How I Smudge a Space

Whether you are moving into a new space or you have been living or working in your space for quite some time, it is important to remove any unwanted or negative energy. 

Why we Smudge

Smudging or burning sage is an ancient spiritual ritual. It was established and practiced by some Native American cultures. They used it to clear low vibrational stuck energy, allowing positive energy to enter and lift their spirits.

With unconscious awareness, the negative emotions of the land and people can alter the environment of a space. It is important that we clear this energy so we always surround ourselves with positive energy. Whether you realize it or not, the energy in your space consciously and unconsciously affect your mind, body and spirit.

How often to Smudge

How often you smudge will depend on you and your needs.  Since my husband works from home and is in sales, I clear our home every week.  Some would say that it’s too often, but from my experience, it works.  We have positive results from it.  His sales numbers surpass our goals and we experience very few arguments or confrontations. Frustrations with work dissolve easily and effortlessly.

A common practice is to clear after an argument or disagreement in the home. However, something to consider. With regular cleansing, you can release negative energy that could lead to these arguments. 

I recommend that a space be cleared after you have visitors enter your home.  Even your grown children who stop by for a visit. 

My grown children visit often so I don’t smudge after every visit but it does merit a weekly cleanse.  

What I’ve tried

I have taken many courses about how to cleanse a space.  Reiki cleansing, quantum cleansing, pendulum, crystal, and sound cleansing.  They all work and are great, but I’ll explain what works for us. 

The Ritual of clearing a space

Ancient Native Americans performed this clearing practice as a sacred ritual. A solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. It can also be a form of meditation.

Before I explain my ritual, I want to explain one step I take.  I use a Quantum Reiki symbol and hand gesture to bring in a certain type of energy.  I will explain what the symbol does and its purpose.  You do not have to be attuned to this symbol to do this part.  Use your intention instead.  I’ll explain later.

How I cleanse- Step By Step

• Set a portable speaker in the hallway.  You can use your phone on the highest volume setting so it will resonate through most of the space. Place it in a place where the sound will resonate throughout the entire home/space.

• Pick high vibrational music.  I use the Insight Timer app.  My favorites are Higher Vibration- Raise your Frequency-963 Hz, 528 Hz, 432 Hz-Binaural Beats Meditation by Magnetic Minds. OR Gray Haven by Ludvig Cimbrelius. High vibrational music is intended to help clear the space using frequency. It’s not necessary but adds a layer of clearing that is extremely helpful.

• Open at least one window per room. (Regardless of the temperature outside)

• Start the music and grab your white sage* and feather.  The feather is optional but makes it easier to blow the smoke where you want it.

• Stand barefoot at the inside of the front door facing toward the home. Standing barefoot helps me feel more grounded.

• Close your eyes and center yourself with 2-3 deep breaths through your nose.  Expanding your stomach on the inhale so the energy goes down to the Root Chakra and then back up and out the nose, reaching all the chakras as it goes back up.

• Ask your Guides and Angels to draw their energy close. They are there whether you feel them or not. They are ALWAYS with you.

• Make your intention.  My intention goes something like this:  “I ask that my guides and angels come close and help me remove any energy that no longer serves my husband and me in this home.  I ask that this smoke act as an agent to release the negative energy and only allow the positive energy that serves us to remain.  I ask that I bring in the LIGHT OF LIFE to fill the voids of the released negative energy and to bring in balanced emotions.” 

“LIGHT OF LIFE” EXPLAINED (Reiki Symbol)

The Light of Life is a Quantum Reiki symbol that I have been attuned to. I use that term because I understand what it represents, but you don’t have to. The intention is the key to this part of the cleansing. The Light Of Life is the energy derived from your Sacral Chakra. Your emotions and conscious awareness. I bring this energy into the rooms because I want to fill the void that the negative energy was holding until I released it. In other words, since it has been released, we should replace it with something positive! Since my husband is in sales and his emotions are a big part of how well he does, I bring in emotional stability and balance to ensure he never gets too emotional regardless of what is happening in his day. To replace the Reiki symbol, simply ask to bring in emotional balance. Ask that it come out through your left hand (or your right hand if you prefer that side). With your intention, it is done. Your guides hear you and know what to do.

• Light the sage

• Smudge yourself first. Start at the front and go all the way down and lift your feet and smudge under them.  If it is too difficult to lift your feet just lift them off the ground and smudge in that area.  The intention is there and that is all that matters.  Don’t forget to smudge behind you.  You can use the feather to bring the smoke behind you. 

• Turn to face the front door now and smudge around the doors clockwise. I smudge all doors throughout the home this way as I am entering the room.

• Repeat silently over and over as you are smudging the entire home: “I release all negative energy from this space and only allow the positive energy to remain. I bring in the Light Of Life to balance emotions.” or I bring in balanced emotional energy

•  I lift my left hand and keep it open with the intention that it is filling the voided space with emotional balance.  I hold the sage itself in my left hand between my pointer and thumb and hold my feather with my right hand.  

• Smudge around the door frame and then move clockwise around the house.  Go into every room.  Smudging and getting the smoke to blow in each corner and behind the door. Move the sage up and down as you go through each room.  I spend more time around our desks, getting the smoke under the desks as well.  Since I’m working on a “Home” space, I also spend extra time at the bed and smudge on each side where we sleep.  

• During a normal cleanse, I will go into walk-in closets, but if it feels like I need to do a more thorough cleanse, then I will open all smaller closet doors and smudge inside of them too.

• At every opened window, Use the feather to get the smoke to go out the window.  Sometimes I have to imagine the negative energy leaving through the window especially if it is windy outside and the smoke doesn’t automatically leave out the window.

• Finish where you started. Stand at the front door looking in and thank your guides. Put the sage in a small bowl filled with sand, then go back to the front door looking in.  

• Close your eyes again and start the visualization part of the clearing. At this point, hold both hands up while imagining them pushing the divine white light (explained next) to all sections of the home. 

• Visualize a divine white light coming down from the universe. See it flowing in the same direction as you smudged, clockwise. The light travels into each bedroom one at a time. It floods the rooms with a divine healing light that clears any remaining negative energy. Room by room, down the hall, and back up into the living room, kitchen, etc. Visualize your space, of course. 

• Now, hold your hands in prayer position for a few more seconds. Give thanks to your guides and angels. Open your eyes and feel gratitude for just a few more seconds as you scan the space.

• That’s it! I do this every Monday. Monday works for us but feel free to do what works for you. If once a month works, then do it once a month. Trust that you know what is best for you.

Conclusion

I hope this helps and gives you some ideas on how you can clear a space. Experiment with different techniques until you start seeing and feeling the positive effects of a cleared space. Joy, prosperity, and health are the results you are looking for.

Happy clearing!

*Note: I have used other sage combos such as white sage with lavender, cedar, mountain sage, frankincense, and rose petals. The standard white sage has given me the best outcome.

WARNING***Also Note: I don’t use anything to catch the embers that do drop down from time to time. I am ALWAYS consciously aware while I cleanse so please be mindful of this happening. Feel free to use a shell or something to catch the embers. It may mean you can’t open your left hand but just set the intention that the emotional balance will take place regardless of your hand being open.