ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Cleansing your haunted house

As the whole world shut down for a global pandemic, stay-at-home orders everywhere forced people inside. As people began to spend more time in their homes than they'd ever had to before, a few of us began to realize we weren't as alone as we otherwise thought.

When the daily distractions came to a grinding halt, it naturally made it a lot easier for all of us to tune in to the energies of our space — whether we wanted to or not. And sometimes, that meant realizing our space was a little more haunted than we originally thought.

It's one thing to begin to understand that something is there—that an unseen energy is sharing and haunting our space. But the very next question becomes, what should we do about it? All of us have the ability to do more than we might think.

First, it's important to understand the two different ways a space can be "haunted." There are two types of energies that can haunt a space: Residual and Intelligent.

Residual Energy

When a traumatic event occurs, or something repeatedly happens in a space over and over again, a residual energetic pattern can imprint on that space. It's almost like a record player, replaying recorded sound waves.

For example, have you ever walked into a room after two people have argued? You might not even have had to witness the argument, but the tension can still be hanging in the air; it can feel heavy. Some of us who are more empathic and sensitive can physically feel that energy. Just imagine if someone argues in that same space over and over again for the course of days, weeks, months, or years. The amount of angsty, tense residual energy that can build up might very well be overwhelming for anyone to feel, empath or not.

Residual energy can be cleared. Metaphysical tools like sage, Palo Santo, Florida Water, or even singing bowls and special crystals can be used to help clear and rebalance the energy of a space.

Clearing Residual Energy

In my humble opinion, there's no wrong way to clear residual energy out of a space as long as the intent is clear. I usually burn sage and Palo Santo, mostly because I like the way they smell together. I start by setting an intention, which I repeat as I walk through the house. I usually say some variation of, "I hereby breakup and release all of the negative energy in this space, may peace light and love be ever present." But if it makes more sense for you to say something like, "Bad stuff be gone, good stuff take over," then do that. This process is called "smudging."

I never worry about walking in the right direction or making sure all of the windows are open. The more I start to worry about any of that, the more it takes away from my intent that any negative residual energy be replaced with light and love. In other words, worrying and having a lot of fear about "doing it wrong" is actually going to be the reason you do it wrong.

Intelligent Energy

The other way a house can be haunted is by an intelligent energy. Intelligent energy is just that, intelligent…and oftentimes, interactive. An intelligent energy can move small objects around. It can reach out and touch a shoulder. It could tap on a wall in response to a question or command. It can even whisper your name from across the room.

But intelligent energy can come in different vibrations. A high-vibrational energy feels light, happy, and non-threatening. Often times, high-vibrational energies are our loved ones from the other side of the veil coming back to check in on us.

A lower-vibrational energy (i.e. a ghost) often feels heavier, and more confused. Sometimes, this kind of energy actually needs help. If a soul didn't go where it was supposed to go upon death, it can get trapped in what seems to be an in-between dimension — it's one that overlaps with ours just enough that we know something is there. This energy can take a little bit more

work to clear, in part because in that in-between dimension, there's not a lot of clarity. Sometimes, these ghosts don't even realize that they died.

Clearing Intelligent Energy

Even when a ghost does realize that it's dead, getting a low-vibration intelligent energy to move along can be a little bit trickier. Why? Because an intelligent energy has freewill choice in death, as it did in life. If a soul chose not to go where it was supposed to go upon death, there is usually a reason. If a ghost specifically chose not to go to the light—that higher vibrational dimension — when it had the chance, waving some sage around is not going to get it to go where it is supposed to go now. When we've burnt sage, I've actually watched ghosts simply go outside and wait for us to be done smudging. When the air has cleared, they go right back inside again.

It might feel a little silly to talk to the air, but it can't hurt to give it a try. Sometimes, all a ghost needs is a little bit of reassurance that their loved ones are waiting for them or that they deserve to go where they should have gone all along. After all, at one time or another, that ghost was somebody's grandmother, father, brother, daughter, or friend. And if one of my deceased loved ones were stuck somewhere they weren't supposed to be, I know I'd be forever grateful to the person who noticed and tried to say a few words to try and help them.

10 Easy ways to Remove the negative energy in your home

1) Set a new intention for your home.

Form follows thought. Before you do anything else, set a specific intention for your home. What do you want your space to help you release? How do you want your home to feel?

For example, you could say: "My intention is to cleanse negative energy from my home so I am focused and productive" or "My intention is to release my ex's energy and feel peaceful again." Speak your intention out loud to set the shifts in motion.

2) Try burning dried herbs.

People all over the world have long burned certain fragrant herbs to clear negative energy. This list of 10 herbs can be burned for their cleansing smoke.

Simply place your dried herb of choice in a fire-safe container and light until you see a flame. Blow it out. The orange embers will continue to burn. Fan the embers while spreading smoke thoroughly into every crevice of each room. Note: If you have asthma or are sensitive to smoke, skip this one and clear your space using plants instead (see tip No. 8).

3) Strategically place your crystals.

Crystals are gifts from the earth that carry various beneficial vibrational properties. Two stones to place around your home to clear negative energy are black tourmaline and obsidian. But also having any crystal you love in the home can fill your space with that better energy after you've gotten the negative out, in with the positive!

4) Make noise as you walk through your space.

The sound of drums, gongs, and even clapping hands can help break up negative energy. For an at-home sound ritual, start at your front door and move clockwise through the inner perimeter of your home, playing an instrument (or clapping) toward the walls, until you've made a full loop.

5) Burn incense.

Palo Santo is a type of fragrant wood that's native to South America and can be burned as incense. It is thought to be a vigorous energy cleanser; just light one end of a stick and spread the smoke as you would with your dried herbs.

6) Cleanse your house with salt.

Salt has been used for sterilizing everything from cutting boards to wounds (ouch!), and it clears negative energy too. Here are some ways you can utilize it throughout your home:

• Dissolve sea salt in a spray bottle filled with water and mist the air of every room.

• Place a thin line of sea salt in front of your home's entrance or around the perimeter of your property.

• Include a small dish of salt on your altar.

• Dissolve salt in water used to clean surfaces and floors.

● Use Himalayan salt lamps.

7) Give the whole place a fresh, lemony scent.

There's a reason so many cleaning products are lemon-scented. The smell of lemon is naturally invigorating and uplifting. Here are some unexpected ways to use it at home:

• Simmer lemon peels in water and let the steam scent your space.

• Leave small dishes filled with fresh lemon slices around your home.

• Put lemon essential oils in your diffuser.

8) Fill your space with the smell of plants.

Lemon isn't the only scent that can give your space a quick boost: Sage, lavender, and frankincense essential oils can also be great at dissolving negativity.

You can either place them in your diffuser or fill a clean spray bottle with equal parts witch hazel and distilled water, add 20-30 drops of essential oil of choice, shake, and mist your living space. Or opt for fresh scents instead and place fragrant plants like peace lilies, aloe vera, or English ivy in vases around your home.

9) Harness the power of imagination.

Imagine a glowing, golden light inside your heart space. As you breathe in deeply, expand that light until it's outside of your body. Now spread that light into your living space, with the intention that all of the energetic congestion clears out.

10) Clear out your clutter.

Physical dirt and clutter can make a space feel unwelcoming. Keeping a clean, clutter-free home means negative energy won't have a place to congregate. Last but not least, open your windows! Allowing fresh air in also lets negative energy out.

The Bottom Line

Make energetically cleansing your space a regular part of your routine using any one of these practices and within a short time, you will feel lighter, brighter, and better able to take inspired action in your life.

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Cari Hoffman is the owner of the Clarity Center.

Stop by The Clarity Center for more information or to see their selection of crystals, gems and healing items — 6848 N. Government Way, Unit 116 and 117, Dalton Gardens, ID 83815, MyClarityCenter.com.