simple shui | a client story

one of the things i do most often is space clearing. if you’ve never heard of this, at first blush it sounds woo. truth is, space clearing is a simple ritual used for centuries by a vast collection of cultures to release sticky energy + stormy vibes and improve the emotional integrity of any given area.

i regard it as a celebration, much like a birthday party. loved ones gather. special treats are prepared. and a birthday cake is often presented as the token symbol of the moment. a candle is bestowed for every year of life and lit. they burn brightly as HAPPY BIRTHDAY is sung, usually followed by a round of applause. a wish made; candles blown out. superstition says if they are extinguished with a single breath, the wish will come true.

the formula for space clearing has similar qualities. fire, whether burning or smoldering, has an enormous cleansing quality. the herbs or resin used embody a vibrational energy that remove any lingering negativity from a home, much like kind words + song. windows are opened to release the stagnant energy. joyful intentions are set; fresh flowers fancy the rooms; treats are enjoyed. all of this depositing BIG LOVE in a house.

last summer, i saged a bestie’s home that had been the backdrop to a contentious divorce. so much hurt + pain was layered here. like any consult, i follow my instincts. so, as we walked through her beautiful house, i asked about a few things that caught my attention. one was a slim spine book amongst a well-composed pile with the word ‘killing’ in the title. given its prominent location, i wondered if it was a good read. when she replied, “i haven’t even read it…” i encouraged her to move it out.

note: even something subtle and innocuous can snag our subconscious and affect how we feel.

as we continued through her home, i asked about a photo board covered with dated pictures. old pictures, especially when they don’t stir joy or happiness, will stymie us from moving forward. before i finished my question about them, my girlfriend was in tears. she intuitively knew it was time to move past the perceived failure of her marriage and create open space for who she wanted to become now. she admitted stalling over these pictures more than once. with a deep breath, she took them down. and we put them in a box that lives in another room.

note: the gorgeous pictures represented this family in happier times; however, they were all feeling the elephantine weight of trying to move forward. so, while the photos weren’t unhappy, they were the first thing she + her littles saw when they walked in the house — and it was a daily reminder of their past.

after a little more prep work, i lit the sage and we walked through her entire house. i encourage my clients to think of only a few words as we go room to room – LIGHT + LOVE + GRATITUDE. it quiets mental chatter and aligns us with what the sage is doing.

when we were done, i encouraged her to mindfully set new intentions in each space while she put out vases of fresh blooms. and then i told her what i tell all clients: when we sage, the vibration is so refreshed, anything not in alignment will fall away. sometimes what might look like bad luck is actually a really good thing happening on our behalf.

the next day, she called me. her camera that was stolen 4 years prior had been recovered by the local police department. on it, over 900 photos of her kids. it was a random but deliciously welcome find.

a week later, she called again. she had just learned the guy she’d been dating for almost a year had several extracurricular relationships going on. devastated but determined, she broke the relationship off immediately.

licking her wounds, she had some startling clarity. and within a few days of that breakthrough, she met someone new. a year later, she is married.

while everyone’s results are uniquely personal, i’ve found space clearing is one of the most powerful ways to create sacred space and improve our lives. it’s not necessary to understand it nor is it a question of whether it works. rather, it is a glorious act of celebration to choose joy + LOVE for your house and YOU.

xo

{while a thorough space clearing is best performed by a practitioner, there are easy rituals you can observe to keep the energy in your home shimmering + light. next week, i’ll share one of my favorites in june’s video post!}