As she circled our apartment, the woman scattered red-stained rice at every corner while repeating, “May your health be good, may your happiness be great, and may you prosper,” as a trail of incense followed her.
She smiled at my Ganesha statue, and sang monotone hymns.
Slowly, she was helping to transform our new living area into a comfortable and warm home.
House cleansings (like the ones provided at SpiritualCoach.com) have been a tradition for many centuries across a range of cultures.
It is usually done to remove stagnant and unwelcome energy from the home and promote peace and tranquility.
As per askClaudia, our homes can be entrapped with toxic energy.
She says the home can be a prison for negative thoughts and feelings such as anger, sadness, or paranoia and the air can become thickened with tension even after the fight is long over.
Negative vibrations can be caused by the poisonous energy from freeways and sewers.
It is important to clean out our homes and create a positive, more vibrant environment.
These purification rituals can be performed in any home.
However, they are usually required after a trauma event like a divorce or burglary.
What I have learned and what you should expect
My boyfriend of almost a year and I moved in together at the end of the season.
We were both excited and nervous about what was ahead.
We hoped to create a place where love, positivity and joy could flourish.
His mom bought us a Feng Shui House blessing as a housewarming gift.
This was something she had done for her house last year and she highly recommended it, saying her “[household] income has doubled since”.
A house healer came to our home on a Saturday afternoon in September with a mix of cleansing essentials.
We were wrong to think that this would take 45 minutes.
It took over two hours!
We first spoke with her about our birthdays, which she determined was a great match because of my solid grounding and his creative enthusiasm.
Then, she asked us to help her create a shrine on our coffee table.
She set out a piece of shimmery fabric, fresh-picked flowers and crystals.
Then she played a video of monks singing off her phone and lit incense.
She placed a bowl of uncooked rice on top of a cup of water and a small bottle of alcohol.
The healer gave us each a sacred token.
Mine was a key-shaped, silver object that I put in my pocket.
She told us to remember what we want this cleansing to bring about: success, safety, love, sweetness, and lasting love.
We closed our eyes, meditating for a while, holding on to our wishes tight, before she started stirring the rice with the alcohol and water.
Cinnabar is used primarily in Feng Shui ceremonies to treat ailments due to its supposed medicinal properties.
Cinnabar is believed to repel evil chi and attract good luck.
After the chanting, the group moved around the apartment starting at the front door.
My boyfriend was also asked to raise a bell during the ceremony.
He was also asked to wade a stick of burnt sage along each boundary of his home.
As she entered the kitchen, she said, “May you be fed with healthy and good food.”
She blessed the bedroom with “peaceful dreams” and a restful sleep.
As she returned to her front door, she said, “May you be prosperous and have an abundance wealth and happiness.”
The process was repeated several more times until finally reaching the front door.
We discussed how Feng Shui can promote positive energy in each of the areas we had chosen to discuss after the ceremony.
Even though we didn’t use all her suggestions, we did incorporate the ones we thought were the most fitting.
To promote career success, we made a shrine for Ganesha, Lord of Obstacles on our dresser.
We placed our desk next to the door.
To allow positive energy to flow, we opened the door from the hallway to our bedroom.
Although the spiritual energies took time to relax and energize, I noticed a greater understanding between me and my partner, as well as a more organized and motivated attitude towards our careers and priorities.
How to do it
The availability of house healing services is increasing so I recommend consulting a professional.
An average house cleansing will cost from $200-$500 depending on the size of your home as well as the popularity and effectiveness of the person you’re using.
A professional is the best option, but clearing your home of any negative energy is always good advice.
There are many ways to do this, but I like the following:
- Spring clean your home (or fall clean it) by getting rid of junk and unnecessary items, organizing drawers and closets, and cleaning every surface to make it spotless.
- To let in fresh air and sunshine, open windows
- Set a positive and powerful intention in your head.
- You can burn dried sage, or you can spray your home with a soothing blend of essential oils.
- Gratitude for the cleansing and visualise the radiant, harmonious energy filling your home.
Your home is your sanctuary.
It needs some “self-care” from time to time.
It’s not enough to clean up or make some repairs.
You need to maintain your home’s intimacy, support, sacred energy, and love.
You can achieve this by doing a house cleansing.