Space Clearing Using the 5 Chinese Elements

Clearing your space(s) of unpleasant energy is a process that will help you feel lighter, clearer, and healthier. If someone has been ill, if you are moving into a new place, if you have had emotionally draining visitors, or if you would just like to rejuvenate your life on New Year's Day or in the spring, space clearing will help you. Tainted energy is stale, stagnant, or negative and needs to be rattled and dissipated. It positively affects your well-being to replace it with fresh, vibrant, clean energy.

While there are various levels of "space clearing" that can be done on your space, an effective and meaningful personal ritual I developed is a process utilizing the 5 Chinese elements. I am including examples of tools I use; these can be modified with tools you have or with what might resonate for you.

Different energies are associated with each of the elements. You will make 5 trips around the space you want to clear (if you are clearing something in your home, I recommend clearing the entire home). Begin at your front door and keep moving along the right wall until you end up back at your front door.

Purification

The first round is for Purification (Water). Ahead of time, I prepare my water by pouring purified water into a spray bottle. I add an essential oil or lemon juice and then leave the bottle out in the sun (sunlight is the best disinfectant). When it is time for the clearing, I walk around the edges of my space spraying it with my water blend.

Vitalization

Next, the Vitalization (Wood) round—the purpose of this round is to dislodge and shake up negative/stagnant energy. For this I use a drum, a gong, a rattle, or just clap my hands. Again, start at the front door and walk the edges of your space—be sure to hit the corners of your rooms as energy can get trapped in them.

Activation

The Activation (Fire) round is next—clear out the now loosened negative energy by using candles (perhaps lighting pre-positioned candles around space), or by burning sage or incense and directing the smoke into all the nooks and crannies. [Warning—be careful with the sparks and do not hover near your smoke detector!]

Transformation

The Transformation (Earth) phase can be used to clean up, scatter and intentionally change any negative energy that is still hovering.
I have a specific, decorated broom for this that I do not use for any other purpose. I start by energetically sweeping (the broom can

touch the ground or not) the area in front of my main doorway with the intention of clearing any unwanted energy from entering the living space. I then proceed from my front door, through each room until I sweep any accumulated residue out the back door. [For this process I do not move around the right wall, I sweep each room from far wall to doorway as if I am actually accumulating stray “dust” that I am piling up for the dust pan.] 
I imagine that anything I am not able to capture is transforming into fresh, vital energy.

Regeneration

Finally, the Regeneration (Metal) round—this is to seal in clear/clean positive energy. I use a special bell for this, again setting my intention.

 

The 5 elements relate to each other in “nourishing” and “controlling” cycles. The above ritual follows the elements through an entire nourishing cycle. Water nurtures wood, wood feeds fire, fires makes earth, earth creates metal.