As a space clearing practitioner I receive many interesting phone calls from people with different situations and circumstances.  The most common is from people who have had some kind of negative experience like a divorce or illness in the family and feel like the negativity or sadness is still lingering.  I have also helped a couple of folks who have experienced a tragedy or have reported that there is an active spirit in their home.
But as of late, I have been getting more calls from people who feel a malevolent spirit is hanging around their home creating negative energy, darkness and fear among the inhabitants.  Some of the common things reported are:

-Cold damp pockets of air

- dark shadows moving about

-an uncomfortable feeling that they are being watched

- dark thoughts, depression

- frightening whispers

- doors or cabinets being slammed

- objects being thrown

- a general feeling of dread in the home

I want to emphasize here that many of us have experienced one or more of these. Most of us has seen shadows or felt like we were being watched at one time or another.  I myself have had cold pockets of air in my home due to poor insulation.  I never believed it to be anything more than just that because I did not experience any of those other events listed.  If more than a few of these things are happening, however, it may be cause for concern. 

I as a practitioner, don’t feel fully equipped to handle this sort of thing.  I am right up front with people about that.  However, I do try to coach them to try to get to the bottom of why these things may be happening and provide them with suggestions.  Here are some of the questions I ask: 

How long have you lived there and when did this start happening?  Have you experienced these things since you moved in or did it begin some time after you moved there? 

The reason why I ask this is to clarify if the house accommodated this “spirit” before the new occupants moved in or if this is something that may have occurred with the new occupants.

If the person has felt the presence from the moment they moved in then I ask the following:

Do you know anything about the people who lived there before you?

In one recent instance I was told that the landlord reported the previous tenants had the walls painted black with a pentagon on the floor with possible dried chicken blood!  That to me was a clear cut case that something hostile was summoned into the house before this tenant even moved in.   

If the activity started happening after they have lived there for some time, then I ask the following questions:

Have you had a recent personal tragedy, major unpleasant life event, or are suffering from severe depression or mental illness?

I tell the client that they don’t necessarily have to answer this question as it is very personal, however, they might want to consider the possibility that they are experiencing something psychological in nature.  If they think that might be the case, I urge them to seek counseling.

Have you made any recent second hand purchases from yard sales, estate sales, antique stores, ebay or Craigslist etc.?

Sometimes items can hold the spirit of the previous owner, or any other lifeform that may have dwelled in the place from which this item came. They might be upset, confused or angry about being displaced and may act out as a result.  In general I perform a space clearing ceremony on anything I buy second hand because I never know what kind of environment it came from and what kind of energy is attached. 

Have you stayed in any old hotels or houses lately?

I have heard of instances where people have brought home a spirit from a place they have stayed.  People have claimed the spirit has become attached to them.  I have to say, I’m not sure how I feel about that possibility but I don’t want to rule anything out.  And I certainly don’t want to disclaim anything people really believe to be true. 

Although I truly feel unequipped to handle any of these situations I know of some effective ways to rid oneself of, well, “mean spirited” spirits.  First and foremost it is recommended that your protect yourself.  Despite what the movie industry would have you believe, I truly believe that you cannot be physically harmed by a ghost, anomaly or spirit.  I do believe, however, that if you are experiencing anything that is making you feel uncomfortable in your own home, there are ways to beat it.

 A common solution is to surround yourself in white light.  If you live or work with spiritual people you might hear this phrase a lot.  What does it mean exactly and how do you do it?  It means simply what it suggests.  Sit quietly and get in touch with your higher self, God, the collective conscious, whatever you believe to be the good force or energy that is bigger than us.  Ask it or imagine it shining a beam of bright white light over you so that it flows in and around you.  Do the same with other inhabitants of your home.  I even suggest that you surround your home as well. Once you feel protected, you will feel a little more empowered.  Then just talk firmly to the spirit.  Let it know that it is not wanted or welcome there.  Remember to be firm.  Let it understand that you are surrounded by good and you are not allowing it to affect you anymore.  Tell, don’t ask, it to leave immediately.  If you act strongly and firmly, you will allow it to have less and less power over you. 

Some people call on angels to help them.  Archangel Michael is believed to be a protector.  He is big, strong and powerful.  Call on him to escort any malevolent spirits out of the house and to shield you from their negative force.  Make it known that their time is done and you are no longer allowing them to dwell there.  It has to come from you if you are the one it has chosen to pick on.  After you have done this, continue to surround yourself with the light and the angels for weeks after.  You will notice immediate changes. 

One last thing I suggest to my clients is that they call a priest who specializes in doing exorcisms.  This may seem extreme, but if you are not comfortable about doing any of the above, then ask for their help.  If you choose to do this, I suggest that you still protect yourself first.  If you are not comfortable with picturing the white light and you are more traditional religious person, then ask God for help.  Say traditional prayers that you may have learned growing up. 

The overall message here is that as long as you are calling on some kind of goodness, positive energy force, or higher vibration, you will have a sense of empowerment and control over the situation and will most likely see results.  
~Mary Lorello Gonzalez
 

 

It’s the dead of winter and the snow keeps coming! Right now it may seem like spring will never get here.  But it will! Before you know it there will buds on the trees and the ice, sand and salt will be a memory.  In the meantime, you may be experiencing low energy, physical tiredness and maybe even slight depression.  Here are some space and energy clearing remedies to combat those winter blues and bring cheer and positive energy into your home. 

To increase energy and lift your spirits, try rubbing on some essential oils:  Geranium balances mood swings and induces harmony.  Tangerine is an energy oil powered by the sun!  Lemon and orange are refreshing and uplifting. 

Burn incense to stimulate energy in your home: Bergamot is uplifting yet calming and peppermint is invigorating as it cleanses and refreshes the air.  Rosemary increases mental clarity.

Placing certain crystals around can also enhance the energy in your home:  Carnelian revives interest in everyday activities and helps to overcome sadness.  Citrine helps combat boredom while both jasper and quartz crystals lift your spirits. 

Turn up the volume!: Music lifts spirits and definitely effects the energy in your home in a positive way.  I’m not talking about stuffy classical or even new age.  I’m talking fast beat and rhythmic with positive lyrics!

Get moving!  Dance, jog in place, get on the treadmill and if the weather allows, take a walk.  Even though everything may seem asleep, Mother Earth is alive and well beneath the snow and hard ground waiting to re-awaken.  Connect with her firey core and feel her energy. 

Enjoy the mid-winter energy boost!  If you have any other remedies for uplifting energy during these long winter months please share them in the comments. 

Winter Solstice is a celebration of the longest night of the year. The absence of sunlight bringing on the longest period of darkness.  Since ancient times this night has inspired us to build monuments and take part in ceremonies.  We honor the darkness and the position of the sun at the exact moment of the solstice.  We are reminded of our connection with the universe.  

For some, the darkness gives rise to fear, loneliness, vacancy.  For others it brings a sense of peace, tranquility, and time to reflect and be quiet and still.  Darkness takes no form.  It is the absence of light. It is deep and sometimes mysterious. The dark of night brings forth the spirit world and dreams.  Our souls open portals and journey to new and other worldly places.  It is a time for our consciousness to play while our bodies rest. 

 Winter Solstice is also a celebration of light.  It is an occasion to welcome the reawakening of the sun as the days begin to grow longer. We emerge from the darkness of the womb into a new, more joyful and harmonious life. It’s a time to begin again. A rebirth. 

Tonight, be in peaceful solitude.  Reflect on all you want to leave behind with 2014.  Meditate on how your life can be illuminated in the New Year. Light candles and build a fire to symbolize the light.  And then celebrate the dawn.  Happy Winter Solstice!

Thanksgiving is a transitional time of year.  Here in the Northeastern United States, the leaves have fallen and we are cleaning up as we await the coming of winter.  We are beginning to think about the holiday season, the giving of gifts, the upcoming sales, and hopefully we are thinking about what we are thankful for. 
     From the time we are very young, we are reminded every year at this time to remember to be thankful.  Most of us, when sitting around that
table full of good food to feast on, take a moment to mention those things for which we feel grateful.   
We tend to keep it simple; thank you for our health, our family and our prosperity.  Yet, many of us,
although we are truly thankful for those things, feel like we are sometimes living a thankless life.  How many of us go about our days wishing that our boss, our colleagues, our customers, our children, our spouses, would acknowledge our hard work once in a while? We might keep that in mind next time we
are looking for something to be thankful for other than our health, family, and prosperity.  Today we might want to thank somebody who may not have gotten the appreciation they deserve.  I call them the “Unthankables”.  People that we don’t even think to acknowledge although they deserve every bit of thanks; the kid who bagged our groceries, our child’s teacher, the musicians who inspired us at our place of worship, or people behind the scenes at work such as the custodians, cafeteria staff, or tech people.  I’m sure you can think of many more.    
    Then there are those other worldly beings or entities that we neglect to include in our list of thank yous.  In Native American tradition, people acknowledge the four directions, North, South, East, West.  They take what’s called a Wotai stone (one that is precious or has meaning), and offers it to each direction, usually in a beseeching way. 
 I would like to instead make an offer of thanks to the four directions; the East for it’s beautiful
sunrise and firey red sky; the West for the roaring winds that it’s sending today to bring down the last of the leaves and also for the rain it brings to
cleanse and refresh the earth; the South for it’s warm air and bright sun that fills us with joy; and the North for the coming of the cool, peaceful,
brilliant, white snow that will fill us with healing light and settle us snugly into our home for a restful, quiet winter.   I also offer gratitude to our
Mother Earth for her nourishment and beauty, and Father Sky for the stars and planets that, as we gaze out, force us to wander in and out of our dreams way beyond ourselves.  I also thank my
spirit guides for guiding me through this life and helping me to always choose the right path.  
     Sending feelings of gratitude out to those we love, those we don’t know or see, and just to the Universe itself, can bring forth results that are quick
and beneficial to our health and spiritual growth. 
       Now I wish to thank you for taking the time to read this!  Happy Thanksgiving!