Strange noises, strange smells, shadow figures and unexplained happenings… You have determined that you are sharing your home with uninvited, other-worldly guests but how did they get there? More importantly, what can you do about them?
First, to understand anything considered paranormal or even spiritual you must have a basic understanding of energy. It is the attraction, accumulation and stagnation of low-level energy or vibes which attract and hold lower vibrational spirits or entities. Consequently, it is the attraction, accumulation and flow of positive or higher vibrational energy which will be your tool in giving them the boot.
The only thing to fear is fear
Everything is energy; in this case we are talking about emotional energy. When those ghoulies go passing through town they do not see the pink house and the green house, they see the emotional energy within the house. Any energetic vibration that strikes a chord with their own vibrational field will pull them in.
Negative energy is heavier than positive, you know this to be true because when you are depressed or angry you feel heavy and when you are happy you feel lighter. This dense, dark energy tends to coagulate. It loves closed in spaces and clutter. It loves angry words and violent movies. When spirits or entities find a delicious pocket of negative energy they accept your invitation to feed from it and play with it.
Your intent creates your experience; this is the most important lesson
Like any dank, musty space energetic coagulations need to be aired out. The energetic flow needs to be opened up. We need to raise the vibration or, in other words, turn up the lights. Acknowledging the darkness or negativity is the first start. Once you know how you are contributing to the negative you can adjust your habits and your thoughts. There are tools to use for raising the vibration of the house, but in the end it will be the conscious knowledge of yourself and your self-governing which will maintain a healthy home.
You are bigger than you think you are
You have a direct connection to the divine. That is not a religious statement, it is simply fact. Whatever you choose to call the animated energy in all things (Life Force, Creation, God, Goddess, All That Is, Allah, Great Spirit…) we are all part of it. My favorite visual prompt for this is to think of an ocean. The water evaporates, becomes rain or snow, and eventually returns to the source. Each rain drop might be seen as separate but all water is connected. It is only our human illusion which sees ourselves as separate from all other life and therefore separate from The Source or God.
Once we understand that there is absolutely no way to be separate from this creative life force we “pump up the jam” so to speak—turn up our vibration. Now, the energy we have to work with is no longer “our” energy, it is life force energy. This is how “healers” heal; it is “God” flowing through. When you ground yourself, which is bringing your focused attention to this one moment as in a “be here now” experience, and open your heart to that connection with that life force energy your energy field becomes brighter and bigger.
Clearing the way
Now we are ready to talk about exorcism or house clearing but first a word of warning. These “others” can not hurt you unless you allow them to. This is a true statement but what does it mean? It means that disembodied spirits or entities do not have the ability to “create” but they can manipulate. If you have any doubts or fears about your safety, your ability to control the situation, your effectiveness with the clearing or your authority to order them out chances are you will not be happy with the results. This is why, in extreme situations such as poltergeist activities, it is best to call in an expert.
Now, when I say “expert” I do not mean “ghost hunter”. Remember our discussion of negativity? Your home will not be cleared of negative energy by a bunch of people trying to muscle down their own fear as they run around chasing ghosts with electrical recording devices and shouting taunts. An expert would be someone who has been trained in holding their divine space with absolute conviction. An expert has experience in discerning their own thoughts from the thoughts of others. And, an expert has practice with the movement of energy, sensing it, seeing it and re-energizing a space. When the negative energy is moved out a void is left behind and must be consciously filled. Choose an expert according to your own belief system and comfort level. Shaman, Priest, Medium, etc… Just be sure you check references and practice common sense; there are many frauds out there.
The actual clearing is simple in theory; the maintained focus is the difficult part. Basically, you should have several adults gathered who understand how to ground themselves and maintain focus. Once all parties feel they are ready, combine your energies to work as one unit.
One person will be the voice and leader. Your actual ceremony may vary depending on your belief system but most will begin with some kind of guided meditation or visualization where the group unites energies and calls in guides, angels, ancestors, etc… to assist the party. Once the strength of unity is accomplished the party moves through the house telling the “others” to leave and reinforcing positive energy through tools such as incense; song, toning or chant; drumming, singing bowls, etc… Each room is blessed, each doorway and window sealed.
The tools
Remember our talk about vibration. Everything carries a vibration or energy imprint. Different incense carry different energies; the clearing plants and resins include white sage, sweet grass, nag champa, dragon’s blood (a resin) and copal. Plants and resins which raise vibration include frankincense, sandalwood, pinon, cedar and rose.
Sounds which raise vibration include the OM, which is said to be foundational sound of creation; pure sounds that correlate with our chakras which can be achieved with tuning forks or singing bowls; or drumming as long as the focused intent is in connecting to the divine.
Crystals also have vibration. A good reference book for crystals is Love Is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals by Melody. Briefly, amethyst raises spiritual energy and is easy to work with. Quartz only amplifies energy so if you use it make sure you pair it with another crystal such as amethyst. Rose quartz is very healing but is softer and works better on people than in spaces.
Maintaining your healthy home
Through developing sensitivity for energies and making conscious choices you can maintain a vibrationally healthy home. There are many tools at your disposal, a bit of fun research into what feels right for you and your family is all you need to create and maintain an energetically balanced space.
Here are a few places to start:
To learn to recognize energy, discern the flow of energy and raise energy you might enjoy Carolyn Myss (http://www.myss.com/). I recommend beginning with her DVD on The Energetics of Healing.
To learn about the various intuitive gifts and how to nurture them I recommend Caron Goode’s book Raising Intuitive Children (http://intuitiveparenting.wordpress.com/). You don’t need to have children to enjoy this book; think of it as raising your intuitive inner child.
Caron’s other book, Kids Who See Ghosts, is a nationwide bestseller. This one is a guide for parents wondering if their ghost-sensing children are normal and how to deal with them in a knowledgeable and compassionate way.
That concludes my series of posts on ghosts, hauntings, and reclaiming your space. You may agree with me or disagree, either way is fine. I invite you to leave a comment or share your experience—there is still time to enter the random drawing.
Happy Halloween, Merry Samhain and Blessed All Souls Day!
A Ponderance of Things 
November 1, 2010 at 6:23 am
Nice post. I love Caroline Myss too!
Maintaining your psychic space is vital and in fact all successful people do it somehow or other. When it comes to incense resins I would recommend checking out the selection from Indigo Herbs of Glastonbury
http://www.indigo-herbs.co.uk/acatalog/Herbal_Incense.html
Happy Samhain
November 2, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Hi Michael,
Thank you for the response on my post.
I usually do not approve any comments from commercial sites (items in my “spam” queue) but I checked out your website and you seem to offer good products and product information.
May you have a prosperous holiday season!
March 24, 2011 at 2:40 pm
It’s a very complete list of actions.
Clears up confusion and makes everything clear.
April 12, 2011 at 9:16 pm
thankyou… I am not quialified to handle a sit that exists in my brothers house. we are in SF bay area calif. and would like to know if you recommend a christian based group local to this area(South Bay)San Jose.
April 13, 2011 at 11:13 am
Hi Intrptr,
I’m sorry; I am not familiar with any groups in your area. You can try running Internet searches on a series of key phrases (don’t just use the word “haunted” but try “house clearings”, “removing unseen forces”, or anything else you can think of). Also, you want to look for someone, or a group, which actually searches out the root cause of the disturbance and helps you to fix it; stay away from those groups who come in to your home merely to antagonize the situation. You might also try contacting some of the local churches for recommendations.
I hope it all turns out well!
June 19, 2011 at 4:32 pm
need prayer and meditation for clearing a haunted apt. complex built on an indian burial gtound in colorado springs, colo. 100 units i live here. many dark spirits low income units. any suggestions helpful thankyou sharon
June 23, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Hi Sharon,
I have sent you a personal note, which is quite lengthy, and hope that you will find some peace.
November 22, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Hi like Sharon, I live in CO, near Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, I am getting the same sense that Sharon wrote. I feel like I am living in a revolving door portal. My cat is frightened, and I see her acting uneasy and she stares a lot at the stairway and in the corners of the house. I have tried numerous times to smudge and clear, but it comes and goes. I have called out to Archangel Michael for help and prayed for peace, clearance. It comes and goes. As of late, the negative energies seem to be more around, and I can’t sleep at night. I will sleep with my sound machine on, earplugs, and even a blanket on my head just to feel like I have my own space. My fiance doesn’t like the idea of a “haunted house” and gets quite irritated if we talk about it. I really feel like I need more guidance and assistance with the situation. Any suggestions? I want a home that is grounded, happy, and ours, the negative disturbances need to subside and move along. I’m not sure how to do that. I did almost everything, but hire a professional to come over — based on your list. I welcome your feedback and suggestions. Thank you.
November 23, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Hi Amy,
I’ve sent you an email but will share part of that email here with other readers…
First, it is quite possible that the house itself is not “haunted” in the usual sense of the word (i.e.…ghosts of dead people). Sometimes an area is said to have territorial spirits which can wreak havoc with any dwelling within their “territory”. Most shamans I have talked to don’t refer to this type of problem as a haunting, nor do they refer to the energy as a “ghost”. I’m not sure how many types of energies/spirits can create this type of problem but it seems to be fairly common. In this scenario a shaman would need to work with the energy to create new boundaries. This might be what you are dealing with. A shaman (or other psychic worker) would be able to work with you on determining the cause for the imbalance, but even then it might take some unraveling as there are often several overlaying factors for energy disturbances. Since your fiancé is uncomfortable with the subject, you might need to do a little investigating on your own—secretly—before calling in assistance.
I should make a note here that territorial energies are not necessarily “bad” or harmful, but if you are uncomfortable in your own home you have every right to remedy the situation.
What else might be causing the uncomfortable energies in the house?
Energetic imprints from a previous owner.
A person does not have to die to leave an imprint; an argumentative family, for instance, can leave behind a “recording” of bad feelings in a home or a really depressed person can leave an imprint on an item such as a chair. If you are sensitive/empathic you might be able to “feel” into different areas of your home or even different items and see if any particular spot or item feels “bad”…try moving some things around and see how the space changes. Some sensations you may feel are that the item/area is energetically heavy, the energy feels “thick’, you get a funny feeling in your stomach or your mood changes (or maybe your thoughts shift). If an item such as a chair feels bad you might be able to clear that item by the use of crystals or shifting the energy with a fresh coat of paint, re-upholstering, etc… which would place your vibe and intent into the item. You can try this with an area as well, re-landscaping, re-painting, etc…
You mentioned that smudging helped a little, there are other things you can do to back-up the clearing of energy.
Everything is energy. We know that we are energy and that the chair we sit on is made of energy, but even the spaces of air or nothingness are filled with energy. When you clear negative energy there is a void, if not filled with positive energy it will remain “open” and be filled by whatever happens to fill it. Energy healers work in this fashion as do feng shui practitioners—out with the bad and in with the good. So, smudging, incense and candles are great at clearing spaces and so is toning or classical music; you can back these up with placing living plants in the area, crystals, or statues that hold a positive vibe such as those Buddha heads that you can place in your garden—even small fountains work wonders. A note on crystals though…quartz will amplify whatever energy is prominent. Amethyst is a good choice as it lifts the vibration.
Finally, think of you and your fiancés routines, habits, moods etc… this is where it can get confusing.
Sometimes we unintentionally fill our homes with bad energy which just invites more bad energy, like a cosmic static cling. Other times, spirits can stimulate certain feelings in us and then feed off the energy.
The first part is relatively easy to determine and shift. Do either of you read dark novels that make you feel fearful? Do you watch movies full of violence that make you feel angry? Do you leave the news on while cooking dinner and wonder why you feel irritated? Or, do you come home from work and spend the first hour of the evening griping about your day? Cosmic static cling. Try discussing work while taking a walk and watching comedies for a week to see how that changes the household vibe.
The second part is more complicated, this requires you to be aware of how you feel in the present moment.
The best way to describe this is with an example. Let’s say I’m in the kitchen making a cup of tea. I feel relaxed and in my heart I feel content. I walk into my office, sit at the computer, and within a few minutes find myself agitated—my neck hurts, my mind is distracted by thoughts that make me ill at ease such as bills or memories of past arguments with my sister. None of this was happening in the kitchen so what changed? If I go back into the kitchen do I shift back? Is my heart still content? Do I feel the agitation actually inside of me or is it around me?
In this scenario I changed rooms. I might go back into the kitchen and find my thoughts go back to happy things—my heart still feels calm, this means it is something in the office.
Next step, feeling into the space around my desk—is there something that feels bad? Yes, a picture of my sister and a painting my parents gave me years ago. I take them out of the room. How does it feel now? It still feels bad. Is it contained to one are, yes—right behind my desk. I clean the bookshelves, rearrange the items on them and place a Buddha statue on the top shelf. That feels better.
What was going on? It could be that there was an imprint on one of those items. It could also be that a territorial energy was trying to stimulate me into a lower vibration field so it could feed off that energy. I’m raising the vibration of the area with the cleaning and the statue (and my intent), and I will place the other items in the sun by some plants for awhile to see if the energy around them shifts.
It is possible to have several issues overlaying each other, all I can suggest is that you begin by going through your house and working with whatever you find. Once an area feels better you might become aware of another issue. Like layers of an onion you can work your way through. If you get to a point where you feel there is a territorial spirit or energy that simply will not shift you might look into calling a shaman or other professional. I can give you a couple of leads—I have not personally worked with these ladies though; they are referrals to me by a friend so please use your own discretion.
Karen Furr
A former Franciscan Nun turned Shaman, Karen offers house clearings (and will travel to do them in person) as well as other shamanic services. I heard that she has worked quite a bit with territorial energies. This link is to her Shamanic Healing page but on the left you will see all her other pages. http://www.spiritdrum.org/SRHealing.html She also has a weekly radio talk show where you can find out more about what she does. http://www.spiritdrum.org/Pages/IR/IR.html
Nancy Brady
Is a psychic or channel who works more with the individual to see if they have any “attachments” –she is more of an energy healer. http://innernatureinstitute.com/services
February 3, 2012 at 10:43 am
You said that once you clear the space you have to fill it with something else. Is this done through words and intention of the space being filled with light and harmony or can you tell me how to fill the space
February 4, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Hi Roni,
Yes, intention being the most important.
Think of it as an energy space-saver, something you can put in place of what you just removed–something that will hold a positive intention and vibration long enough for the negative energy to completely dissipate (and remind you to keep the positive intention).
Some common ways to flood a space with positive energy include candles and incense (there is a reason the Catholic Mass includes these), music (classical music, Tibetan bowls, Native American flute, nature sounds) healthy living plants, fountains, and statuary such as Buddha, Kwan Yin or Mother Mary.
Hope that helps–thank you for asking!
February 4, 2012 at 4:25 pm
What can I do to clear negative spirit fr. home. I tried burning cedar, incense, its a very stubborn. I think its begining to follow us around where we go. It will be fr. 08/09 -10/09, 10/09 to 02/11, 02/11 to 02/12.
February 5, 2012 at 11:42 am
Hi Charlene,
Sometimes it is difficult to determine just what the negative energy in the home is and, more importantly, how to deal with it. We who live in the homes are too close to the activity and often need some objective feedback. If you feel you actually have an entity following you around it might be time to call a spiritualist or shaman. Someone who can read, see, or sense on a broader scope. Someone who has been trained to communicate with other forms of energy or lost spirits. Problem is…how do you find a qualified person and not some quack?
First of all, there is a difference between a “ghost hunter” and a spiritualist or shaman. Stay away from the ghost-hunter groups! They are mostly untrained and will only upset the situation further. Believe me, my sister lived through a horrible ordeal!
Spiritualists are trained to communicate with lost spirits and send them on their way. Shamans are healers–they are trained to heal people, both those living and passed, and to clear other forms of energy. Some shamans will work via distance whereas some will want to visit your home. Spiritualist will most likely want to visit in person. As with any professional you would hire, you will want to ask questions, check references, etc…
I do have one lead for you, her name is Karen Furr. I have never had a house clearing from her but a friend of mine says she is knowledgable and well trained. Perhaps she would be a good place to start. You can reach Karen at www[dot]spiritdrum[dot]org.
I hope that helps!
September 6, 2014 at 10:28 pm
We live in the Springs area and my family has been experiencing…. well… events. It started in a home that we previously had lived in for 3 years and has since spilled over into the home we purchased and have been living in for the last 2 years. We have heard growls and even captured an evp of it. The experiences vary from foot steps, people getting scratched, disembodied voices, dogs constantly barking at nothing and my wife was held down in bed like some one was sitting on her trying to smother her. I was not a believer until I was standing naked in my back yard at 2am with a gun in my hand trying to catch whatever big thing, I thought it was a person, was running back and forth across the roof over my bedroom and when I walked back inside after finding nothing I was met by a deep growl coming from my walkin closet. We would really like to find somone that can cleanse and bless our home. If someone could contact us to discuss our options we would really appreciate it. Thank you.
September 7, 2014 at 11:06 am
Mr & Mrs Moore,
I’m very sorry to hear about your situation!
I have sent you a personal email–basically, you will need to find a local Shaman. Most of the time this connection happens via a referral from another Healer. If your area has a local “healing network,” perhaps a psychic fair or healing circle, go there and ask around. You might also do an Internet search for Spiritual Transitionists, Mediums, or Spiritual Healers; although these people won’t do the work themselves, they probably have someone they can refer you to.
You’re particular situation is very complex, there are layers to it–so a simple house clearing won’t be enough. You will need to find someone who can visit several times and work not only on the house but with the family. Because of the complexity you will need a very strong Shaman, someone with a lot of experience in complex matters.
I did send a personal email but am posting this reply to be sure you receive your reply–and to help others in the same situation. I hope you find the right person soon.
February 23, 2015 at 12:31 pm
Love the thoughts and ideas, Robyn. As a paranormal investigator and a Wiccan I like and agree with you. It’s refreshing to see someone else using their “common sense” while helping both the living and those on the “other side of the veil”.
March 30, 2016 at 5:12 pm
Thankyou so much for your articles i clear houses and send the spirits through the light . i make sure they are there before i finish i ask God to fill the space with the divine love but they come back . i havent sealed the space with salt i didnt think i had to. Thank you. The spirits do come back. My girlfriend cleared a space and sealed with salt and smodged. Spirits still came back. They burn incence all the time what can we do. I find that spirits 9 times out of 10 do come back. Could it be because of the home is wired with copper or it has mold? Thank you
March 31, 2016 at 11:12 am
Hi Deborah,
It can be frustrating when disturbances keep returning–I’ve been there too! I find this is a good time to play sleuth, or “technician.” You’re off to a good start with your questions on wiring and mold:) By asking objective questions like that you can create a list of potential “attractants” in the home and form a new game plan. I would suggest making a list of both physical (wiring, etc) and non-physical (the energy in and around the home.) Here are some questions to ponder: Are you dealing with a “spirit” or just bad energy? Is the home surrounded by electrical wiring, cell towers, etc..? (My home has the entire neighborhood’s cable and electrical running under it.) Is there a lot of clutter or places where energy can stagnate? Is there discord in the home? What types of movies or music are played? Is the home owner an empath (we naturally attract “stuff”)? What are the neighbors like?
I have found that removing a disturbance is only part of the game, the other part raising the vibration in the home so that the lower vibrations do not stay around. Some ideas would be to play a CD of high vibration music after watching a disturbing movie or if the house feels “heavy.” (I put on some Gregorian chant, Native American flute or the “OM” sound whenever I leave the house.) Look at the home through the discipline of Feng Shui and see if any areas could use adjustments. Above all, I’ve found that the home owner must be resolute in declaring the home off limits to “others.” Any wavering on this, or fear, will look like an invitation. I once heard the story of a woman who was being scratched in her sleep. A friend of mine kept being called in to get rid of the spirit–the apartment would feel okay for about a month or so. This happened three times before my friend realized the woman was leaving little bells and toys out for spirits to play with.
Don’t loose faith. I have no doubt that you’ve been successful in assisting spirits to move on. In fact, it may not even be the same spirit or energy returning. Unfortunately, maintaining a high-vibrational home is a bit like house cleaning, it requires regular monitoring. For those of us who are sensitive, this becomes even more important–I don’t know if we “feel” more or “attract” more, but there it is. The good news is that after awhile we get so tuned-in that working with this stuff becomes second nature. The tools we use–blessed water, black salt, different incense blends–can vary greatly. What matters most is the intent with which they are used.
It’s nice to hear from you; I wish you all the best in your clearings 🙂
April 13, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Dear Readers,
The responses I’ve received on these articles about ghosts and clearing negative energy have been phenomenal! When I wrote these three articles I had no idea how popular this topic would be.
I’ve decided it might be time for a deeper look into this subject. After all, it has been a few years since I originally wrote this–I’ve changed, and have learned much more about working with the energy in our homes.
I have an invitation for you! If you have read these posts and have questions or areas where you would like to learn more, please leave me a brief comment. I will address some of the most common concerns in future posts, and may even create an in-depth ebook if I feel there is enough interest.
Thank you!
April 3, 2017 at 9:38 am
I have had almost every home I lived in become haunted. Everything from full bodied apparitions , doors slamming all through the night to my hair being caught on something that wasn’t there, a chai change positions. I can now feel the vibration of the ghost when it close it’s very strong. When I’m in bed I can feel it move around me. I can feel when it’s near my feet etc. I have told it with authority to leave me alone and because I can feel it I know it doesn’t do what I say. I don’t feel threatened by it but I do want it gone. Different people tried 5 times to clear it using white candles sage frankensence and holy water. When they leave he makes a sound in the attic to let me know it didn’t work. Ghost Hinters have come to my house and have said it’s a man who is enamored by me. I definitely don’t want this to become an attachment. Please help
April 4, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Hi Ashley,
I’m sure you are beyond frustrated! I’ve sent you reply via email; you might want to check your SPAM folder if you do not see it in your inbox.
To get to the bottom of a problem, especially after years have gone by, requires an open mind, some detective work, and the willingness to examine oneself in an objective manor. I don’t know that I can give you a definitive solution, but I can share what I have learned—perhaps that will be enough to find new results. The reply was quite lengthy, which is why I sent it via email. Hope it helps!