Part 3 of 3, first published in NatPath
In the last of a three-part series on space clearing for businesses, I’m going to walk you through an actual clearing. While this is directed to your business, you can also adapt this ritual for your homes.
In Part 1 we discussed what space clearing is—the energetic equivalent of vacuuming and dusting a space. Used regularly, space clearing will keep energy flowing smoothly in your space, supporting you, your staff, your clients, and the space itself as you build on a healthy, balanced place for your business to thrive in.
Your first step was to establish an energetic baseline by using your five senses and your intuition to evaluate each room in your business. Note what is working, what isn’t, and what is neutral.
Your second step was to determine what you need and want from the space by working through exactly what needs to happen in the space to support everyone. Then you list 3-4 specific things you want from that space. Decide how it would feel if the space were ideal for all concerned, what it takes to get that way, what your general intent is.
Then comes the part most space clearing professionals forget—that is, asking the space what it needs and wants from you, your staff, and your clients. Yes, the space. Why? Because whether we realize it or not, everything is alive, including your business space. Asking what it needs and wants and negotiating change is crucial to clearing the space—and helping your business thrive.
And that’s where we’re at in this article.
Conducting the Actual Space Clearing
So, the day for the space clearing has arrived. Ideally you are doing this outside of normal business hours, so you can concentrate on the task at hand. Or you’ve arranged for a few hours in the day when clients aren’t present if you’ve hired a professional (which I’d suggest, and not just because I am one, but because a professional offers the experience to deal with tricky situations and the neutrality to balance concerns and demands).
If staff are present, brief them on what’s going to happen, and even invite them to participate. Some will join in out of curiosity, others will not, their choice, of course.
First step: gather your space clearing tools. These include:
- Incense for clearing: it can be something like sage (not my favorite), copal (one of the best), sandalwood, nag champa (another favorite). Some people are sensitive to fragrances or smoke; if that’s the case, there are clearing sprays out there that are unscented that also work. You can also create your own clearing spray by soaking a quartz crystal in water for a few hours, and using that water. Experiment.
- Candles: smokeless candles or even the kind with batteries offer a nice ceremonial touch.
- Flowers: lavender is a good clearing flower. However, try buying or gathering a bouquet from your garden. As you gather the flowers, concentrate on your business space, and “choose” what feels right to you (yes, this is using your intuition).
- Pictures, crystals, objects that mean something to you, your staff, and the space: You can set up a space clearing “altar” for these objects (including candles and flowers). They help set the mood and carry the energy for the clearing. And can remain set up afterwards as a reminder of the clearing.
- Sea salt: I love Himalayan sea salt, but any salt will do. Prepare to sprinkle it in the space or set a small amount in a bowl in each room. You can put water in each bowl if you’d like.
- A bell: I use a small bronze Tibetan singing bowl. Use anything that offers a clear tone.
Second step: gather your notes. You’ve made notes on what you want from the space and the clearing, and questions for the space.
Third step: open the space clearing session. Gather all the participants, light the candles, and state your intention for the clearing.
Fourth step: open negotiations with your space. Granted, this is easier with a space clearing professional who can more easily connect directly with the space, but don’t be afraid to try this on your own. It can take getting really quiet, and allowing the connection with the space to occur however your intuition most strongly works. For example, we are all a combination of intuitive seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing, but most of us are stronger at one of these skills. Use yours.
If you intuitively see well, look around: what do you notice about the space? If you intuitively hear, ask it to tell you what it needs. If you intuitively feel, how does the space feel to you? If you intuitively know, take the first hit that tells you something about the space, it’s usually the answer.
Granted, most people skip this step, because they have a hard time thinking a space can communicate with them. Don’t be that way. Over time you will become very familiar with how your space responds to the people in it, and your business will improve—I know, I’ve seen it over and over. I tell people: be comfortable with weird! It gets you places!
Opening negotiations includes decision-making. At some point, you will decide what the clearing will involve. Yes, you eliminate stuck energy so the business can run smoothly. Take what you learned from your wish list, and your space’s, and include that in the clearing. After telling the space (and the people involved) what those solutions are, you can proceed with the clearing.
Fifth step: conduct the actual space clearing. Proceed to clear the space. Using the incense or spray, move through each room, making sure your intention for clearing and the smoke/spray spread throughout the space, especially in the corners. You can “sweep” the spray with feathers or simply your hands, and invite the space to clear. Pay particular attention to the space: what do you notice? If the room still feels “stuck” after you clear it, go over it again.
After each room is cleared, put a small bowl of sea salt in it. You can put water in the bowl if you’d like. Change the sea salt/water daily for the next week. It helps to continue the clearing, and it reminds people that a clearing was conducted.
Once the entire space is cleared, go back over it again with your bell. This helps remind the participants, both people and the space, that a cleaingr has occurred. It will also let you know if you missed something—when I use my Tibetan singing bowl, a clear tone tells me the space is clear, but a wobbly tone tells me that the clearing needs a boost. Sometimes ringing the bowl a few times completes it, and sometimes I need to stop, look at what I might have missed, digging a bit deeper to uncover and solve the issue. When the bell finally sounds clear, I know the work is done. So will you.
Sixth step: celebrating the clearing. Space clearing is essential for a healthy business space, but it can also be exhausting, because you are clearing yourself as well as the space. So give yourself a break. Take some time for yourself—drink lots of water, rest, reflect on the experience, get a good night’s sleep. Be sure to thank everyone for participating, and invite them, too, to take some time for themselves.
Your business will thank you for it. So will your staff and clients. Even those who don’t pay attention to their intuition will likely notice that it just feels great coming to your business. Which is great, right?
Try a space clearing for your business. Let me know what you experienced. I always enjoy hearing from people.
© 2016 Robyn M Fritz