Fire or Smudging is the act of using smoke to displace or dispel negative or stagnant energy.
PALO SANTO:
Palo Santo is wood from a sacred tree which grows in parts of South America. It has been used for centuries by shamans and healers during rituals, prayer and ceremonies. Palo Santo traces back to the Incan Empire, where it had an important place in medicine. It’s believed to have healing properties that relieve stress, anxiety, and promote relaxation. It has an uplifting and positive effect on the user, and differs from other smudging agents because it clears away the negative while promoting positivity and energy elevation. Palo Santo helps to strengthen the connection with ones guides while also grounding and focusing the user. It is a powerful way to clear energy while also raising your personal vibration. Palo santo is especially powerful for programing crystals and setting intentions.
The Palo Santo tree is protected and can only be harvested from fallen and dead trees. There is also an aging process involved which happens before harvesting. Normally the fallen tree ages three to five years, and often up to 10 years. It’s important to source palo santo that has been sustainably sourced.
You can use Palo Santo to clear yourself, the space you are in and objects. Palo Santo can be used during meditation and in certain places it is used as an insect repellent — not only displacing negative energy, but bugs as well!
WHITE SAGE:
White sage is a flowering perennial native to the Southwestern United States. It grows on sunny, dry slopes and exists in a relatively small area. Sage is considered sacred by Native Americans and has been used for hundreds of years during rituals and ceremonies. The smoke from white sage clears by attaching itself to the negative energy and ushering it out of a space. As the smoke spreads, it dissipates and transforms any existing energy, leaving a blank state.
CEDAR, SAGE, JUNIPER, LAVENDER:
While Palo Santo and White Sage are two of the more popular smudging agents, you can also smudge using other herbs and growth from plants. Use your intuition to connect with the plant- are you called to it? Does something attract you to the smell, color, feeling? This might be part of your particular spiritual clearing solution. Look at the qualities of the plant, does it have thorns? Is it soft is the smell comforting or repelling. I recommend to use what you are called to and before burning, set the intention to clear.
PAPER BURNING:
Sometimes we have thoughts, emotions and feelings that we can't shake. Engaging in a burning ritual can be helpful in clearing away some of this emotional baggage. Although an actual burning ritual can range from having a few to many steps, the simple act of writing down your feelings on paper, setting the intention to clear them out and burning the paper is a wonderful way to clear- plus sometimes it feels good to just watch it burn.
EARTH:
GROUNDING:
Another way of clearing is to physically connect yourself or an item with earth. The longer the time spent, the deeper the cleansing. Energetic clearing via the earth is an ancient tradition that continues to remain relevant in many cultures, for example in Japan the practice of forest bathing is still very much practiced today. Earth based clearing can also be as simple as walking outside barefoot and placing the soles of your feet on the raw earth and setting the intention to clear as you stand and ground yourself. Laying on the sand can act similarly and also has the additional benefit of the high silica crystal content.
CRYSTAL HEALING:
The earth is made up of gemstones and minerals and these stones have their own unique energetic vibration. There is a whole school of thought around Crystal Healing, but even for those who skeptical of each crystal having their own particular properties, it's hard to debate the science behind the unique properties of rocks. Each rock is formed with its own special molecular composition and since we also are made of molecules, we react organically to these stones, especially if they are in large quantities. Salt is an excellent example of this. If you have ever visited the beach or a salt cave you would notice its effects almost immediately. Spending time around crystals will help to clear your energy field, and this is especially the case for Selenite and Quartz. Selenite is one of the most powerful and versatile stones and unlike other stones, it can be used for both clearing and charging.
WATER:
SALT WATER:
Salt water cleansing is one of the best and most thorough ways to clear. A simple way to do this is to take a bath in lukewarm water with a high content of sea salt. If you have access to the ocean take a dip!
RUNNING WATER:
Running water is one of the easiest ways to clear, this can be as simple as taking a mindful shower or running your hands under a faucet. It can also extend to bathing in a stream or brook.
AIR:
BREATHWORK- PRANAYAMA:
Breath is fundamental to life and something we do all day everyday, but using our breath intentionally is a powerful way to clear ourselves.
WIND:
Wind clearing is one that is not often spoken about. Just as the wind blows the leaves from trees and can create erosion on a mountain side, the wind can also help clear you or your space. Open the windows and doors in your space and let the wind whip through. Stand outside during a windy day and set the intention to let the wind work its unique magic.
AETHER:
You might be asking asking, what is this fifth element, aether? Aether has also been referred to as quintessence or akasha and it's thought of as energy and the material that fills the universe not including the earth sphere.
UNIVERSAL LIFE FORCE ENERGY (REIKI):
Reiki is a powerful way to clear energy. Reiki is an ancient Japanese form of energy healing used for stress reduction, relaxation and promotes healing. In Reiki “Rei” translates to “universe” or “life force,” and “ki” translates to the physical energy of the body (also known as qi); put together, Reiki translates to “universal life force energy.” This form of energy work can be done by a trained reiki professional who has the ability to channel and direct universal life force energy to a person, place or object, releasing energy. While Reiki is a wonderful way to clear, you must have received the reiki attainments to clear yourself, otherwise you can book a session with a certified reiki professional.
CLEARING MEDITATIONS:
Certain Meditation practices like a chakra clearing meditation can help to clear and balance energy. This type of meditation can be guided or self led, and will allow the practitioner to quiet the mind and body while clearing our any disharmonious energy.