Smoke, visualization, crystals- are they enough?
There are countless books, videos, and opinions about energy clearing, spirits, negative energy and protection. This blog is my take on this subject and the philosophies and methods that have worked well for me.
My Relationship With Spirits
When I was a child, I had an overactive imagination. Even at 34, I still have a strong imagination, but I am no longer afraid of the ghosts and goblins. My mother told me that when I was a child she knew I was psychic because of how I knew impossible things for a child of my age and spoke to ghosts like imaginary friends. My mother is begrudgingly clairvoyant and saw her share of ghosts before asking the universe to take this gift from her.
When old enough to know what ghosts actually were, I had an intense fear of them and the paranormal in general. Dark water, dark windows, mirrors, all of these terrified me. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realize that these were not only fear of the supernatural, but symbolic of the depths of my own subconscious mind that I was afraid to face.
Early in my witchery, I spent a lot of time trying to stir up ghosts and demons. It wasn’t done maliciously and in fact, I had enough common-sense not to show disrespect to the dead or grave sites. I did however, have an intense curiosity of the unknown as well as hope to contact my grandfather who had recently passed, as well as my father who had passed when I was a child. During this “ghost hunting”phase, I confidently packed sage, holy water, and crystals and thought myself safe. But I had a lot of shadows in my heart which manifested (or attracted ) malefic energies. There were a few times when the energy of a spirit followed me. A friend was with me and we both described the same spirit of a young man to each other, breathless and terrified.
Energy and Attraction
Energy is a transaction: if you are putting out fear, it is what you will receive. As an adult, I am more a witch than ever, though I still have so much to learn. I did learn however, that when it comes to protecting your energy, your beliefs are the most important. As an empath, I absorb and put out intense amounts of energy. My body temperature is also uncomfortably high and reaches about a two-foot radius around my body so that others complain of heat when I am near. When I sought haunted places as a teenager, I was in a state of fear which, for me, was a result of religious conditioning from attending a catholic school. Like attracts like. Once you clear conditioning (and mental reruns of The Exorcist and The Grudge) then you can begin to align yourself to attract benevolent energy into your life like guides, angels, ancestors, etc.
Perspective Is Important
As a novice witch, my heart raced each time I tried to make spirit contact. Strangely enough, other than 2 times in my life, I hadn’t made any contact with them up until that point. It wasn’t until my mindset changed and I saw them as benevolent entities that I had the most success. After my children were born, I decided to put ghost-hunting aside because I didn’t want any harm or fear to come to them from the spirit world. But there was an irony in this because I had prayed to Hekate, my matron goddess, while I was pregnant to bless and protect my babies. Hekate is a gate-keeper and guide to the dead as one of her many responsibilities- if I didn’t accept this aspect of her, I could no longer follow my path. So I began some shadow work. I determined that there was duality in everything in life- time is darkness and light, life is birth and death, spirits are not automatically malevolent and appear to be controlled by my matron. My relationship with spirits began to change.
No longer looking at them through a horror movie lens, I began to feel much more respect for them and see them more as magical co-workers. My ancestor altar was a first step. I began praying to my ancestors and honoring them by lighting candles and leaving items or food that they enjoyed. Once respect and communication were established, I began to gradually ask them for assistance. Now, after developing my intuition, I have found that I can communicate with them without fear.
This is all to say…
I do take some steps to protect my energy such as grounding, cutting cords and shield visualizations, crystals, incense, and clearing sprays. I burn some sage. This is not about smudge bashing because my house smells like a pagan ritual 24/7. That being said, in my personal opinion, it is inner work that will create the necessary changes needed to feel protected. There was a stark difference in my frame of mind from when I used to burn sage whilst chasing ghosts and the more knowledgeable and reverent way I burn it now.
This does not mean that everyone should believe in witchcraft or spirits for that matter; it is about knowing the difference between your manifested fears (I believe they take shape and appear as shades if your fears are strong enough) and actual spirits. This is especially important if you have a low vibration or are just naturally psychic. Energy is naturally neither good nor evil-the universe has unlimited energy which is neutral. If people walk around unwittingly using this powerful tool, they could do a number of damaging things.
So here are some suggestions on how to feel more protected/cleansed that have worked for me:
*Meditate (haha, yes, really!) I know you’ve heard it so.many.times. but meditation will allow you to hear your inner voice, fears, and creativity. Meditating will help you figure out projections versus reality. It will also assist you in determining the difference between your intuition and your fear.
*Light a candle for your loved ones. Just as many churches do, lighting a candle for our loved ones who have passed is a beautiful expression of love and respect. It could go a long way for you to face your fears of the unknown in a safe way. In my personal path, I believe that my ancestors protect me. I have many dreams about my deceased father and grandfather and feel their presence strongly.
*Visualization. My favorite is to imagine roots sprouting from my feet into the earth and then draw the energy from the earth into myself. This also helps you to feel connected to the web of life and source energy. When you feel the light of the universe shining within you, there is little room for negativity or fear. Instead, you become calm, knowing, and perfectly energized.
*The Bubble. Another visualization technique is white light or a “bubble” that flows out of your sacral chakra (below your belly button). This works like “magic armor” and can keep negative energy from penetrating your aura.
*Create boundaries. Protect your energy by being authentic to yourself. Say “no” if you truly mean it. Let others know that they can’t steal your energy because you are not allowing it.
*Take care of your body. I know you are rolling your eyes with this one, but it’s true. Food is fuel for our body, therefore, energy. Don’t fill the gas tank with junk. Vegetables have the highest vibration for our consumption. Water aids in building energy and maintaining clear intuition.
*Join the light side. Change your self-limiting beliefs through affirmations or gratitude journaling. This is.not.easy. This is a commitment and takes effort, time, and some degree of discomfort. Sit with your fears, your anger, your pain. These inner demons need to be tamed before your energy can be truly cleared.
*Smudging or smudge sprays. I regularly use both. Sage, lemongrass, or rosemary are excellent energy purifiers. It has been proven that burning sage kills bacteria in the air and also creates positive ions in the air. I know a lot of people dislike sage currently, but I do find it to be one of the most aura-cleansing herbs and it is very protective. Smudge sprays are a modern take on smudging without the smoke. This is helpful if you are sensitive to smoke, dislike smoke, or have a job which might comment about you smelling like smoke all of the time (like me!). I use the sprays for space clearing but also to cleanse myself of other people’s energies as I read tarot. The sprays work if you are sensitive to the vibrations of others and helps to clear any energy that “sticks” to you. Shameless plug- I make these sprays if you want to take a peek: Energy Clearing Smudge Spray
What are your thoughts on energy and space clearing? There are hundreds of ways as well as differing opinions about energy. These are just what have worked for me.
Share your methods or thoughts below!
Blessings,
Ambyr
▶️Please like and subscribe to my new channel for pick-a-card videos and unboxings! .
.
🔮Email or DM to book a personal reading: HighestSelfTarot@yahoo.com
.
✅Like my new FB Page! @HighestSelfTarot
.
✏My Etsy Shop for tarot readings: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HighestSelfTarot
Tarot and Torch: A heart on fire 