When I was moving into my new house a few years ago, I was working closely with a spiritual teacher at the time.

We used to talk frequently about energy and how to keep it at a high frequency.

As an empath, I feel other people’s energy deeply. So keeping my own energy vibrating highly is incredibly important to me. High vibrations feel better to all of us, so it’s important to surround ourselves with them in our home, our work spaces, and any other place we spend the majority of our time.

My home is my sanctuary, not just because I’m raising my two young children there, but because it’s where I write, recharge my batteries, do my daily meditation, and work with clients.

Bad energy can accumulate like dust bunnies in the corners of our homes and offices over time. It’s especially important to clear out the energy after any of the following events:

>> A major argument
>> A divorce or breakup
>> Negative people being in your space
>> A particularly stressful week or event
>> Being sick
>> When moving into a new space that somebody else occupied

These are some of my regular practices for clearing out any stuck, negative, or stagnant energy and bringing in fresh, high-vibrating juju:

1. Burn sage or palo santo: One of the most common and best ways to clear stagnant or negative energy out of any space—whether it be your office, home, car, or even on yourself—is to burn white sage or palo santo wood sticks.

Palo santo, which means “holy wood,” grows on the coasts of South America and has hints of pine, mint, and lemon. This makes it smell much more fragrant than white sage, which has a more pungent, intense scent. It’s been used by shamans and medicine people for centuries for spiritual purifying, energy cleansing, and healing.

If the energy in your space feels negative or stagnant, burn either of these smudging sticks and swirl it counterclockwise in every room or closet. I also burn it on my front porch to clear away energies of people who have come into my home and office to clear out any bad juju. When finished, place the stick in a fireproof bowl of metal, glass, or clay. The glow will eventually go out on its own.

2. Open all the doors and windows, and run water from all the faucets. A shaman showed me this trick when he walked into my old house, which—at the time—was filled with a lot of painful, negative memories. Open all of the windows and doors of your home, turn on the faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms, and let the water run for just a few minutes. So as not to waste water, especially in high-drought areas (like California where I live), it’s important to find another place where you can conserve water after you do this. I turn my sprinklers off for a few days, shorten my showers by five minutes, and don’t run my dishwasher that week to balance things out.

Editor’s note: More ways to save water here and here.

3. Diffuse essential oils. Essential oils are one of my favorite ways to purify the air and energy in both my home and office. Frankincense is one of my favorite go-to essential oils for clearing out stagnant energy and grounding. I also use a few drops on my kids and myself for immune support and to help in calming the nervous system.

Some other great essential oils for clearing stagnant energy are Purification, Sandalwood, Eucalyptus, and Lavender. All of these purify the air and raise the vibrational energy of the space. There are some great diffusers you can purchase in stores and online for burning these essential oils. My two favorite places to order high-quality essential oils online are DoTerra and Young Living.

4. Crystals. My house is full of really cool crystals I’ve collected during my travels. White quartz and black tourmaline are my favorites for clearing out negative energy. I buy mine from a local shop in Los Angeles, but they can be also be found at many reputable shops online.

5. Sea salt. There are different ways to use salt to clear energy. One is to sprinkle sea salt into different corners of the room, let it sit for a few hours, and then vacuum it up. Salt is well-known for absorbing negative energy. You can also place black tourmaline in the corners of rooms with a little salt sprinkled around it to absorb any lingering energy in the space.

Another great way to clear energy, especially your own, is to soak in an Epsom salt bath. I put two cups of Epsom salts into a warm bath with some lavender oil and soak for at least 20 minutes when I feel sluggish, tired, or irritable. It’s phenomenal for opening up your chakras and getting the good chi flowing through your body again.

6. Affirmations and mantras. We often don’t realize not only how powerful our thoughts are, but the energy those thoughts create in our personal spaces. When we’ve been stressed, upset, angry, or depressed, our homes and offices absorb that energy like a sponge.

When I’m doing a clearing of my home or office, I typically burn sage or palo santo, run water from all the faucets for a few minutes, open the doors and windows, and say the following:

“I clear this space of any and all negative energy and anything lingering here that is not for my highest good. Burn out and clear away anything that is no longer serving me. Surround this space with a container of white light to protect me from all lower energies and anything not serving my very highest self. And so it is…”

Whatever you choose to say when clearing out your own space, do what feels right for you, but make sure to include something in there about clearing out anything not in alignment with your highest self.

7. Music and candles. The last thing that always helps in rebalancing the space is lighting some candles and putting on some high-frequency music that creates a soothing, zen vibe. I personally love listening to yoga and meditation playlists I’ve created on Spotify, but I recommend you play whatever feels most grounding to your own heart.

Pair that with at least a dozen candles to bring warmth back into your space, and you’ll really feel the shift!

None of these practices take very long, and they make all the difference in how you feel and how the space feels to other people when they walk in. Like routinely clearing out the other clutter in our lives, it’s important to clear the emotional clutter as well.

Happy spring cleaning!

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Bonus: 5 Mindful Things to do each Morning.

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Author: Dina Strada

Image: @katarrrrina on Instagram; Yair Aronshtam/Flickr

Editor: Catherine Monkman