Woo Woo Wednesday: Energy Clearing
***Update from Dani Sage (April 2020)- At the time this post was written (2018) I referred to the practice of clearing energy with smoke as “smudging”. With more education and understanding of this deeply sacred and spiritual ritual as it applies to Indigenous People, I have become uncomfortable using “smudging/smudge” to describe my own energy clearing rituals, and have replaced it with “cleansing/clearing” when talking about it. I encourage my followers to reflect and change their own vocabulary around it, as well as taking the time to make sure all of the magical tools and practices you use are both sustainable and respectful. While I believe magic is for everyone, and should be accessible to everyone, it’s important to be aware of the effect your practice has on both the Earth and the people who inhabit it with you!
Have you ever felt like you’re just in a funk and can’t shake it, even though there’s no specific reason you’re feeling this way? Or have you ever entertained guests in your home who brought less than positive vibes into your home and you can just feel it? This negative energy is actually detrimental to you mental and physical well being, I always picture the pink slime in Ghostbusters 2, turning everyone negative and changing their personality, and your ‘proton pack’ to combat this giant Staypuff Marshmellow Man of negativity is smudging! (sorry if you’ve never seen Ghostbusters, but you really should!)
Smoke cleansing is the ancient ceremony of burning herbs or other sacred plants to clear stagnant, negative energy in your physical, emotional, and/or spiritual space. Popular applications of smoke cleansing include sage, Palo Santo, and incense. I remember feeling super intimidated about smoke cleansing, I didn’t want to do it wrong, I didn’t want to disrespect the practice just because I’m a champagne drinking, reality TV watching millennial, not a shaman. But I soon discovered, like using crystals and stones, it’s all about the intention, and there isn’t really a “wrong” way to do it!
The goal of smoke cleansing is to clear any energy that doesn’t serve your highest good, and to welcome positive energy, by calling on your angels, and/or spirit guides to help you. First, lets cover your options for tools:
Dried Herbs- Herbs have been used for thousands of years in dried form, for everything from food and medicine, to rituals and ceremonies. They can be found tied into bundles, or in loose form. It’s used by lighting the end and then blowing it out, allowing the herb to smoulder and smoke.
Palo Santo- Spanish for ‘holy wood’ it’s use can be traced back to the Incan Empire and was/is used by shamans in rituals of purification and clearing of negative energy. It’s just a piece of wood and I think it smells AH-MAZING, it’s super uplifting and is great for grounding during meditation and focusing your energy. Ignite the end of the stick and blow it out, allowing it to smoulder, the more you wave it around, the longer it will continue to smoke.
Incense- If you’ve ever been choked to death at a Catholic funeral or wedding, you’re already familiar with incense’s spiritual application. This is my personal favorite when it comes to smoke cleansing tools! Aside from ceremonial blessings, incense is also used for clearing negative energy. It can be found in stick, cone and resin form and because it’s made from botanicals there are hundreds of scent options. I usually use incense for clearing just one room, and burn it while meditating or working in my office.
Energy Clearing Sprays and Oils- If you’re sensitive to smoke, or the space you’re trying to clear doesn’t allow burning things (like an apartment or office) you still have options. There are lots of energy clearing room sprays on the market, as well as palo santo and sage essential oils you can put in a diffuser or onto your body. The application is essentially the same as burning the other options.
The process of smoke cleansing to remove negative energy:
When clearing a physical space, like my home, I start in the corner the furthest away from the front door, and work my way towards it, as if pushing the negative energy out of the house. When clearing from my emotional/mental space, I start at the top of my head working towards my feet, as if pushing the negative energy into the ground.
First, start by setting you intention for the ritual. I start by saying something like this:
“I ask my spirit guides to assist me in clearing the negative energy from this space, to make room for everything that serves my highest good.”
Then, begin cleansing the space as described above (or if there’s a different way that feels better for you, go for it!). Once you finish try to really infuse the space with positivity. You can set an intention, meditate, or my favorite thing to do after energy cleansing is to have a dance party! Put on your favorite playlist and really go for it! You can’t be sad when you’re shaking your booty! When you finish, thank your spirit guides for their help and go about your day, feeling renewed, refreshed, and full of good vibes!
As I mentioned before, I don’t think there’s a wrong way to do this, as long as the authentic intention is there. I cleanse EVERYTHING, myself, my house, my rescue animals, my phone, my salon, my crystals, things I buy at antique malls, and tons of other things. Do what feels right to you!