One of the sections in my forthcoming book, Mindful Homes: Create Healing Living Spaces with Mindfulness and Feng Shui, is about space clearing rituals. This is a popular topic, and in my book I share more about why we practice space clearing rituals in feng shui and the best times to practice them.

I generally prefer the term “space blessing,” because “space clearing” puts the focus on getting rid of negative energy. Instead of looking at it as removing something bad, I like to approach this process as a way to bless the space and enhance what is already there. We put a lot of effort into trying to change our experience into what we think is good or what we think will make us happy. When we are present with what is, rather than looking at what needs to be fixed, we can find a lot of ease and relaxation. Instead of fighting our circumstances, we can really recognize and appreciate what is around us.

There are many ways to do a space blessing. You may be familiar with methods that use smoke offerings of botanicals or space clearing sprays with essential oils and crystals. One of the methods I share in my book doesn’t require you to collect or buy any special supplies — instead, it involves using your own qi and your own voice to shift the energy in your home.

To clear and bless your space with your voice, think of a song or mantra that feels meaningful to you. I almost always chant the Buddhist Sanskrit mantra “Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum,” which translates to “The jewel is in the lotus.” Start by taking a deep breath, and then sing out loud as you move clockwise around your home, beginning and ending at your front door. As you sing, place your hands over your heart and imagine your voice permeating your entire home and shifting the qi in your space into a bright rainbow light. When you return to your front door, make a wish to close your ritual.

It’s okay if you feel a bit embarrassed doing this — you can wait to do it when no one else is home. If you want to learn more about feng shui and space blessing rituals, I invite you to check out my book Mindful Homes: Create Healing Living Spaces with Mindfulness and Feng Shui. You can find it everywhere books are sold on April 11th, and it’s also currently available for pre-order!

by Anjie Cho