Smudging: A How To Guide

Smudging, also known as fumigating, is a very simple and powerful way to help keep the energies of an area clean &/or charged with a particular spiritual effect. In today's article I will focus on smudging for spiritual cleansing purposes, give you some ideas of herbs and resins you can use to great effect, as well as provide some dos and don'ts of proper smudging.

Most people who are active in the spiritual community are familiar with using sage smoke as a form of spiritual cleansing and sanctification. Smudge bundles with sage, and sometimes accompanied by cedar, sweetgrass, and lavender are extremely popular and commonly used in a variety of spiritual and religious contexts- although the specific usage of sage, cedar, and sweetgrass originates with the Native American and First Nations peoples. Pretty much every culture has their own smudge practices, which utilize the plants which are native to their region, so you are in no way limited to sage, cedar, and sweetgrass when choosing a substance to use as a smudge. It need only be a material that has a traditional history of use as a spiritually cleansing natural substance which is non-toxic when burnt. Knowing exactly HOW that particular substance effects the environment in a cleansing way can really help you choose the right smudge for your needs.

Let's explore a short-list of substances that are commonly available and can be used for smudging your home, office, or healing space. (This is in no way an exhaustive list, just something to get you started.)

SAGE: The smoke of sage is believed to remove any negative influences (energies, spirits, distracting thoughts or emotions, etc) from the area, carrying those out on the smoke tendrils as they waft away from the ceremony. It also establishes a boundary that repels negativity for a period of time. After burning sage, a properly smudged area should feel very light and airy, and those who took part in the smudge rite should feel calm and centered.

Generally speaking, sage is extremely effective for this purpose. However I have seen it said by an elder of the Sophian Gnostic tradition that in some places the spirits may become "immune" to sage if it is the only substance ever used in cleansing rites. Therefore, it is best to have other substances in your arsenal to avoid desensitization, or to be able to have another method to remove the negative influences should they prove stubborn against sage.

There are many different varieties of sage with white sage and sagebrush being the most commonly used forms for smudging. However all sages are effective for cleansing in this fashion. Living in Canada, I cannot grow the desert sages, however garden sage (salvia) grows very well here. I have several large garden sage bushes that I harvest for organic smudge material. Growing your own spiritual herbs is extremely rewarding and in many cases extremely easy (I hardly have to do anything to my sage to keep it healthy).


CEDAR: Cedar is another traditional plant burnt for cleansing. It purifies the area and attracts positive energy at the same time. Cedar is also said to promote forgiveness and balance the emotions. Western Red Cedar and California Incense Cedar are the two most effective types to use for smudging purposes.


LAVENDER: Lavender is an herb which is extremely healing, calming, and protective, and so it is often used in smudge blends for these specific effects. It is rarely burnt on its own, but there's no reason why it can't be. Lavender smoke will help soothe any rough emotional edges that may have resulted from any negativity in the area, calm the nerves, bring healing to the situation, and establish a gentle boundary of safety and protection.


Some people really dislike the smell of burning herbs. For those who have breathing difficulties due to asthma or some other respitory challenge, the smell isn't so much of an issue as the smoke itself. If you, or someone you live with, happens to fit these descriptions don't despair! There are other substances you can burn if the smell is the problem, and there are Smokeless Smudge options made from pure essential oils that do not aggravate breathing problems.



I make one such Smokeless Smudge Aura & Space Clearing Spiritual Aromatherapy Spray that is a harmonious blend of sage, cedar, lavender and juniper, and incorporates cleansing flower essence of Pear for emotional centerdness and calm, as well as clear quartz gem essence charged in waning moonlight for the greatest clearing effect. It also have been embued with Reiki healing energy to increase the overall potency and light quotient.


FRANKINCENSE RESIN: Frankincense also has an extremely long history of use in spiritual ceremonies. It works by raising the spiritual vibration of a place to such a high degree that lower vibrations cannot stay in the same area. It also brings in a very high Divine influence, very conducive to spiritual work of all kinds. Scientifically, frankincense smoke has proven to have an anti-depressive effect.

I use frankincense most often when I fumigate. It does not leave the smoky smell after it like burning herbs do, and the aroma is much more subtle overall. The actual smoke from burning tends to disperse and dissipate faster than herbal smoke as well. I find the spiritual sensation that it leaves to have a higher light quotient than herbal smoke as well. That being said, I wouldn't say that it is superior to herbal smudge, just that it definitely has different qualities - so try both and see which you like better.

As with other resins, you will need to burn frankincense on a self-lighting charcoal in an appropriate heat-safe incense burner.

CAMPHOR RESIN:Camphor is extremely purgative and slightly mind-altering. It is also EXTREMELY strong, so use in small amounts. When burning camphor has a heavy menthol smell that can be very difficult to breathe in, so again, just use a little at a time and add more as needed. It can also make you feel a little woozy, as one of it's spiritual uses is to induce states of consciousness conducive to prophesy - so again be careful. You may want to blend this with other herbs or resins to cut down on its harshness.

Camphor makes a space uninhabitable to spirits of lower vibrations (and that includes benevolent ghosts), as well as negative energy. Angelics and higher Divine beings can easily still dwell within the space where camphor is burned and kept, but other spirits (even well meaning ones) will be repelled.

Camphor can also be used to seal a room against spirit presences by first cleansing a room, and then placing chunks of camphor resin in each of the room's corners. If you cannot seal a room in this manner - for instance if you are not staying at your own home - you can place a piece of camphor in a glass of water and keep it under or beside your bed for spiritual protection.


**A NOTE ABOUT SMUDGING WITH AN ABALONE SHELL** Abalone shells are sold pretty much anywhere you can buy smudging supplies, as it has become almost "traditional" within many New Age communities to use it as an ash catcher, or as a burner for loose herbs, when smudging. Energetically this actually makes little sense, as the shells are linked to the energies of Water, and Smudging is a Fire/Air cleansing rite. There has also been some concern raised over the gathering methods for these shells, where little concern for ecological balance is shown. Not to mention that do you feel that an animal should die so that you can have a pretty shell to smudge with? It's much more authentic and traditional to use a ceramic or clay pot to smudge with, and there is are no animals harmed! You may also feel free to use a metal container, such as a small cauldron or large incense brazier.

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So now that you've chosen what you want to smudge with - whether that be herbs, resins, or using a Smokeless option - it's time to get to the cleansing rite itself. It's actually extremely simple, it just takes a bit of time to do it thoroughly.

1) Get whatever you will be using as a smudge burner. It should be something heat-safe that you can carry around with you. You may also want a paper-fan or something to direct the smoke with, although your hand can work perfectly well.

2) Open all your windows and doors so that smoke can escape as your smudge - this let the negative energy and spirits leave easily.

3) Light your smudge material and let it start smoking strongly.

4) Start by waving the smoke around your own body to smudge your own aura. Say a prayer or affirmation that states your intent to be spiritually clean. This can be as simple as "May this smoke cleanse me", or "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, may I be cleansed and purified" or "May the God and Goddess cleanse this space". Whatever works for you.

5) Next begin walking around each room wafting smoke. Some people start in the East and move counterclockwise, which is the direction of banishing. However if you have a system that works differently, please feel free to use it. If you have no system, then simply move in an intuitive fashion.

6) As you waft smoke, repeat your prayer/affirmation.

7) Make sure the smoke gets into EVERY CORNER, UNDER EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE, BEHIND EVERY CURTAIN, INTO EVERY DRAWER AND CABINET, and INTO EVERY APPLICANCE. This is very important!! Just like dust will move into and accumulate in areas that are harder for you to dust or vacuum, the negative energy and spirits will hide in any areas that are missed, so make sure to be very thorough.

8) Go through your entire home/office/etc this way.

9) When you are finished, you may say a prayer or affirmation confirming that the house is now clean and purified. You may wish to pray this over a white candle and light that candle at the conclusion.

10) Leave your windows and doors open until all the smoke has dissipated.


That's it!

Now because this does take a bit of time and effort doing a very thorough smudge may not be convenient to do before or after each and every session. It's certainly not a daily ritual. I tend to do what I call a "Big Smudge" once a month in my home, and once a week in my healing studio space. Between Big Smudges you can do "mini-smudges", which is where you just smudge yourself and the immediate area that you will be/were working in. I do a mini-smudge before and after each client that I see for healing work.



Smokeless Smudge is a ideal option to use for mini-smudges, especially when you may have more than one client in a day and you do not wish to have your space become permeated with smoke. It can also be wonderful to use before meditation or yoga to help you brush off the energies of the day and find your calm center. It can also be used by professionals in a variety of contexts, from counselors and therapists, to doctors and healers!

Keeping your home and work space spiritually clean is a very important step that will help protect you from negative influences, and help your healing work be more effective. So try starting with something simple, like smudging, perform it regularly for a few days or weeks, and see for yourself the positive effects it can have in your life and work!

Wearing a Protective Amulet while Healing

In of June 'o8 I wrote an article on here about the various methods that healers can go to to protect themselves during energy work. I spoke of how most healers are empathic to some degree and how empaths often need to take extra measure to ensure that the integrity of their personal energies stays protected and intact when doing healing work on clients. I also mentioned the variety of methods that I was currently using to best protect myself - at the time it was a group of crystals, and a flower essence blend, along with some shielding techniques.

That October my fiance (now husband) and I took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico to experience and participate in the Dia de los Muertos festivities down there. Being half-Mexican myself, but having never known my biological father or his family I had no exposure to the Mexican culture, and this trip was important to me to help me connect to my heratige, even if only in some small way. It ended up being a really amazing trip, and also very valuable for my healing and spiritual practice!

While we were down there I managed to arrange to have a limpia (traditional spiritual cleansing) with a local native Mexican shamanic healer. I was excited because I wanted to experience first-hand the egg-cleansing techniques, and also interested to see what the healer would tell me about my spiritual state of health. I was amazed at how much the healer told me about myself before he even got into the reading (healers will perform some kind of divination to help them ascertain the situation surrounding the client so they can tailor the healing to their needs)! This healer had also studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at some point, and found their system of organ balance to be very helpful. He told me right away that my liver needed more support, and I already knew that was the case at the time.

As he began the reading, he picked up on the fact that I myself work as a healer. The first thing he said to me once he got that info was that I needed more protection. I was surprised to hear this as I am such a huge proponent of spiritual protection and use many methods of cleansing and protection as a regular routine. He then asked me what was to be a KEY question for me: "What do I carry on me for protection?" I told him that I have a selection of protective and cleansing crystals I wear during treatments. He then asked, "What do you wear the rest of the time?". I said I did not wear any protective items when not in session.

Then he said what I have since found to be absolutely accurate, "When you are doing this work, you need protection ALL the time. 24/7. [I laughed at his use of this colloquialism] Doing this work attracts attention, both from people and from spirits. That attention does not go away when you are done working with someone. You must wear something to protect you always, or you will have many problems."

He showed me the leather pouch that he wore at all times that contained protective items, and also another necklace that he wore specifically during healings. I asked if there was something specific that I should use, and he answered that there is no one thing, since every culture and spiritual tradition has many options for protection. It was a matter of choosing something that I could easily wear at all times (for example, a chunky leather pouch would not have been ideal for me due to my other career, and my regular style of dress), and something that I felt connected strongly to.

Right at that moment I knew what would be best for me - a blessed St. Michael holy medal!

Now, I am not Catholic, but I recognize that there is alot of spiritual power in many of the practices of Catholicism. They also just have so many neat things - medals, statues, holy cards, holy water, blessed oil, rosaries, 7-day vigil candles, etc, etc! If you turn to angels and saints for aid in your path, then you likely can make great use of many Catholic spiritual items. I work very closely with Archangel Michael who is a very strongly protective warrior angel, so wearing a medal that represented his energies made perfect sense to me. I also wanted to have it properly blessed. Now I know that being a Divine Being, that I can bless my own spiritual items, but I wanted to have this one blessed by a cleric that I knew had a great deal of spiritual understanding and power.

When I returned home, I wrote to Tau Malachi, head of the Sophian Gnostic mystical and esoteric Christian tradition. I follow many Sophian teachings and practices, and felt very connected to the energy that Tau Malachi works with. He graciously agreed to bless the medal for me, and so I sent it off to him right away. A few weeks later I received it back with a message that he had blessed and empowered the medal for protection during a group ceremony and ritual. I was extremely grateful to him. I put the medal on that very day, and have never taken it off since!

I can attest to the fact that since I have been wearing this protective medal I have been able to maintain my personal energetic integrity with much more ease than previously. I no longer need to wear the crystals and take the flower essence blend. I simply say a prayer to St. Michael to surround me with his protective energies and angels during healings. I use my Smokeless Smudge Aura & Space Clearing Spiritual Aromatherapy Spray before and after each treatment, and I do a very thorough smudge of my healing studio once a week with sage and frankincense. I've found that this has now enabled me to practice very safely, and with much less ongoing effort to preserve my energetic health.

Since then, I have suggested to all my Usui Reiki students who are practicing professionally, or plan to, to consider obtaining a protective amulet to wear on their person at all times. And I am offering this suggestion to my readers as well! It can be a ring, or a bracelet, an earring, or a pendant, or anything that one can easily wear at all times. Make sure that whatever the amulet is crafted out of, that it is made from authentic items that have a history of being used for spiritual protection.

Some may feel drawn to wear a bindrune made for protection, while someone else may wish to use a seal of protection from the Western ceremonial practices. There are protective amulets from the Buddhist and Hindu faiths, and amulets from the Islamic and Jewish traditions. Whatever your background may be, you should be able to find something that you resonate with. If you are not someone who knows how to perform their own blessing and empowering rites, then it is fairly easy to find a spiritual practitioner who can empower an amulet for you. If you come from a tradition where a priest/ess or other spiritual leader generally performs this service for their members, then it should be very easy for you to have your item blessed.

It is definitely true that doing spiritual work on a regular basis draws attention to yourself. If you are practicing and lecturing publically, then you are bringing attention of other people upon yourself. Certainly not all, or even a large minority of this attention will be negative or harmful. But there are always people out there who will think ill of others - and negative thoughts do carry energy with them. The malocchio, or the evil eye, is well-known throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern worlds, and is brought about my people thinking envious thoughts while looking at someone. Most of the time this is unconscious, and the people do not realize that they are casting negative energy upon others. One does not have to be Greek to suffer the effects that this kind of transfer of energy can bring. Unfortunately there are the very rare individuals who will actively try to bring negativity and harm upon other spiritual workers and healers for a variety of reasons - sometimes it's simple competition, and sometimes it's more irrational. If you are coming into contact with many new people in your role as healer and spiritual practitioner, you leave yourself open to this kind of energy if you are not protected.

Also, when doing healing and spiritual work, we create a great deal of Light on the astral and subtle planes of existence. Just like moths to a flame, some of the astral wildlife will be drawn to us and our places of work. Most of these are harmless and can be, at worst, somewhat of a distraction from time to time. But there are also entities out there that are more mischievous, or downright malicious. Spiritual work creates a beacon of sorts, and many curious critters come sniffing around. Some are hungry for energy and Light and will attach themselves to places or people that are good sources of this food. They can drain our personal energies, or impinge on the sanctity of our working space. Keeping a strong field of protection will help keep these and other astral pests at bay.

So, it is just another aspect of healing and spiritual work that we need to be aware of and find efficient ways of dealing with. Wearing a protective amulet has been one such method that has been around since the dawn of time. Take some time to consider if obtaining and wearing one would aid your practice. I know it has helped mine many times over!

Working with Saint Dymphna for Mental Wellness

Recently in my healing work with the Archangels, I've been guided to begin seeking the aid and intercesson of another order of divine beings, the Saints. You may have gathered from some of my previous articles here that I am very interested in utilizing energetic and vibrational healing in the treatment of mental wellness issues - as this is a subject close to my own heart, and with which I have a great deal of experience dealing. In this entry I will present Saint Dymphna, the Patron Saint of Nervous and Mental Disorders (as well as of Incest Survivors and Runaways), along with ideas for calling upon her aid and intercession for those who may be in need of healing on the mental/emotional levels.



As with the Angels, one does not necessarily need to be of the Catholic or even Christian faith to petition the aid of the Saints. Doing one's best to live the core values of Love and Compassion are what are important, and wishing to work for the highest good of all those involved.

The traditional understanding of the intercession of Saints is that the Saints will pray on the petitioner's behalf, with the idea that having crossed over already they are "closer" to the Divine and better able to deliver messages to the Source. I suppose being Saints they get the priviledge of priority when it comes to prayers being answered!

However, those that work with Saints on a more personal level, tend to believe and experience that the Saints are much more active in working on our behalf then simply delivering messages back and forth to the Divine; that they take an active personal interest in our petitions for aid, and personally work through whichever metaphysical channels and resources that they have at their disposal for our aid.

In my admittedly small amount of time working with the Saints (and actually the Archangels are considered Saints as well - so in that regard I have a bit more of a history than I'm giving myself credit for) I have also had the experience of them working very directly for our cause.



The story of Saint Dymphna is a relatively short and sad one, as she was murdered when she was only 15. There are many different versions of the story, but all seem to agree on one core storyline.

Dymphna was the daughter of an Irish chieftain, and was a devout Catholic like her mother. She decided to dedicate her life to her faith, and took vows of celibacy to this end. Her mother died tragically when she was in her early teens, and in his deep grief her father went mad with despair.

In his madness he felt that only through being wedded to another women who looked like his late wife would be feel whole again. A search was conducted, but no women met his demanding requirements for appearance and character. It was then that he came by the dark idea to marry his daughter Dymphna, who was (unfortunately) the spitting image of her mother.

When he presented Dymphna with his proposal she was shocked and refused on the grounds that not only was it unnatural, that it was against her vows to enter into marriage to any man...let alone her father. His advances become ever more insistant and threatening, and finally Dymphna ran away from home in the company of her confessor in order to find a more peaceable environment, and to persue her life as a holy woman.

For a short while Dymphna found shelter in the village of Gheel, and with the help of the money that she had absconded with (she was a Chieftain's daughter after all and had access to great wealth) she funded and participated in a healing ministry. It's thought that it was so successful due to the fact that her money could buy the best healing herbs and ointments that may have been difficult for most people to obtain. She was greatly loved and her ability as a healer and as a dedicated woman of God was well respected.

Sadly, her father was eventually able to track her down. His obsession with her had not abated with her dissapearance, and once he had confirmation of where she was residing he set out to find and claim her. When he arrived in Gheel, he once again proposed marriage and ordered Dymphna to return with him. Her confessor tried to intercede on her behalf, but her father simply cut him down where he stood. He turned his sword on her, and when she once again refused him - he beheaded her. She was only 15 years old.

Since then Gheel was known as a place of healing for all those with mental and nervous disorders. The whole community rallied around those who came to them for healing, and once they were released from the hospital they were provided with jobs and other roles within the community to help them reintegrate into society successfully. Everyone in the area had a very postitive outlook about the fact that those with mental wellness issues could certainly recover fully, and they all supported them in every way possible. It is a (sadly) unique model of care that has been copied in several other places in Europe. Saint Dymphna is credited with continuing her healing ministry by interceding on behalf of the many, many people that came to Gheel seeking her aid - and this news spread and motivated untold thousands of others to petition and receive her aid all over the globe!



When I found myself drawn to Saint Dymphna by Archangels Michael and Raphael, I was unsure as to how to go about petitioning her aid since I was not Catholic. I found, through talking to several people that work with Saints as part of their spiritual path, that it was really quite simple. It pretty much follows the same pattern as developing an affinity and working relationship with other Divine Beings.

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HOW TO START WORKING WITH SAINT DYMPHNA

1) Set up a small space that you can use for daily devotions and meditation.

Acquiring a picture of some sort that can serve as the central focus of this space will be very helpful. If you live near a Catholic supply store, or want to search Ebay, you can find many different statues or holy cards that you can use for this purpose. Of course you can also find an image online that appeals to you and print it out for free!

St. Dymphna is often associated with the colors red, as she was a martyr, white, which symbolizes her purity, and green which is related to healing. You can use any of all of these colors when decorating a space for working with her.

2) Feel free to personalize your sacred area by putting other items on the shrine area that is resonate with your intents and desire - such as healing crystals, oils, herbs, or other images that symbolize mental/emotional balance to you.

2) Simply spend a few minutes every day at this sacred space, asking for the guidance or aid, or even simply the presence of the Saint you are trying to work with.

If you enjoy praying, you can Google for prayers dedicated to that Saint - as the Catholic church has plenty! You may wish to slightly alter some of the wording so that it is more resonant with your own belief system, or needs. I often do this. Try looking for chaplet prayers and novena prayers (novenas are generally repeated daily for 9 days, or some factor of nine), as these are generally said for the purpose of gaining the blessings of or aid from a Saint for a particular purpose.

A nice site that has alternative versions of the traditional chaplet and novena prayers (that are Divine Feminine-inclusive) for Saint Dymphna can be found here: http://www.santuariosanrafael.com/index_files/Page1490.htm

However you don't need any specific prayers or special words to say - you can simply speak from your heart or sit in quiet meditation while concentrating on your intent.

3) Mark the time that you spend at the shrine by lighting a candle, and/or burning incense with a high and holy vibration such as frankincense. This will help set the time you spend at the shrine as seperate and sacred, and show your respect, as well as your positive committment to your intent.

4) If you wish, you can concentrate on your petition - what you are asking the Saint to help you with - while rubbing oil into the candle before you light it. A nice quality olive oil will work well, but you can use essential oils blends that promote healing and emotional balance too (lavendar works well for this). Visualize the end result that you would like to achieve with the help of the Saint. Glass encased novena, also called 7-day candles are made just for this purpose, and you can often conveniently find them in dollar stores or grocery stores. While the candle is lit it will keep releasing your intentions out into the Universe - like an ongoing prayer or affirmation! If you are going to be extinguishing the candle between your visits to the shrine, make sure to snuff it out rather than blowing, as it is consider more respectful.

5) In addition to, of in lieu of a candle, you can write out your desires by hand on a piece of paper and leave it in front of or beneath your central image. This will help keep the energies of your request present at the shrine at all times, even when you are not there working or meditating.

6) You should begin to feel the presence of the Saint at your shrine, or in your life, within a few days or weeks. Look for subtle signs that the Divine is at work! Synchronicities, or some people call them striking coincidences, will likely be one way that you will start perceiving the intercession.

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I've made a small shrine for Saint Dymphna, and obtained a pearl (a stone of peace) chaplet for use with her. Every day I pray her chaplet at least once...and I'll tell you why I decided to do so!




I was giving a treatment a few days ago, and I felt an intuitive call to include Saint Dymphna in the healing session. At first I hesitated, as usually only angels are called into the healing, and my clients are all aware of that. However, I am cognizant of the fact that not every client may be comfortable with any other kind of Divine Being being involved. But I was quickly reminded that this client actually was a Catholic, and so I decided to go ahead and follow my intuition.

I wasn't sure how to "call in" Saint Dymphna, so I asked the Archangels to help me by finding her for me. Within a few seconds I definitely felt a new presence in the room, standing beside the massage table. I greeted her, as I could plainly see that it was Saint Dymphna - she was a young teenager, standing about 5'2" high, and was dressed similarly to how I had seen her depicted in many of her icons. There was a very quiet and gentle, but very bright, energy around her. I thanked her for coming and asked if she would aid the healing. She smiled and placed her hands onto the body of my client - right on the two chakras that I knew had been most involved in the core issues we were working on. Her energy seemed to glow and as the light increased, her form become more diaphonous...not as easy to see.

In just a few minutes I saw her draw away from my client, her work finished. I thanked her for her participation in the healing, and asked if she would be willing to work with me on a regular basis, aiding my practice and helping me more effectively address the mental wellness of those who came to me. I felt her walk over to me smiling brightly, and felt her embrace me warmly. "Of course" was the soft answer that whispered inside my mind. I then asked her what I should do to keep her presence close to me, as a constant guiding force in my life. I distictly heard "pray my chaplet". And so I do, and as I pray it I feel her very close and a gentle warmth fills and comforts me.



Because of her compassionate response to my request for aid, a request which I firmly believe was suggested by the Archangels, I felt the need to share my experience with others who may be looking for sources of Divine Healing in the face of mental wellness challenges which they, or someone they love, may be facing.

I hope that this information is inspirational to some out there, and will be a source of hope and healing!

~Devi~

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As a personal devotional hobby, I've begun making small shrines - and since "finding" Saint Dymphna I created several shadow box shrines that can be used to work with her. If you are interested in purchasing one ($30us), please contact me for a link to a purchase point.

ANYONE Can Provide Distance Healing!

This week a small handful of people all contacted me seperately wanting to know about one particular topic - distance healing. Specifically they were wishing to perform distant healings for those in need, but were unsure whether or not someone could do so without Reiki Level II training.

Since this seemed to be on many minds, and I think the answer is important for people to know, I felt it appropriate to write a little on the topic.

ANYONE CAN PRACTICE DISTANCE HEALING!

All it takes to do so is the firm belief that one can do it, coupled with the intent to do so. Period. Focus on your intent and then send healing energy their way. That's it!

This question comes up alot for students of Reiki, as they know that with Reiki Level II training one receives a distance healing symbol. Therefore the logic follows that without said symbol one would not necessarily be able to heal remotely. This is simply not the case. It always makes me sad to hear Reiki I students say "I really want to be sending healing to this relative/friend who lives far away, but I haven't been able to get my Reiki II yet". Don't let the mystique of symbols keep you from using your energy to heal! The energy is complete in and of itself, your Reiki I energy can do the same thing as my Reiki III Master-Teacher energy! It all comes down to confidence and intent.

So what's up with the Reiki distance symbol anyway then? The Reiki distance healing symbol was put in place within the system in order to help new practitioners learn to have confidence in their ability to send distance healings. It represents one particular method to providing healing energy to someone far away. It is certainly not the only way, and Reiki practitioners need not wait to send to healing energy remotely until they have the symbol. One main reason that distance healing is not presented until the 2nd level of Reiki training, is that one doesn't wish to overwhelm the new student with methods and techniques - Reiki I is about getting in touch with the energy, getting confident in channeling it, and learning the basic hand positions. But that does not mean that the energy is limited by the student's limited background.

Another reason that distance healing is not taught until Level II is that it takes many students a good while to feel confident with the fact that subtle energy healing works and is powerful. Coming to terms with that fact can be difficult for many, but then taking the jump that this same energy can be effective when the recipient is not present is even harder for them to accept. It's interesting to think that there's been such a blockage against thinking that such things can be so, when it's common belief that people can be prayed for from any distance and still have it be effective. Sending healing energy and sending prayer energy works on the same principles - belief and intent. Believe the energy will get to the recipient, and send the energy/prayer along with the intent for it to reach them. But some people still need a bit more help getting to the belief part when it comes to healing energy, and so enters the Reiki distance healing symbol to facilitate that very thing. In many ways the Reiki distance healing symbol is the "Dumbo's feather" and "training wheels" of remote healing - and I mean that in the most endearing way possible.

If a Reiki I practitioner is interested in sending healing energy along to someone who is not present, all they need to is set their intent for the energy to flow to them and then beam the energy. If you'll feel more confident in having an outside visual reference for your intended recipient, then feel free to use a photograph of them, or even simply write their name on a piece of paper. You can then beam Reiki into that surrogate, or hold it in your hands as you send energy directly into it with the intention for the healing to reach them.

If you are not attuned to Reiki, or have not been trained in another energetic healing modality and you still would like to send healing energy to another here is a quick way to do so effectively and without draining your own personal energy stores:

Take a few minutes to relax and center yourself.

When you are ready, imagine that your crown chakra is open to the Universal energies that flow through all things - imagine that you are connected to the chi, ki, prana, ruach, tao, force.

Spend a few moments feeling the sensation of that energy flowing into you from your crown, and down through your spinal column/chakra string. Imagine yourself as a tube THROUGH which this energy is flowing freely and strongly.

When you've got that image and sensation strongly in mind, then let your root chakra open you up to the Earth energies below you.

Feel those grounding energies flow up your spinal column/chakra string, mixing with the Universal energies and creating a stable equilibrium of vibrant energy.

Now imagine that two more "tubes" grow off of this central column of energies which go down each arm and exit through your palm chakras.

Spend a few minutes letting the energies of Earth and Universe flow THROUGH you and out THROUGH your arms.

When you are firmly connected to this energy, and feel confident that you are acting as a conduit for these infinite healing energies -turn your consciousness to the person/place/thing/situation that you wish to send healing to. If you can visualize them/it or otherwise make a strong mental connection to them, then simply intend that the energy flow to them. If you need an outside visual, then a photograph or other representative (their name on a paper) will do fine - simply send your energy into that surrogate item with the intent that it flows to the target itself through the medium of that item. If you'd like to hold the surrogate in your hands while you do so, feel free to.

Stay present with the energy as it flows. Eventually you will likely feel the flow start to lessen, &/or cease to flow altogether. Take that as a sign that the healing is completed for this session.

Let the energy stop flowing through your arms, bringing it back into the central spinal column/chakra string.

Gently close down the crown connection to the Universe with a thought of gratitude for it's infinite abundance.

Let all the excess energy flow downwards through you and into the Earth, grounding you as it goes. Let it flow out with gratitude for it's infinite abundance.

When you feel that you are back into a normal energetic state, allow your root to close.

Take a moment to come back to your center, and then back into wakeful consciousness.

I hope that this has inspired many of you to begin sending healing energy to people and places far and wide, whether or not you've had any formal training.

Our connection to the Infinite White Light is our divine birthright. We all can do it. We just have to remind ourselves that we can.

Dedicating Merit After Healings & Meditations

In the Buddhist tradition there is a practice of "dedicating merit" that is both beautiful and useful to the healing practitioner or spiritual seeker, regardless of what faith they follow personally. It goes hand-in-hand with notions of karma, or cause and effect, as each act performed (either consciously or subconsciously) has an equal effect in both the personal microcosm and the universal macrocosm. Obviously like breeds like, so auspicious deeds create postitive energy, while inauspicious ones breed more complicated and troublesome energy.

The practice of dedicting merit is one undertaken at the conclusion of any spiritual or otherwise conscious acts of positivity. The time immediately following an uplifing or enlightening experience is the perfect time to send forth waves of gratitude, lovingkindness, and healing to others in need, as one is feeling particularly full of positive energy and in the mood to give and share selflessly. These windows in time are few and far between for many of us in our busy lives, so it is important to remember to take the time to share our good fortune and positivity, our merit, with others when we are able to give selflessly.

Many in the healing and spiritual communities regularly take time to send positive healing energy out to those in need, or to the Earth, or to the Universe as a whole - and this is an extremely important practice in our current times and global situation. However, it does not occur to many to share the energy of their personal experiences with the All. Implementing such a practice into one's healing work or spiritual discipline can be a wonderful way to more continuously aid others through our Lightwork.


"May all sentient beings be happy"

How can one begin practicing the dedication of merit? Well it's really extremely simple: you need only find a way to remind yourself to do so at the conclusion of each healing or meditation session. It can be as uncomplicated as simply saying:

"I dedicate the merit of this [experience/meditation/healing/etc] to the benefit of all sentient beings everywhere."

The wording of the Four Immeasurables from the Medicine Buddha Sadhana is more descriptive, but still very succint and beautiful, and reciting it while concentrating on offering up the energies of the healing or meditation for the benefit of others is another very straight-forward way to get started.

May all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.

May all sentient beings never be separated from the happiness which is without suffering.

May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from both attachment and hatred, holding some close and others distant.

Merit can also be dedicated to specific people, or places, or situations that you may feel particularly passionate about at a given time. In fact many trace the beginnings of the dedication of merit this more personalized practice, which later evolved into the idea of dedicating it to all sentient beings.




You may be wondering why one would willingly give away merit that they had earned which could be used to help their personal evolution. Well it's actually very practical. You are a sentient being. Therefore merit dedicated to the benefit of sentient beings automatically benefits you as well as all the others. The theory behind the practice is learning to cultivate a worldview of unity, where everything is part of and connected to everything else. The idea of seperation and difference is an illusion that spiritual seekers are fairly universally trying to overcome, despite what religious tradition they may be practicing. Making sure to take the time to dedicate merit at the conclusion of any positive activity is an easy, but powerful way to reinforce that unified universalist perspective.

So next time you find yourself feeling joyful, take a moment and share that with the rest of the Universe. After having attained a restful and enlightening state through meditation or yoga or another spiritual practice, take a few moments at the end to dedicate those energies to others. At the close of a healing session, dedicate the merit to all sentient beings. You can make this into a small personal closing ritual by bringing your hands into prayer position over your heart, and visualizing waves of rose colored energy bursting from your heart and carrying the energy of lovingkindness, compassion, equanamity, and joy to all sentient beings everywhere. Do this with a smile and a grateful spirit, and see how this deepens your experience of your personal practices in the long run.

Only by giving things away, may we truely receive.

Creating an Energetically Cleared or Charged Space with Reiki and the Four Archangels

I've talked a bit before in this blog about the importance of practitioners keeping spiritually protected during treatments, and also about maintaining good spiritual hygene in one's healing space. There are very basic methods that pretty much anyone can employ to good effect - such as visualizing a protective bubble of White Light surrounding one's aura before a treatment, or smudging a healing space to help clear out stagnant or heavy energies that may have accumulated.

But these most elementary techniques can sometimes fall somewhat short in some situations. So what can one do to easily "up the ante" in the spiritual protection department? Today I will present an intermediate visualization ritual that can be used to clear or charge one's aura, or one's practice area. These are based on very well established methods of banishing unwanted energies and creating a protective sphere, as well as of super-charging that sphere with Light. A basic version can be carried out by any practitioner, or a more specific version can be utilized by those with Reiki II or IIIM-T training. As long as you are comfortable with the four Archangels - Raphael, Gabriel, Michael and Uriel - you can use this method.

The general outline of this visualization will go thusly - after centering yourself, you establish the boundary of the sphere of space you want cleared and protected, and in some cases charged. This sphere can be as small as your aura, the room your practice healing in, or as large as a house. (Really the size of the sphere is only limited by your own imagination, but for the purposes of this visualization we'll stick to it surrounding either the aura or your healing space.) After establishing the boundaries of the sphere, which can be reinforced with Reiki symbols, or symbols of your personal faith, you will call in the four Archangels to either protect the sphere, or to aid in charging the sphere with Light. Once the sphere is attending by the angels, you re-affirm your center and can then proceed with your healing work.

Each of the four Archangels that we are going to be call upon, govern a particular quadrant of space. Namely North, South, East, or West. They also each govern the traditional element that is associated with that cardinal direction, North-Earth, South-Fire, East-Air, West-Water. By calling upon these four Archangels, you are also calling in the spiritual attributes of each element. Some of the major associations are regeneration, stability, and abundance for Earth; passion, transformation, and willpower for Fire; intellect, inspiration, and healing for Air; and emotions, intuition, unconscious and subconscious levels of being, and purification for Water. By clearing out old, stagnant, or otherwise unhelpful energies of each element and direction, and then calling on all four for a fresh influx of energy, you are essentially creating a clear and balanced sphere of all the elements and Divine energies in Creation. A perfect area for healing work to take place in!




Let's now outline the visualization. If it is the first time you will be performing this, take a few seconds beforehand to identify the four cardinal directions. If you are going to be doing this clearing for a healing space, you'll want to place yourself in the center of it before beginning. If it is just for your aura, then it can be performed anywhere. Feel free to burn any spiritually uplifting incense, such as frankincense or sandalwood. If you wish you can play calming background music, or light some candles - but essentially the only prop you need for this is your own imagination.

1)Stand in the center of the space facing East, and take a few seconds to calm and relax your body and mind with some slow, deep breaths.

2)When you are relaxed let your consciousness affirm your connection to Source in whatever way is most appropriate for you. This could be holding the hands in prayer position over the heart while chanting a mantra, or simply saying "Namaste" to the Universe. It could be reciting the Lord's Prayer. It could be anything that makes you strongly feel your connection to the Divine, and affirms to you that you are also Divine.

3)Once you are centered and connected, walk to where you want the boundary line to be in the East. If this is just for your aura, then the length of your arm will do. Once in the East point your index finger in front of you, imagining it lit up with Blue-White Light. If you are of a particular faith which has a central Divine symbol (the Hindu or Tibetan OM, the Christian Cross, the Wiccan banishing pentagram, etc) draw this symbol large in front of you, visualizing it being drawn with the Light. If you are a Reiki II practitioner, the CKR works very well for this. If you do not adhere to any particular faith, and are not a Reiki II practitioner, then simply strongly affirm the presence of the Light.

4)When you are finished drawing the symbol, strongly affirm the intent for the symbol & sphere to banish any unwanted energies. Then, bring your finger back into the center of the Eastern quadrant. Then continue to hold your finger level, drawing a line of Light around to the Southern quadrant (you are creating the equator of your sphere). At the South, repeat the drawing of the symbol, or affirmation of the Light.

5)When you are finished drawing the symbol, strongly affirm the intent for the symbol & sphere to banish any unwanted energies. Then, bring your finger back into the center of the Southern quadrant. Next, continue to hold your finger level, drawing a line of Light around to the Western quadrant (you are continuting the creation of the equator of your sphere). At the West, repeat the drawing of the symbol, or affirmation of the Light.

6)When you are finished drawing the symbol, strongly affirm the intent for the symbol & sphere to banish any unwanted energies. Then, bring your finger back into the center of the Western quadrant. Next, continue to hold your finger level, drawing a line of Light around to the Northern quadrant (you are continuting the creation of the equator of your sphere). At the North, repeat the drawing of the symbol, or affirmation of the Light.

7)When you are finished drawing the symbol, strongly affirm the intent for the symbol & sphere to banish any unwanted energies. Then, bring your finger back into the center of the Northern quadrant. Next, continue to hold your finger level, drawing a line of Light back around to the Eastern quadrant (you are completing the creation of the equator of your sphere).

8)When you reach the East, make sure to complete the circle of Light by coming to rest in the same spot that you started from. Affirm that the circle of Light is now complete. Now take a deep breath, and as you release it, concentrate on your intent to clear the sphere of unwanted energies while strongly visualizing that the line of Blue-White Light around you begins to expand, with the energy creating and filling both hemispheres upwards and downwards simultaneously. (If you have trouble visualizing both directions at once, you can have one exhale bring one hemisphere up, and another bring the other hemisphere down.) You are now standing within a sphere of shining Blue-White Light.

9)Now walk back to the center of the circle where you began and continue to face East.

10) Call upon the Archangel of the East, Raphael. This is easily done by chanting his name. As you call upon him, visualize him rising upwards in front of you, facing away from you in a protective stance. If you can add in visual elements that are Airy - such as a wind blowing through his robes. If you are especially visual, the color yellow is the most appropriate for the attire of Raphael of the East. When you feel that he is strongly present, you may move on.

11) Call upon the Archangel of the West, Gabriel. Again, chanting the name works well. As you call, visualize him/her rising upwards behind you, facing away from you in a protective stance. If you can, visualize Watery elements, such as running water at his feet, or rain. The color blue is the most appropriate for the attire of Gabriel of the West. When you feel that s/he is strongly present, you may move on.

12) Call upon the Archangel of the South, Michael. As you call, visualize him rising upwards to your right, facing away from you protectively. If you are able, add visual elements of Fire - giving him a fiery sword is especially powerful. Red is the most appropriate color for his robes. When you feel that he is strongly present, you may move on.

13) Call upon the Archangel of the North, Uriel. As you call, visualize him/her rising upwards to your left, facing away from you protectively. Earthy elements are good here, such as crops, or grass, and earthtones such as brown or olive are appropriate robe colors for Uriel. When you feel s/he is strongly present, you may complete the visualization.

14) Take a moment to bask in the energy created by the four Archangels. Let it permeate you and fully permeate the space. Strongly affirm the completed and gaurded circle of clearance and protection. Thank the Archangels for their protection and ask that they stay with you.

15) When you are ready to conclude, bring your consciousness back to your center, and re-affirm your connection to the Divine. It is done!

This may seem like a long and involved visualization, but once you are thoroughly familiar with it it need only take about 3-5 minutes to complete. When you are completely intimate with it and the energies that it creates, you can simply visualize yourself going through the motions (while still standing in the center) and it will be completely effective - which is great if you wish to do it while you have a client present.

Again, this is a fantastic tool for practitioners of all kinds to have in thier spiritual hygiene repetoir. And Reiki II practitioner can have one more use of the CKR symbol to practice with!

So the steps outlined above create a space clear of unwanted energetic influences, and a boundary of angelic protection. Now what if you'd like to charge that sphere up with large amounts of Light energy? Doing so can be extremely helpful if you know that a particular client is in need of extra energetic support, or you simply would prefer to work in an energetically charged atmosphere (as opposed to a neutral one, such as we've just created). Charging up one's aura can also add another layer of protection, as it is even more difficult for unwanted influence to gain access to our energy bodies if they are not only protected, but charged with Light.

The following steps are simply a modified version of the above ritual, with the changed intent of charging as opposed to clearing.

Please always CLEAR FIRST, then charge.

If you are a Reiki IIIM-T use your DKM or other system's Master Symbol. If you are of a faith that has a specific symbol that encapsulates the invocation of White Light go through the following steps for the strongest effect. If you do not have a different symbol to use, you can always use the same symbol that you used in the clearing - just make sure to be clear that this time the intent in to invoke a great deal of Light.

1) After creating your cleared and protected sphere, and having brought yourself back to center, take a moment to concentrate on your new intent to charge the sphere with Light.

2) With the new intent walk back to the East, as you did in the beginning. Again visualize your finger as glowing with Golden White Light. Draw your Light symbol as before, affirming its intention to bring in large amounts of Light. When finished bring your finger back to the center of the Eastern quadrant, then draw the equator line as you walk to the South.

3) Repeat step 2 at the South, West, and North.

4) Complete your equator of light in the East. Take a deep breath and on the exhale visualize the hemisphere rising above and descending below to create a sphere of extremely bright, Golden White Light.

5) Call on each Archangel as before - only this time see them turn inwards towards you pouring their Light energy into the circle. Start with Raphael in the East in front of you, then Gabriel in the West behind you, Michael in the South to your right, and then Uriel in the North to your left.

6) Take a few moments to visualize the power of the four Archangels pouring into the sphere. You may wish to beam Reiki, or other healing energy into the circle as well to be a proactive member of this creation process. Feel the sphere filling up completely, becoming permeated with the Golden White Light.

7) When you feel that the sphere is full, affirm the creation of this charged sphere of Light. Thank the Archangels for their presence and ask that they stay with you.

8) When you are ready to conclude, bring your consciousness back to your center, and re-affirm your connection to the divine. If you need to ground any excess energies, then do so.

You are now protected by and aided energetically by the four Archangels!!

If you do not wish to work with symbols, or want an abbreviated version of the charging (still make sure to go through the entire clearing first though), at the conclusion of the clearing, simply go straight to the visualization of the four Archangels turning inwards to charge the sphere.




The more often you practice this, the stronger and more clear the visualizations will be, and the more palpably you will be able to feel the presence and energy of the Archangels.

Using this visualization can be a fantastic way to make the aquaintance of these Archangels, and introduce their energies into your healing practice. Over time you may become aware of them being actively involved with your healing work. Michael and Raphael are with me during nearly every healing session now. It's great having 2 extra sets of hands to help with the work...and the wings can do wonders, too!

In any case, experimenting with various methods of psychic cleansing, protection, and charging are an important part of energetic practice. This is one that is particularly powerful. It not only works extremely well prophalactically, but it can be used after you realize there's been a energetic breach and you are in need of emergency clearance.

One doesn't need to be a healing practitioner to use this. This visualization will work for anyone who wishes energetic clearance, protection and charging. It can be a wonderful practice for those who are ill or are prone to illness, or for those who work in energetically challenging environments such as hospitals, or public service, or for anyone who would like to increase their energetic health and maintain a healthy subtle balance.

Those who resonate with this visualization and who decide to practice it daily, will notice a strongly positive shift in their energy body, and any areas where they regularly use this. Using the clearing and charging in the morning can be a fantastic preparation for the day ahead, and may even replace the need for morning stimulants like coffee! Using the clearing at night (you may find the charging too high-voltage just before bed, so it's not recommended for most) can help rid you of any psychic dust, calm the energy and mind, and provide you with Divine companionship and protection as you journey through the dream realms.

I invite those who feel interested to try this visualization and see how it works for them!

Many blessings on your healing journey!