Yesterday I decided to detox the flat, banish the bad energy from the apartment and leave no corner untouched. So armed with a pair of marigolds and cleaning bleach (while S dug out the duster) I did exactly that. This is otherwise known as a spring clean… I had heard about this way of cleaning to release negative energy from an Indian friend, who told me it was a Hindu religious tradition. Every year her entire family would begin a spiritual abode detox that would involve cleaning absolutely everything in the house from the cracks in the floor to the curtains. Nothing was left untouched and doors and windows were left open so that bad spirits could leave. After cleaning, prayers were offered in the house and Life resumed. During the week, G had woken up with a nightmare, and my first thought was how powerful bad feelings can be; how they can just move around until they settle into someone else. And there’s nothing like the protective spirit of a mother to do something about it. So, I opened a window for the bad energy to leave (which in this weather is some dedication) and cleared out corners to unleash anything trapped. While doing this I sprawled myself under my bed to pull out any clutter which had slowly migrated there and, in a small bag, I found my Tiger’s Eye – forgotten and abandoned. Tiger’s Eye is a stone of protection and courage, it dispels fear and anxiety and unclouds emotion. I emptied the small bag and a dead woodlouse fell out with it. As I washed the Tigers Eye under some cold running water I thought about how important our cleaning rituals are and I wondered how they differed form home to home. I remember my mum’s cleaning rituals would always be a lot like a hurricane had blown through the house. Everything was pulled out of the cupboards and I still feel the sense of dread years later. However, mum’s cleaning ritual always ended with a big family meal – the hurricane contained and our stomachs happy.
Later that night, in my new sparkling clean apartment, I lit candles for Protection, Positivity and Love. Already the energy in my home felt different and I knew that we were all going to sleep better for it.
My girlfriend is somewhat like your mother. She turns into a hurricane, the day, it’s clean up job, a nightmare for me. Her rambling goes on until she finishes “I do nothing, clean nothing, keep nothing in order…..” Helpless Gods too vanish, take a day off and I stay put in a corner with my six-pack beer, bleeding…
haha! She should have placed a feather duster in your bleeding hands. My full sympathies to you. I’m still traumatised by mother’s cleaning regime – will come up in family therapy I’m sure ;o)
That’s a great extra motivation to clean
Wonderful – these jobs always needs lots of motivation
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That’s for sure. If I trip over my vacuum (sitting in my bedroom as a reminder, waiting to be used) one more time…..
Ritualistic cleansing. I’ve been doing a bit of research on this. Do you happen to have any links or info I could use to get started?
I always like to read a range of material and then adapt things to suit me. The way I spiritually cleanse my home is to keep windows open to allow the bad energy to leave and then I clear/clean out all clutter from corners, under beds so good energy can move around freely and the trapped bad energy can leave. I use salt water to clean the floors as it’s really good for removing negative energy. I also wash all my crystals as they need detoxing and I light candles once I ‘ve finished. With each candle I wish positivity, protection and happiness for my home and those in it… Lots of luck with your ritualistic cleansing. I’d love to hear how you create yours
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I’ve heard plenty about scents and evn Sage Smudging. I need to grab a book on the matter so I can figure out what works for me…and my home. I assume, there is plenty of room for interpretation, just as anything else we have opinions on. Yes?
Absolutely, it comes from a very personal place and what feel right for. It’s also about the energy you want in your home and that passes through you and around you. So focusing your thoughts really helps. I’m always really focused on removing negative energy and replacing it with positivity so I keep that in mind while detoxing.
Try a google search for Spring Cleaning. There’s an article on Wikipedia
Love your post, I spent my weekend doing a similar process, a slow, intentional process. I am always delighted by the effect of the feel of my home. Thanks also for the reminder about tigers eye.
It’s such a great feeling to clean and work through the process of negative cleansing.hope you’re enjoying your detoxed space.
I am in desperate need of spring cleaning myself…
I think there should be an official spring cleaning day..
Thanks for your post! I’m also in the midst of a New Year spring clean. For me, once I shake up part of the house enough, there is a domino effect and ripples of cleaning and organizing advance throughout. It feels fabulous! I never know what changes it will inspire, but they will not be just physical. Cleaning (applied generally without obsession and compulsion) is a whole-being exercise–physical, emotional mental and spiritual. <3 <3 <3
I completely agree with you. It’s such a holistic experience and does inspire many changes. Wishing you lots of joy with your new year clean.
My children still make me chuckle when they tease me about when I “smudged” the house years ago, burning sage to their olfactory discomfort….I admire your cleansing efforts. I seem to be much more consistent with a daily “brushing down” of my being, cleansing energy picked up during the day. But your post inspires, so will try a house cleanse when it’s a bit warmer (now 15-degrees F.) xox
I admire you’re daily brushing down! There’s nothing quite like staying on top of things xx
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Sometimes I try to clean my soul. But the darkness makes it hard to sweep out the corners. Smiles. Sweet post
I can understand but I think the darkness also make you the creative person that you are…loving your writing
Thank you