S1 EP 19: Sacred Spaces: Protecting Your Energy in a Chaotic World

Sensitive souls and empaths can protect their energy and create sacred spaces that support healing and spiritual connection. This episode explores space clearing techniques and tools to help energy-sensitive people create environments that nourish rather than drain them.

• Protecting your energy in challenging environments through grounding, visualization, and carrying small crystals
• Understanding how spaces and objects hold emotional imprints that can affect sensitive people
• Creating a spiritual toolkit with items like bells, sage, crystals, and sound tools
• Cleansing techniques including sacred smoke, sound, salt water, crystals, and aromatherapy
• Respecting the cultural origins of clearing practices like smudging
• Setting clear intentions when blessing your space
• Recognizing when your own energy needs clearing and taking steps to reset
• Approaching objects that feel energetically heavy and knowing when to let them go

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Chapters

• 0:00 Creating Sacred Space For Sensitive Souls
• 3:10 Protecting Your Energy in Vulnerable Environments
• 7:29 Space Clearing: Why Energy Needs Attention
• 19:59 Objects Carry Energy: Understanding Psychometry
• 34:20 Building Your Spiritual Toolkit
• 38:59 Cleansing Methods For Your Sacred Space
• 50:22 Blessing Your Space With Intention

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

Welcome back to Healing Our Kindred Spirits. I am Donna Gaudette and I'm so glad that you're joining us today. Let me ask you this have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt a heaviness in the air? Or maybe you stepped into a space and suddenly felt maybe irritated or anxious for no clear reason. Are you a sensitive soul, an empath, or someone who just naturally soaks up the energy around you? If any of that sounds familiar, I want to use this time together to talk about something I believe is essential the importance of space clearing and the beauty of creating your own sacred space. By the time we wrap up today, we'll have explored four soul nourishing lessons together. Number one protecting your energy and environment with simple exercises and tools you may already own. Number two learn how the objects around us can carry energy and what you can do to clear that energy. Number three, how to create your own spiritual toolkit. And number four, how to bless your sacred space in a meaningful way, while honoring the cultures these practices come from. So, whether you are here to learn, to observe or to just listen, it is my intention that you feel enlightened, inspired and, most of all, empowered, whether you are just sensitive, an empath or someone who can feel, sense or absorb the energy around you, then this episode is for you. Take this journey with me Now. Let's get started. Welcome, kindred Spirits. I'm so grateful you're here with me today and healing our Kindred Spirits. This episode can be a continuation from our last episode or use it as a standalone episode. In our last episode, we talked about creating a sacred space where you can heal, connect and feel truly empowered. In today's episode, we are going to continue that conversation and hopefully help you to be able to protect your energy, clear, cleanse and balance, as well as re-energize your space, or, as I call it, sacred space.

Speaker 1: 2:25

And when I refer to space, it could be anywhere you are. It could be in a car or even in a building. It could be anywhere. So how and why do we want to energetically protect ourselves from vulnerable environments? Sometimes it's not just our homes or personal spaces that need clearing. Sometimes it's even us. When you're in environments that feel heavy, chaotic or simply off, it's easy for your energy to become drained or unsettled. Has this ever happened to you? It's happened to me a number of times, but the good news is, you can protect your own energy even in places that don't feel like yours. Here's a few ways you can do that.

Speaker 1: 3:11

Number one ground yourself before you go in. I cannot stress this enough. Before entering a space that feels maybe challenging, take a pause, close your eyes, take a slow breath in, and what I like to do is imagine roots growing from the bottom of my feet into the earth and feel yourself being anchored, feel steady, feel supported and feel grounded. Number two use an energetic shield. When I say shield, I mean visualize a bubble, or in some cases I've even visualized bubble wrap around me or soft glowing light surrounding you. For some people that could be a golden light, a white light, violet light, whatever feels right for you. See it as a strong but breathable light, letting in love and positivity while deflecting anything that's not meant for your highest good. So imagine this bubble or light has a mirror on the outside of it, so whatever is directed towards you will reflect back to someone else. If someone is sending you bad vibes, they're going to get bad vibes right back. So you're not owning anything, it's going right back to them.

Speaker 1: 4:30

Number three carry a pocket ally. And what does that mean? It just means a small crystal or small talisman. We're going to use the example of crystals, so some small crystals, or examples of them, are clear quartz, rose quartz, citrine, amethyst or any other stone you are drawn to, anything that you're drawn to for energetic protection. My favorites are citrine, rose quartz and amethyst. That seems to be my first aid kit and I'll add in clear quartz as well, and what you can do is hold one in your hand before entering a space and set an intention, and one of the ones that I use is I will stay grounded and protected. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Something can be very simple, something that you feel guided to, something you feel connected to. Don't overthink it, just simple. I will stay grounded and protected. Another one I use is I am safe, and the thing about crystals or stones is that you can program them for whatever you need and then you reprogram them and reprogram them just by cleansing them. It's all based on intention. Everything that we're going to talk, it's all based on intention. Everything that we're gonna talk about today is based on intention. So, whatever you intend, that's what's going to happen, and I have a 35 millimeter rose, quartz, puffy heart that I sleep with every night. I hold it as I say my prayers and it stays near me in bed. There is not a room in our home that doesn't have at least three or four crystals in them, and that just comes naturally to me. I've been doing this for over 20 to 25 years and it's just natural to have crystals in every room. And the next one is number three, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1: 6:25

Number four is mind, your breath. When you feel energy shifting or tension building, return to your breath, inhale calm, exhale what doesn't belong to you. This simple practice reminds your body and your spirit that you are in control of what you take on. You are always in control. And the next one cleanse when you leave. Once you're out of the space, take a few moments to release any lingering heaviness, and I do this by shaking out my hands, brush off my shoulders or even use sounds like a chime or even clapping to cut those energetic cords and, if you can, wash your hands or even shower to reset your energy fully. Because protecting your energy isn't about closing yourself off. It's about staying centered and whole even when the space around you feels unsettled, and you are allowed to choose what you carry with you and what you lovingly leave behind. So what is sacred space clearing and why does it matter. Let's talk about something that often gets overlooked when we talk about sacred space, and that is clearing, clearing, cleansing I'm going to use those terms interchangeably today. So clearing and cleansing are basically the same.

Speaker 1: 7:42

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt heavy, like the energy? The air in there was so heavy, like something was off, even if you couldn't quite explain why. Maybe you felt the residue of someone else's emotion. Maybe it was anger, grief, anxiety like it was still hanging in the air long after they were gone. That has happened to me many, many times and I have most times just turned around and walked right back out. That's energy. When people experience strong emotions, especially the big, intense ones, they leave an imprint and if you're sensitive or an empath, you pick up on that. So not only do we need to clear our own energy, we also need to clear the spaces that we live and breathe in.

Speaker 1: 8:34

I know that after I've had a lot of people in our home, even if it's been a lovely time with good energy, I'll often need to do a space cleansing, because even joyful energy, when layered with many different personalities, can start to feel overwhelming, and there have been times that I have walked into shops or buildings and turned around, right around and walked right back out. The energy was just too much, too heavy, too chaotic, it was just too off. And if you've ever felt that, trust it. Your body is like a barometer. It's sensing something real and sometimes that's your cue to make a choice Stay or leave. It's your choice and it can also feel that way around certain people. And when you know, you know and I have found that throughout my life that when I was around certain people that no matter how hard I tried, I just could not be around.

Speaker 1: 9:30

Their energy for a long term maybe 15-20 minutes, half hour was pushing it, but I just felt so drained, I just needed to go, I needed to bolt. It doesn't mean that they had bad or negative energy, but sometimes their energy is just too much for my own sensitivity and people like me can't be around or around loud sounds or loud noises, such fireworks, parades, loud concert, loud music I just can't be around that kind of energy. It really rattles me. Does this happen to you? I know a lot of people have that problem and clearing your sacred space is like spring cleaning for your soul. It's the intentional act of shifting and releasing energy, energy that no longer belongs there. And that energy might come from maybe arguments, maybe an illness, grief, visitor stress, or maybe just simply the space was neglected and if we don't clear it, it can start to weigh us down energetically. You might notice it as brain fog, anxiety, restlessness or just a general feeling that something is off, even if the space is perfectly clean, cleansed and balanced. Personally, when things start piling up visually or energetically, I feel overwhelmed. I need clear space to think clearly, and some people like everything visible out, where they can see it. No, no, no. I'm the opposite. Clutter unsettles me and tidying up helps me feel grounded. Again, I want to share an experience with you.

Speaker 1: 11:15

Several years ago, before we moved into our current home, we rented a beautiful house. Inside and out it felt like the perfect fit at first. We moved in just after some light renovations. We got settled. All seemed well, but slowly, over a couple of days, something shifted. My husband and I started arguing a lot. We never really argued, ever really In 30 years. We really don't have big arguments, but that time we were bickering over small things that normally wouldn't faze us, stupid stuff that just didn't matter, and the energy in the house felt off, it felt tight, it felt reactive, it felt heavy. And even though I've been doing energy work for years, it still didn't hit me right away that the house itself needed clearing, even though it seemed the perfect place when we looked at it and when we moved in, when we signed the lease. There was something beneath the surface once we started spending time in that space. Eventually, after a chat with one of the neighbors, we found out that the previous tenants a young couple, used to fight constantly, to the point where the police had been called to the house more than once. The home eventually went into foreclosure not long after, and the owner that we rented it from was the person who purchased it. So it went from having all that animosity to going through a very small renovation.

Speaker 1: 12:53

To us moving in. It was like a light switched, like a light flipped in my head. It was all these bells and whistles as if I was on a game show. Of course, the house felt heavy. It had absorbed all of that volatile energy and no one had cleared it, not even me. I didn't even pick up on it. We did a full space blessing and after that it did not take us long to do that, and every room, every corner, and, to be honest, we had to do it twice before it really shifted. The difference was night and day. It was like the house finally exhaled, and so did we, and we also did a blessing on ourselves.

Speaker 1: 13:36

And you can do that too. You can do it very easily and you can do it daily, and this is what I do. It's very simple when you're in the shower, imagine the water washing away anything you picked up that day Stress, someone else's mood, a rude comment, someone cut you off in traffic, somebody gave you the finger, any tense interaction See it all rinsing down the drain. And you can add an affirmation or invite in your spirit guides, your angels, your higher self, to help you release it. I always invite Archangel Raphael and Archangel Michael, and it's such a small act but it's powerful and, believe me, it does help.

Speaker 1: 14:18

And here's another thing I do that's close to my heart. That has to do with space. When I know I'm going to paint a room, especially if I've already set the intention for how I want that room to feel whether it's going to be a bedroom, a guest room, an office, a study, a creative space, a meditation space I write affirmations on the walls and pencil Just light enough to be painted over, but still there. I might write one in each wall, sometimes more, and I speak them out loud as I write, because to me that energy becomes woven into the space. The paint covers the words, but the intention stays, and I've been doing this for over 25 years. I don't paint a room without doing this, and I like to call it my space blessing, because I want that intention to be set before I even start using the room or the space. Again, everything comes back to intention. If we intend to release, to reset, restore, we will.

Speaker 1: 15:26

Sacred space clearing doesn't require perfection. You don't need fancy tools or complicated rituals. It just asks that you listen I mean really listen. Listen to your space, to your body, to what's being held and what's ready to let go. To me, clearing is a heart-led practice. It's not about fixing your space, it's about reconnecting to it. It's saying this space matters, I matter, my energy matters, and sometimes a room just feels off. Maybe someone's been sick, maybe it's held grief, maybe it's been too still for too long, or maybe you've changed and the space hasn't caught up yet. That's when I know it's been too still for too long, or maybe you've changed and the space hasn't caught up yet. That's when I know it's time to lovingly clear it out, because when we clear our space and our energy, we clear the way for peace to return, for clarity to rise up, for our spirits to breathe again and, honestly, that feeling, that soft exhale of the soul I like to call it, that's what sacred space is all about, because here's the gentle truth you are the steward of your space. You get to choose what enters. You get to choose what stays, what needs to be released. Sacred space isn't about perfection or how it looks on the outside. It's about vibration. It's about creating a space that feels aligned with your spirit and trusting your intuition when something feels off.

Speaker 1: 17:02

I want to share an experience from a space blessing I did years ago for a client. She'd been feeling a lot of heaviness in her bedroom and was struggling to sleep. As soon as I stepped into her home, I could feel it. I felt it in my body. I felt it on my shoulders, especially going up the stairs it felt like something was pushing on me to stay down. And even as I talk about this now, the hair on the back of my neck is standing up because it was so powerful.

Speaker 1: 17:29

When we reached her bedroom, the energy felt thick, sad and unsettled, and I knew this familiar feeling. On her dresser, in front of a mirror, was an urn. I gently asked her if it contained cremains from a loved one and she told me that it was her father's. I felt guided to ask about their relationship and she shared that it had been a complicated, painful relationship before he passed. Now, remember what I said earlier everything holds energy. That urn carried emotional weight and, sitting in front of a mirror, which is an amplifier of energy, it was reflecting that unresolved energy right into the room, right toward the bed where she slept. She had no idea it could be affecting her that deeply and I explained what I was sensing and she immediately chose to move the urn to another part of her home.

Speaker 1: 18:31

We did a full space clearing a blessing for the mirror and we reset the energy in the bedroom. I also left her with a few crystals and affirmations, along with gentle guidance for how to use them when she felt ready. Again, you can help someone, but unless they're willing to help themselves, nothing will change. She needed to take back her power, so she needed to be able to move to this next step when she was ready. A few days later, she reached out to me to tell me she was sleeping better and feeling more at peace. She said it wasn't perfect, but it was getting there. She had even scheduled energy work, something she'd been avoiding, and she said she felt lighter, more herself. So not only did her space get cleansed, her body, mind and spirit did as well, which is so important.

Speaker 1: 19:21

And sometimes we need to work backwards to find the source of the heaviness, and more often than not, your intuition already knows. You just have to listen, because when we surround ourselves with peace, meaning and light, our energy shifts to match it, our nervous systems settle, our hearts feel safe, and that is the heartbeat of sacred space. So all right, kindred spirits, let's talk about something that might surprise some people, but if you're energy aware, chances are you've felt this in your bones Objects carry energy. Let me say that again Objects carry energy. Have you ever picked up something at a thrift shop, an estate sale, a yard sale, flea market? Maybe it was a vintage photo frame, an old mirror, a piece of jewelry, piece of furniture, piece of clothing and just felt off? Maybe it felt heavy, unsettled or like something wasn't quite right. That's not your imagination, that's your intuition.

Speaker 1: 20:32

Energy, especially emotional energy, can imprint itself on inanimate objects and this shows up in many spiritual traditions. In an energy work it's often called psychometry the ability to sense an object's history or emotional charge just by touching it. You may have seen some evidential mediums holding an item that belonged to a deceased loved one and was able to connect and give validating messages. They were using psychometry to connect. They were using something that belonged to that person to be able to connect them in spirit. Now here's how it happens Items that have been loved, worn or lived with maybe like your grandmother's quilt or a cherished wedding ring everything absorbs the emotional frequency of those who handle them. So objects associated with illness, trauma, grief or high emotion tend to hold on to that energetic imprint like a spiritual fingerprint. And the more personal or emotionally charged the object, the more energy it tends to retain. Even something beautiful, like that antique mirror or piece of furniture you just had to have that can carry residual energy from its previous owner. And if that owner had a strong emotional attachment to it, trust me, they might just follow it. And it's not meant to scare you or make you second guess every second hand item, but it is meant to help you stay aware, because if you're energy sensitive, like many people are, you're going to pick up on that. Maybe your mood is shifting, maybe you purchased something and then all of a sudden you feel very angry. You feel very unsettled, anxious, frustrated. I want you to think about what you brought into that space and it may be holding that energetic imprint, because if you're sensitive to energy, these things can impact you mentally, physically, spiritually and sometimes, often without warning. When we bring these items into our homes, especially our sacred spaces, they can shift the energy Sometimes, maybe. Sometimes they're gentle and sometimes not so gentle.

Speaker 1: 22:43

A few years back, my husband and I went to a natural living expo. We attended it every year. They had a big marketplace filled with crystals, holistic tools and handmade goods things that you would expect to find at a natural living expo. My husband collects crystal skulls and that year he picked up four along with some other pieces. Now I never bring anything into our bedroom, new or secondhand, until it's been energetically cleansed. Even brand new items can carry energy from people who made or handled them and because I'm so sensitive, I feel those imprints immediately.

Speaker 1: 23:21

When we purchased a new bedroom set, I would not sleep in it until we energetically cleansed it. The mattresses, the anything Came from a furniture store. It was sealed and the mattresses were sealed. It didn't matter. Everything got energetically cleansed before we used it and, unbeknownst to me, my husband had placed those crystal skulls on his dresser without cleansing them. For four nights I struggled to sleep. I kept having vivid, strange dreams. That felt very unsettled and I was exhausted. So during a conversation one morning with my husband, I shared what I'd been experiencing and the look on his face said it all. When I think of it now, it's actually funny how he was just so. He had that deer in the headlight look and he said uh-oh, I forgot to clear the skulls. Mystery solved, he removed them right away and took care of the clearing. They never made their way back into the bedroom.

Speaker 1: 24:20

Mirrors are more than just reflective glass. They are powerful conduits. They don't just bounce back our image, they can amplify and hold on to energy, both the light and the shadow. Inherited pieces and secondhand treasures carry energy too. They quietly absorb the vibrations of the people and places they've been a part of. And when we bring these items into our homes without checking in with their vibration, we might be unknowingly inviting energy that isn't ours to carry.

Speaker 1: 24:54

Think about it. I want to give you an example. Have you ever noticed what's usually behind the counter at a pub or bar? More often than not, it's a full-length mirror stretching across the back. Now picture how many people gaze into that mirror in just one night, some carrying heartbreak, others celebrating some loss and despair, and others maybe simmering in anger. That mirror silently witnesses it all, night after night, year after year, and if you believe energy leaves an imprint, you might wonder how much of that intensity stays locked within the glass. Could it even spill into the room, maybe influencing the mood, maybe even fueling a few occasional bar fights? That's just a little food for thought. Think about that for a moment.

Speaker 1: 25:45

So how can we tell? Or can we tell if an object is holding energy? I'm going to give you a quick exercise to try, and you can do this with just about anything, anywhere, anytime. So let's use the example. If you have a mirror, a mirror, a thrifted, fine, or even a family heirloom, you can try this with me. Anything that you have nearby, you can try it. So you want to pause and ground. First step pause and ground, close your eyes for a moment, take a slow, deep breath in and exhale gently, and imagine roots growing from your feet anchoring you into the earth. Step two place your hands on the item. Rest your palms lightly on the mirror frame, the side of a chair or whatever object you're testing. If it's a large mirror, you might just let your fingertips touch the edge, but whatever it is, just rest your palms lightly against it.

Speaker 1: 26:40

Number three step three notice the sensation Without overthinking. Notice how your body responds. Do you feel warmth, coolness, tingling or heaviness in your hands? Is your breath steady or does it shift? And the fourth step check the emotional tone. Imagine you're listening to the object. Does it feel calm, neutral, inviting, or does it feel busy, unsettled or even heavy? Trust your first impression. Your intuition is speaking. Number five ask it a question, silently ask are you carrying energy? That isn't mine. Notice any image or word or physical sensation that comes to you. And number six decide what's next. If it feels good, welcome it in. If it feels heavy or off, you can cleanse it before it takes its place in your space. You can use smudging sound, clearing soft baths or smaller items, or even setting it in the sunlight can help reset its energy. Again, it's all about intention.

Speaker 1: 27:45

Years ago someone reached out to me after moving into a new apartment. Her young child refused to go into the bathroom and was experiencing intense fear, but only in that space. And I mean intense fear where they clung onto the doorjamb to not go into that room. I asked her if there was a mirror in the bathroom. She said yes, it was a built-in medicine cabinet and they couldn't remove it because they were renting. So I recommended them covering it. The moment she did, her child went into the bathroom without hesitation. Sometimes you just have to work with what you have to create balance.

Speaker 1: 28:22

When I opened my first healing center years ago, I was painting and prepping the space and I remember stepping into the really tiny bathroom and instantly feeling overwhelmed. My limbs felt heavy. I felt short of breath, like something was sitting on my chest. At first I brushed it off. Small space, bad ventilation maybe. But every time I looked into the mirror in that bathroom I felt such a deep, deep sadness. Immediately I replaced it, but the heaviness lingered.

Speaker 1: 28:55

Then one day a woman stopped by during renovations and asked if I knew about the previous tenant. I said I didn't. She told me the former shop owner had died suddenly in the bathroom. Apparently she had a heart attack and passed away and she had been by herself. Again, I'm getting the chills in the back of my neck. My hair is standing up just reciting this, just remembering this, everything clicked.

Speaker 1: 29:23

The energy I was picking up wasn't just residual. It was the imprint of a life lost and a spirit that hadn't quite moved on. As soon as she left, I did a full clearing and cleansing a space, blessing, spending extra time helping this spirit energy release and pass over. I didn't know at that time if it did or didn't. I was just using my intuition and sending out that intention that if she was still there, if her energy was still there, if she was still stuck to just move on toward the light. And it can be as simple as just saying that please go toward the light, please go toward the light. And it didn't shift overnight, but within days the room felt lighter, it was softer and it felt free. And that wasn't the only time I encountered this.

Speaker 1: 30:14

In a shared office space I once rented with colleagues, we discovered the building used to be a doctor's office. Think about it for a moment a doctor's office. You're getting good news. You're getting bad news People are getting sick. So yeah, read the room. There were multiple rooms in this space.

Speaker 1: 30:31

While working alone with massage clients because I was a licensed massage therapist I'd often feel a presence behind me and it felt like it was leaning in and I could feel it just leaning into me and it was very uncomfortable, felt invasive and it just really, really really freaked me out. After sharing our experiences it was three of us that used the space. We each had our own space to work out of we realized we were all sensing something. So we left a voice-activated recorder running in the space over a weekend when we knew no one was going to be there. What we heard when we played it back, well, let's just say that confirmed everything. And even now, just thinking of that, what we heard is just really freaking me out a little bit. But we did perform two space clearings, but the energy never fully shifted. Eventually we decided not to renew our month-to-month lease. It just was not worth the energetic toll. I just could. I would find every excuse not to be there so that at that point it was time to move on.

Speaker 1: 31:39

But can energy linger even after a clearing Absolutely Sometimes, even after a thorough blessing or space clearing, energy can remain. It doesn't always mean it's malevolent, but it can mean you're meant to learn how to coexist with it, or maybe, in some cases, that it's time to let go of the item or the space itself. We've all seen some great shows like Kindred Spirits or Ghost Hunters, where teams try to debunk what people are feeling and sometimes you just can't. Sometimes there's no logical explanation. But your body knows, your spirit knows, and that's all the confirmation you need. And I appreciate that they don't feel like they need to make things fit for the viewers. Sometimes there's not an explanation but just the feeling, and that's okay. So something feels off. Don't ignore it. Clear it, bless it or lovingly release it, because your sacred space should support your healing, not silently compete with it.

Speaker 1: 32:37

And while we're talking about space, let's talk about clutter, not from a place of shame, but from a place of gentle awareness. Clutter is more than just a pile of stuff. It's energetic congestion. It's the physical manifestation of unmade decisions, emotions we haven't fully processed, memories we're not quite ready to let go of, and it builds quietly, creating a low hum of overwhelm that hums in the background, even when we don't consciously notice it. I've learned that when my space is cluttered, notice it. I've learned that when my space is cluttered, my mind feels cluttered too, and when I breathe I'm breathing more shallowly, I feel anxious, but when I clear just one little corner, it's like cracking open a window in my soul. Suddenly, this space space to breathe, to feel, to heal, to expand. So if your room or your life feels a little full right now, start small. One drawer, one surface, one square foot of sacred clarity, because you know what it does matter. Now, before we go any deeper into clearing practices, I want to pause for something that it's really important to name.

Speaker 1: 33:48

Many of the tools and rituals we use to clear energy, like smudging with sage or burning incense, are not just spiritual supplies. They come from deep-rooted ancestral traditions. They carry generations of prayer, wisdom and ceremony. Smudging, for example, has been used by indigenous communities for centuries. It's not just about the smoke, it's a sacred act of purification and connection. And in many Eastern spiritual paths, burning incense is a form of offering, a way to invite in the divine and elevate the vibration of a space. So when we use these practices, it's important that we don't treat them as trendy decor, just a vibe. These are sacred traditions and we have a responsibility to approach them with reverence, not appropriation. So here's what I always tell people Know where your tools come from. And, if you can support ethical, indigenous or culturally rooted sources and give thanks, always, always.

Speaker 1: 34:50

When I light sage or sweet grass or palo santo, I hold it with deep intention, I breathe in the moment, I breathe into the moment and in my heart I whisper a quiet thank you to the ancestors, to the land and to the wisdom keepers who have walked this path long before me. And you don't have to follow a single lineage to create sacred space, but when you honor the origins of the tools you use, it adds a sacredness that no decoration or trend ever could. So if you're blending traditions, pause and ask yourself am I approaching this with reverence? Do I know where this practice came from? Am I honoring the spirit of the ritual or just copying the form? Sacred space is built on intention, and when that intention includes respect, humility and gratitude, your space becomes even more powerful, even more sacred. So when you create a spiritual or sacred toolkit, you don't need a lot to begin, just a few items that feel aligned with your spirit. So when you create a spiritual or sacred toolkit, you don't need a lot to begin, just a few items that feel aligned with your spirit, and over time your toolkit will grow with you.

Speaker 1: 35:57

I'll give you a little bit of what's in mine. I have a small bell. I use this to gently shift the energy in a room. I usually have white sage or palo santo I like the individual sage leaves instead of a smudge stick. I prefer that and I have a fire safe abalone shell and you want to use either that or a fire safe container. If you're using any form of smoke or flame, always be safe, never leave it unattended. And I have my own blended sacred spay mist and I'll share that recipe in a private Facebook group. Please consider joining if you haven't already.

Speaker 1: 36:33

I'm going to put a lot of things up there and I have crystals. My first aid kit, as I call it, includes selenite, clear quartz, amethyst, citrine and rose quartz. I have many, many stones, but those are my go-to ones and these go everywhere with me. I keep a small velvet pouch in my purse and when I travel I have another pouch that I take with me that has more of my sacred treasures. And when I worked in corporate America and had to attend stressful meetings and there were many of them I'd keep crystals in my pockets or tucked somewhere on me just to help manage the energetic overload. And when I worked in that same corporate job we all had cubicles I would place a small piece of rose, quartz and amethyst on the top of my cubicle. No one else needed to know they were there. I knew they were there Once I placed them, I know and I set my intention. I set my intention as well of do not let any negativity into my space, which is my cube, which is my cube. So once I placed them, I noticed that people who had a lot of anxiety or anger coming to see me were not able to set foot over the threshold into my cubicle. They just stayed on the perimeter and I thought that was an interesting exercise. So you might want to try that On my kit.

Speaker 1: 37:52

I also have a candle and I have two kinds. It could be a tea light, votive, or even a battery operated LED. I keep both with me. There are some beautiful, realistic options out there. Now, again, if you use flame, use it mindfully, and a journal and a pen, or even just your phone's voice recorder, whatever helps you process your thoughts and capture your reflections. I have a singing bowl, I have tinge bells and I have chimes so I have all three and I use sound often to break up stagnant energy. And if you don't have any of those, your hands you always have your hands you can clap. That will also break up energy. And I have a cozy shawl or blanket. Sometimes that wraps you in warmth and softness, especially during meditation or emotional processing.

Speaker 1: 38:40

So let your toolkit grow with you, let it evolve as your needs evolve and let it be intuitive. There's no rule book here, unless you want it to be, but only use what feels sacred and resonant to you. So let's talk about how to actually cleanse your sacred space, or any space that needs a fresh energetic reset. And before you touch a single tool, pause, close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Say, silently or out loud, what you want for this space. For example, I release all stagnant or heavy energy and welcome in light peace and harmony. That's an affirmation you could use or you can create your own Intention is the heart of every clearing.

Speaker 1: 39:23

It's the why that gives your tools the energetic power. So when you tune in, you're noticing what feels off. The more time you spend in sacred space, the more attuned you become to the subtle shifts. You'll walk into a room and notice your breath tighten or your shoulders tense. That's your body speaking, before your mind even knows why. One of my favorite practices is simply sitting in a room and asking what's the story here? Let the space speak to you. Sometimes it'll whisper, sometimes it'll shout, but if you listen, you'll always feel the truth.

Speaker 1: 39:57

Now we're going to talk about some methods to cleanse and clean. It can be a space, it can be an item. They're interchangeable. But use discernment, because these methods and techniques are just techniques. You don't need to use all of them at once. Use your intuition as to which ones to try. These techniques can be used for clearing space. They can be used to clear items, although with certain items. Use discernment Again, use discernment as to not damage the item and remember your environment. What kind of people around you Do you have people, pets, children? Be aware of who and what is around you and always, always, always, be safe.

Speaker 1: 40:38

So I'm going to talk about sacred smoke, also known as smudging. Smudging has been used for centuries in many indigenous and spiritual traditions to purify and reset the energy of a space. If you choose to work with it, please do so with deep respect and always get your herbs, if you can, from ethical, culturally respectful sources. When I smudge or sage, I think of it as inviting in an ally, and that ally can be a plant like white sage, palo santo, lavender, cedar or even sweetgrass. Again, I prefer the individual leaves of the sage instead of a whole smudge bundle. I find that the sage works better for me, but to each his own and each has his own personality. White sage is deeply purifying, palo Santo blesses and calms. Lavender is gentle and heart-centered. Cedar and juniper ground and protect. Sweet grass and mugwort invite wisdom and feminine energy. So learn about what you're using before you start using it.

Speaker 1: 41:43

And the first step to smudge your space first of all, open a window or a door. Energy needs a way out. And number two light your herb bundle or wood just enough to get smoke, not flame, and always have a fire safe container. You want to tamp out the flame. You want smoke, no flame. And number three starting at the doorway, move clockwise around the room and let the smoke drift into corners, behind doors, under furniture. Number four you can use a feather or a handheld fan paper fan, like they use in the 18th century, the fans, the handheld fans or your hand to guide the smoke and, as you do, imagine it, lifting away anything heavy and making space for fresh, supportive energy. And number five when you're done, return to the doorway, picture the room glowing with light and say your intention. It could be something like I release what no longer serves and I welcome peace. Or use your own affirmation and if you ever sense lingering energy from someone who's passed or from an object you've brought in, you can gently ask that energy to detach so you can enjoy it without interference. And always remember smudging isn't for everyone, so listen to your body. You don't always have to smudge.

Speaker 1: 43:00

There's other ways to clear a space and one of those things to clear a space is aromatherapy. Sometimes a gentlest shift in energy comes from scent, because lavender soothes, eucalyptus refreshes, lemon uplifts, frankincense brings depth and presence. And there's many other types of aromatherapy. Those are just a few. You can use a diffuser or make a simple spray with distilled water and a few drops of essential oil. Mist the ear lightly as you walk through the space. Stand for a moment in the center of the room, breathe it in, let the fragrance wrap the space in a gentle hug. So just be mindful. Some oils aren't safe for pets, kids or certain health conditions. Always check before and when you use essential oils. Use good quality essential oils. Don't use fragrance oils. You want essential oils.

Speaker 1: 43:56

Another way to cleanse space or an item is sound clearing, because sound is one of my favorite ways to clear energy, because it moves through space in such a complete way. It doesn't just travel, it fills the room, it bends around corners and it vibrates through walls and furniture. So you might use singing bowls or a crystal bowl. Change your bells, bells, wind chimes, a drum, a rattle or even your own voice. Humming or chanting fills the room with your personal loving energy. And if you've ever done this, if you ever hummed, if you hum and you put your hand on your chest, where your heart is, you can feel that vibration. Imagine that vibration going out into your space. So before you make a sound pause, take a breath and set your intention. You could say something like with this sound, I release all heaviness and invite light and harmony. Start at the doorway, move clockwise and let the sound touch every part of the room. If you're using tingers or bells, pause in each corner until you feel the energy shift. You may or may not feel it, but if you pause long enough it's working and you'll often notice the tone becomes lighter and clearer, because sound also pairs beautifully with smudging or aromatherapy. Or you can use it on its own.

Speaker 1: 45:18

And salt and water. We are humans. We are made up of over 90% of water and salt has been cleansing for many years. So water cleanses and salt grounds. You can place small bowls of salt water in the corners of a room for a day or two, then discard or make a clearing mist with water, sea salt, a few drops of essential oil and some optional crystal chips Just not ones that will dissolve like selenite. Selenite will dissolve. Spray it around the corners of the room, your altar, anywhere. Energy feels heavy and if you're placing bowls of water and salt in a room, please be mindful of children or pets or anywhere that it won't be in the way. If your child is having bad dreams, you can place a bowl, without them knowing, under their bed with water and salt and discard it the next day. But please be mindful. Please be careful of what you're doing and who's around when you're doing it Now.

Speaker 1: 46:17

Crystals and earth elements. Crystals are my favorite. Crystals are incredible allies. They can protect, they can clear and they can anchor your space's energy. You can place them in doorways, windows, corners, on your altar. Cleanse them first. You can cleanse them with smoke, moonlight, sunlight, even by burying them in the dearth for a short period of time. Just cleanse, clean them afterwards.

Speaker 1: 46:39

Some of my favorite stones is amethyst. Amethyst brings calm, releases tension and helps with intuition. Rose quartz is for heart healing and self-love. Black tourmaline is great for grounding and protection. Citrine is great for joy and confidence and it even clears itself. It's one of those stones that never needs cleansing, but I still do anyway. You have clear quartz, which amplifies intention. Moonstone for intuition and emotional balance. Red jasper for strength and endurance and onyx for resilience and transformation. So many, many different stones. Those are just a few. So if you're placing them above doors, use small tumbled stones. Secure them well.

Speaker 1: 47:25

Again, be mindful of who and what is in your space. If you have small children or pets or elderly, be careful, be mindful, be safe. So light and flame is another thing you can use. Even a single candle could shift a room, light it, breathe deeply and say with this flame I call it clarity, warmth and love. And again, never leave it unattended. Use your intention and be smart, be careful, be smart, be safe.

Speaker 1: 47:52

And we talked about essential oils. We talked about aromatherapy, but essential oils scent speaks directly to the nervous system and it can ground, energize or uplift in an instant. Oils we talked about aromatherapy, but essential oils Scent speaks directly to the nervous system and it can ground, energize or uplift in an instant. Lavender, frankincense, citrus, rosemary sage each offers its own kind of purpose. You can diffuse them, you can add them to spray, you can simply inhale with gratitude. And again, safety first Check before using around pets, small children, elderly, those with health conditions. Be mindful, be careful, be safe. And we have nature's gifts.

Speaker 1: 48:25

Sometimes the best clearing tool is just outside. Open a window, let in fresh air, sunlight, moonlight, on full moons. You might light a candle right which you're ready to release and burn it safely. And if you're ready to release and burn it safely and if you're able to have a campfire, you can throw it into the campfire. If not, you can place it into a fire fire safe container. You can place crystals outside to recharge or simply sit in the moonlight and breathe. You can even make sun tea or moon tea. Use a sealed jar of water and tea bags left in the light for a few hours. That water is infused with natural healing energy and I don't recommend putting any kind of crystals into anything that you're going to ingest. I don't feel the safety is there for that. So please caution and don't do that. Just don't add crystals to what you're going to ingest.

Speaker 1: 49:16

Clearing objects If an object carries energy you don't want, you can cleanse it with smoke, bury it in salt overnight, place it in moonlight or sunlight, use sound or simply bless it. One of the affirmations or blessings that I do use for objects is may you carry only peace, love and light. I release all energy that is not mine, and you may need to do this a few times if you feel the energy is still heavy around an object, but that is definitely a great affirmation and release to use, and if it still feels wrong, it's okay to let it go. Releasing can be just as sacred. So when you finish clearing, return to the doorway, make one final tone and affirm this space is cleared, protected and aligned with love. Let me repeat that again this space is clear, protected and aligned with love. And remember you don't need expensive tools or elaborate rituals. Sometimes the smallest act of breath, a candle, a bowl of salt water is enough. It's your intention that makes the space sacred.

Speaker 1: 50:23

So, now that you've created your sacred space and you have energetically cleansed it, what do you do with it and how do you keep the energy flowing? How would you keep it grounded and supportive? The answer is simple and beautifully personal. You start with intention. Before you use or clear your space, pause, take a slow breath, tune in and ask what do I need from this space today? What am I ready to release? What energy do I want to invite in? And speak aloud or in your heart. I release all heavy, stagnant or unaligned energy from this space. I welcome peace, clarity, light and love, this moment of stillness and intention. That's where the magic begins. Energy follows awareness and your words matter. Let the energy flow through you.

Speaker 1: 51:11

Remember your sacred space isn't just the room around you, it's you as well. Sometimes the heaviness we feel isn't from the room, it's from our own energy body. When that happens, here are a few ways you can gently clear and return to center. Take a salt bath or an Epsom salt soak to help release and reset your energy. And if you want to take it a step further, there are places that offer floating pods, which are large enclosed tubs filled with warm water and a high concentration of salt. When you're inside, you simply float weightless, as if you're drifting in the sea. People who tried them often described feeling deeply relaxed, lighter and energetically cleared afterwards, like they let go of heaviness they didn't even know they were carrying.

Speaker 1: 51:57

You can practice breath work or meditation. You can clear your chakras or do a simple body scan. There are some great guided meditations for chakra clearing and chakra balancing. Move your body, stretch, dance, walk barefoot outside, let yourself cry, laugh or express. Woodstock Lay on the earth. Earthing is deeply regulating. This is also referred to as grounding, and grounding can be done anywhere, not just laying on the ground. And if you are in a situation where the energy feels a little overwhelming, just close your eyes for a moment and imagine roots coming up up the bottom of your feet and anchoring themselves into the earth, and just let that energy flow through you into the earth. You can practice Reiki or receive other types of energy work, or speak a prayer or release, and sometimes all it takes is placing your hand over your heart and whispering.

Speaker 1: 52:49

I return to myself now, because you are not separate from your space. You are your space. So you don't need to be an expert to create or cleanse sacred space. You don't need fancy tools, elaborate rituals or picture perfect aesthetic. You just need presence. When you use your sacred space, you're using it with intention. It doesn't have to be rocket science. It's not to overthink it. You use that space for whatever you feel guided to do, because all you need is presence, intention and love. That's all you really need, because every time you light a candle or you sit in stillness or you clear the energy in a room, you're reminding yourself that peace is possible, that your energy matters and that you're allowed, invited even to come home to yourself. Again and again, I want to thank you for spending this sacred time with me today. We covered a lot, so don't worry about remembering every detail. I will leave the full transcript on the podcast website, along with some journal prompts and resources you can find both there and in our private Healing Our Kindred Spirits Facebook group.

Speaker 1: 54:03

Whether you're just beginning to imagine your sacred space or you're returning to one that you've held for years, I hope this episode reminded you of something gentle and maybe a little, maybe deeply true as well. You are a sacred space. Your body, your breath, your spirit, they're not separate from the calm and beauty you create around you. They are the calm, they are the beauty, they are the space. So, as you cleanse your home, light your candle, arrange your altar, sit quietly on that one soft chair that always holds you, don't forget, clear you too, and because what you clear around you, you also clear within, and what you heal within, that ripples outwards in ways you may never fully see but will always deeply feel.

Speaker 1: 54:46

If this episode offered you even a single breath of peace or shift in perspective, I'm truly grateful. If you've created a sacred space or you're just beginning to dream one into being, I'd love to hear about it. Come visit us in the Healing Our Kindred Spirits Facebook group or reach out to me through the podcast or by email at healingourkindredspirits at gmailcom. Until next time, may your space be soft, may your spirit feel light, may your heart be at peace and may your sacred space always reflect your sacred self. Again and again, take gentle care. Thank you for being here, namaste, thank you.