Where Energy Flows

What is space clearing? This is the number one question I receive when speaking to a new space clearing client.  Space Clearing is the act or process of energetically cleansing a space of unwanted residual or stuck energies.  What this statement means in every day terms, for example, is that in a space clearing a practitioner can remove negative past memories held within a home or clear away a feeling of stagnant closed in feelings.  The practitioner uses intention and special Ceremony to clear away these residual energies.

Why is it important to space clear your home? Many of my clients first want the residual energy removed of past owners or of past issues that held a big emotional charge.  For instance, have you ever gone into a room soon after an argument occurred in that room?  Many times you can still feel the emotions.  This is where the proverb, “it was so tense you could cut it with a knife” comes from.

A space clearing practitioner creates a special ceremony based on a clear intention set by the client.  This preparation for the space clearing is vital as a clear intention and the emotion around that intention is the fuel to bring the ceremony to life.

In Interior Alignment™, we call this special ceremony, Purification.  Purification is like clearing debris from a stream.  We remove the energetic blocks so that Chi, Life Force, can energetically flow smoothly though out the home or space.

As professional space clearing practitioners we are trained to use our intuition and space clearing tools such as bells, Drums, incense and feathers as part of the purification ceremony.  When we are finished space clearing the entire home or space, we then instill the clients intended positive energies into the home, such as love, peace and Abundance.  The client then has an energetically clean space to enjoy their positive energies that fill their home.

© Copyright Yvette Neshi Lokotz, 2008. All rights reserved.

This time of year is always so refreshing and vibrant.  Just feeling the change in the breeze and warmer days brings on the desires to play hooky.
 
I wrote an article for my blog, Two-Feathers, about the Spring Equinox and I mentioned that at the equinoxes there is a balancing of energies at the exact time of the equinox.  From a Feng Shui perspective this shift or change in the seasons at the time of the Equinox is when male and female energies are balance for a short time.  We can feel that change and the balance.  Change is the male energies as the wind blows faster at this time of year ushering in the warmer weather.  Balance is the female energy which is reached for a short time. 

As we move around the Medicine Wheel to the Spring Equinox we are at the north-east winds.  This is a cross wind which comes in stronger and faster moving.  We also notice that the snow melts and we have spring showers (female water element).  Depending on which version of the Medicine Wheel you use, we are either moving from a female energy in the north into a male energy of the east or moving from a male energy of mental thoughts into a female energy of birth.  No matter which culture or belief system you are comfortable with, we have the gift of feeling balance during the equinox.

The Spring Equinox is also known as the Awakening Time.  As we come out of a time of death into a time of rebirth.  In nature we begin to see the sprouting of the new grass and spring flowers, all of which were gathering energies during the time of germination.  As the gathering of energy of the North winds gives way to the energy of the East-Winds, the time of rebirth, the Awakening, we can begin to see the sprouting of new projects that began as mere thoughts that came from our intuition while we spent time in the energies of the North.

I remember as a child attending special gatherings to honor the Spirit each season.  My grandfather was a member of the Dream Drum religion.  We would make the trip with him for these gatherings.  I liked the spring gathering the best as there was a sense of openness, freedom in the drumming, singing and dance.  The adults spoke Potawatomi most often and since I didn’t speak the language fluently, I had the gift of setting aside the world of adults.  I was able to take in the feeling of the ceremonies without the encumbrance of labels.   As I reflect on these childhood memories of the Spring Equinox Drum Dance, I remember the feeling of the beat of the drum, the heart beat of mother earth, as the vibrations became more and more expansive ushering in the Spirit of the East.

Many blessing to you on this Spring Equinox.
 
All Rights Reserved. Yvette Neshi Lokotz, March 2008.

In order to really understand Space Clearing let us look first understand about space.

It has several meanings. It can refer to something physical which is personal to us. ‘Our’ space could be our area on the desk, or our own room. Then there is the non-physical meaning of space, when we say someone is ‘in our space’. This often means someone is physically too close to us.

In both cases we are talking about our energy fields. An energy field is a vibration. People often have difficulty with the concept of energy and vibrations because although most of us can’t see them, energy vibrations can be felt by most people, even those who believe they are not very sensitive to such things. We all have been somewhere where we felt wonderful, and we all have been in places where something felt off - in other words we picked up negative ‘vibes’. What is being picked up on is the ambient energy left over from people and events. This ambient energy is emotions.

Emotions

It is interesting that people can often tell what happened in a room before they got there. For example if you are visiting someone’s house where there has been an argument, many people can feel it, even if the hosts are acting normally. We pick up on good emotions as well. There are places that just feel good to be in. Most often I encounter them in places of nature. But people’s homes, offices, shops and restaurants also have good energy.  

Why is it we pick up on energy vibrations in rooms?  It is because energy vibrations also run through seemingly solid objects and gives them a history. Antique furniture, for example, often have definite personalities and energy patterns imprinted in them. Just touching them can give off feelings of happiness, or sadness.

We know from the Law of Attraction that happiness and joy is a higher energy field than one of sadness, grief, anger, loneliness -  that is, any energy pattern that feels negative. And with Space Clearing, we can change the energy imprint from a negative one, to a positive one.

What we do in Space Clearing is change the pattern through manipulating the space, so that any negative elements are removed. At the same time we are consciously putting back a different vibration.  Normally these are your intentions - all the good things you envision happening to you while you live there.

Another type of Space Clearing is to dedicate the space to the present owners’ wishes and dreams for their lives. Some Space-clearers call this a Blessing Ceremony and traditionally this was done when people move into a new home. Today we do this ceremony to help people consciously fills their homes and working places with tangible reminders of the joy and happiness they wish to honour in their lives.

© Copyright Deborah Redfern, 2008. All rights reserved.

Last week, on my way to one of my favorite breakfast spots, I passed an elaborate Ceremony in progress - the installation of a Spirit House and an Ancestor House for a new business.   And, I was honored to be invited to stay. 

In Thailand, each building has small shrines that are dedicated to the nature spirits and to the “Grandparent” spirits of the people who first lived on the property.  Some of the houses are made to look like miniature temples.  Others look like traditional Thai teak homes.  Some are whimsical and all are eye-catching and beautiful.  Offerings are made at these shrines every morning and evening. 

Great care is taken to place these shrines in the most auspicious location and Astrology is consulted to make sure that they are installed at an auspicious day and time.  And they are put in place with a great deal of ritual. 

For this installation ceremony, two large tables took over the front lawn of the building.  The tables were heavy with an assortment of offerings - flowers, water, red soda pop, whisky, plates of sweets, large wooden trays with fruit piled carefully into towers, incense, candles and two pig’s heads (an especially expensive and lucky offering).

A serious looking, older man dressed in white presided over the ceremony.  His role, a combination of priest, geomancer and astrologer.   It is his job to select the proper location for the Spirit House and to make sure that the timing of the ceremony is accurate.  He performed specific blessings and set the statues and other ornaments into position.   

At one point in the midst of this lovely ceremony, there was a bit of a hitch.  The geomancer attempted to place a Buddha image into the Spirit House, but the base of the statue was too wide to fit through the narrow door.  The business owner disappeared and quickly returned, carrying a hammer.  With a “wai” (a small bow with hands over the heart) and a prayer offered to the Buddha, she gave the base a few whacks of the hammer.  It still didn’t fit.  So, more prayers, more “wais” and a few more whacks with the hammer followed.  Finally, the statue fit and the ceremony joyfully continued on.  The Spirit House was adorned with flowers and brightly colored garlands, the candles were lit and the business owner prayerfully placed the first sticks of incense onto the altar.  

I see many Spirit Houses and Ancestor Houses every day, as I walk around town.  So, it was really wonderful to witness an installation ceremony.  Yet again, I am moved by the way that ritual and ceremony are such an integral part of life here in Thailand.  I love the way laughter and playfulness balance the seriousness.  And, I continue to be intrigued by the way the practical and the spiritual are woven together so closely (remembering Buddha and the hammer!). 

Living here, I am constantly reminded to bring spiritual elements into my own daily life and to do this in a meaningful, yet routine and ongoing way.  

Copyright Deb Swingholm, 2008  All rights reserved.

Sometimes places, homes, or businesses can feel sticky, heavy, or just plain weird. Usually that is the point where I just want to leave, get outdoors and take a deep breath of fresh air. 

Clutter can make a home feel this way, yet sometimes it can be as pristine as a museum, and still have that oppressive heaviness hanging around. As a feng shui consultant, many times I would feng shui a home to the nines, and still there was something missing, like the air still needed to be lifted of an unseen fog. Lower vibrational energy from strong emotions like arguments or depression can be absorbed and held by the wallpaper, the carpeting, and the furniture. Additionally energy can get stuck from lack of movement, use, or neglect. Old, forgotten, disrespected, unwanted and unloved; a space can also feel how you feel about it. (Think basement here). 

Space Clearing to the rescue! The loving attention of a Space Clearing Ceremony can immediately shift the energy in a place. As Interior Alignment™ practitioners, we use a wide variety of tools that lift and transform.  Burning white sage, using rhythmic drums and music, or ringing Balinese bells can make all the difference. Of course, the intention we hold while using these tools is also an important part of the process. When a Space Clearing is complete, the air looks crisper, and one can breath deeper. It is a healthier and more radiant place to be. And when we feel good in our space, we tend to infuse that mood into our work, our relationships, and our community.

There are many layers to learning the art of Space Clearing. And, if you would like to take your training to a deeper level, you are invited to join me for an intensive Space Clearing course this summer, called Beauty, Space, and Balance - An Exploration of Advanced Space Clearing Techniques.  Along with Master Teachers Deb Swingholm and Neshi Lokotz, I will take you on a magical journey to learn the inner workings of this sacred practice. 

© Minnie Kansman, 2008. All rights reserved.

Valentine’s Day Thoughts…. 

As I sit here watching yet another beautiful snowfall, I wonder about Valentine’s Day and its meaning.  I wonder about how its meaning has affected my personal life.  Ahhh….and then memories of the early days of my marriage drift through my mind. 

Paul and I have been together for 29 years and married for 28 years.  That is a lot of years and a lot of memories.  Some of those memories were caught on film and others are found only in the recesses of my mind.

We were so very young when we married in 1979.  Both Paul and I were 19 years old, just mere children.  Of course at that time we were convinced that we knew what we were doing and we were old enough to begin our married life despite what some of our parents thought and said. In each of the dwellings we called home, I always had a special area for our wedding picture, a candle and small mementos like special stones from special places we had been together.  In those early years I had no conscious knowledge that I was creating an altar to and for our union. I had no conscious idea that the intuitive creation and placement of the Marriage Altar created a certain loving energy that helped us to have a stronger partnership and marriage.  All I knew at that time was that it felt so good to have a special place in our home that reflected how we felt about each other.

I now know that the placement of the marriage or romance altar is very important.  Placing this type of altar in the Relationship area of your home or room can enhance the items placed on the altar and most importantly carry an extra surge of energy for your intentions for your relationship.  In Interior Alignment™ we believe that everything has a consciousness.  This means that everything has a life force, even the stones and the wax of the candle.  This also gives reason to deeply consider what items are placed on an altar.  The items energy or vibration becomes your ally or friend to add energy to your intentions for the altar, for your life.

Some of the WhereEnergyFlows Blog authors will have blog articles about the Bagua and the Relationship gua.  There are also past articles about the Bagua and its placement to identify what area of your home is the Relationship area.  The mechanics and application of feng shui and space clearing information is truly important, but in my mind, not quite as important as your reasons, thoughts and intention as to why you want a particular altar. Take time to sit with a cup of tea, watch the snowfall and remember the reasons why you love the person you love, remember all the good and fun times together, remember the words of the vow you said to each other.  And, then go and create a meaningful and loving altar to your union.

Happy Valentine’s Day,
Neshi.

All Rights Reserved.  Copyright Neshi Lokotz, 2008.

Happy Chinese New Year!

For the next three days, the sprawling Warorot Market in Chiang Mai (Thailand) will be the center for much of the Chinese New Year celebrations.  Warorot is the old Chinese Market here, with many Thai-Chinese shop owners.

This morning my usual walk through the market was especially fun (and filled with lots of chances for great photos!).   Normally Warorot is a busy market, but today there was extra traffic as people were out buying supplies for their altars and family get-togethers.

Many shops were decorated with bright red paper lanterns.  Long strings of fireworks did their job of frightening off any evil spirits, and left plenty of red paper confetti littering the streets.  And the two Chinese temples located in the market were alive with people making offerings. 

I especially enjoyed peeking into each shop to admire the beautiful New Year altars.  Some altars took up almost the full interior of the shop.  Others were placed on the floor by the front door.  And, a few shop owners created a special table on the sidewalk. Each altar was richly loaded with trays of roasted ducks and chickens, tea, rice, fruit, red candles and plenty of incense. A few even offered a bottle of whiskey!

Most of all, there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation for good fortune in the year ahead.  I wish all of you a very happy and prosperous Year of the Rat!

Deb Swingholm,  Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.