Ok, here are some important things to consider before reading further;
1. Everything
is energy. Humans, animals, minerals, plants, thoughts, emotions. All
aspects of existence, no matter what it is … is the same energy.
2. When energy impacts an environment, it changes it. For good or bad --- it will change it.
3. Everything
has some form of consciousness. Everything is a ‘spirit’ thought form.
Created by higher forces to exist in the form that it is; to function in
the form that it is; to interact it the way that it does.
4. You are part of everything else. What affects one part, affects all other parts.
5. Like attracts like.
6. Cleansing is healing.
From
the above, you should glean the importance of cleansing the energy
fields which make up you and your environment. Although we might not
always be able to sense an energy imbalance; we are nevertheless
affected by it. Some areas/buildings feel comfortable to us, while
others may make us feel edgy, depressed or anxious to get out.
After
there has been a heated argument in a room for example, the atmosphere
may feel heavy and dismal. You may even begin to feel irritable
yourself. This negative energy, if allowed to exist and even grow (like
attracts like), can adversely affect all the inhabitants in that area.
In your house, it can even make you, your family, your pets and your
plants sick. It will actually make your house sick. Animals are
especially vulnerable as they act as buffers for us, and will absorb
this negativity until they get physically sick.
When we cleanse,
we're replacing undesirable energy (aka negativity) with desirable or
positive energy. Anything can be cleansed and probably should be from
time to time..
If you do a cleansing ritual or procedure with
anger or fear of the negativity you are trying to release, you will only
exchange one kind of negativity for another. You gain nothing. Always
enter into any cleansing process with an attitude of love. Negative
energy is not bad or evil; it is simply energy that does not sustain
you. Nothing is inherently evil --- it is our judgement of it that
labels something good or bad.
There are numerous cleansing methods available, but one which is particularly reliable is Smudging.
Smudging,
(passing through smoke,) is an ancient method of cleansing that works
quite well. I've used it to cleanse my house, and it's very good for
smaller items and for cleansing your aura. When smudging a room, work in
one direction, spiralling to the center. Which direction you use is up
to you - try both. Counter clockwise is usually considered banishing;
clockwise is invoking.
Use White Sage, but garden sage works equally
well. Pine, of any kind, is generally thought to bring in desirable
positive energy; while the sages are more for banishing the negative.
Both can be used during the same smudging ritual. Use powdered sage or
pine on charcoal, or a smudge stick or even a small wad of the leaves.
Carry a heatproof container (ashtray) in the left hand; the smudge in
the right.
For a room, try to start near, but not in front of the
door, sweeping the smoke into all corners; up to the ceiling and down
to the floor. If you use leaves or a smudge stick, knock the ashes off
often, so you won't catch anything on fire. It's a good idea to keep a
container of water close by, just in case.
Repeat the following, if you wish, during the smudging:
From the Element of Fire
Comes this smoke, which is Air.
From the Element of Earth
Grows this plant, which is Water.
I call upon the Elements and the Blessings of Spirit
To please cleanse this (area, space, being, etc.)
For the good of all.
Continue
until every inch of the area has been touched by the smoke and you it
has been finished. As with any magickal rite, intent and visualisation
are important. Visualising the movement of energy adds the power to the
cleansing procedure.