Space Clearing Questions

Dear Karen,

Why do you say in your book that the information is only enough to do Space Clearing in a person's own home? I have started doing it professionally and am getting results.

- J.B., Australia

Karen's reply:

A huge amount of training is required to learn how to clear energy safely (for both you and the client), and to be able to deeply and powerfully consecrate the space. Only about 2% of that information is contained in my books and workshops so although you may think you are getting good results you may in fact be doing a great deal of damage without realizing it.

I am sorry to say that I have received far too many letters in the last few years from enterprising folk such as yourself who have become seriously ill as a result of doing this work without training, and also letters from people whose homes have been space cleared by untrained practitioners and have experienced very distressing after-effects. I have done everything possible to maintain the high standard and integrity of my work and so if you intend to continue regardless, I would ask you to at least call what you do something other than Space Clearing so as not to confuse or mislead the general public.

Please also note that even after registration my practitioners have to do a great deal of personal work to maintain the level required to do Space Clearing. Some do not maintain this standard or decide to develop their own form of energy clearing. Only the names of those listed in the Directory of Space Clearing Practitioners on this website are currently endorsed by me.

Dear Karen,

I have really gotten to work on clearing the clutter in my teeny studio apartment with inspiration from your book, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui". I will be ready to space clear in a few weeks. After purifying the space with bells, the directive, no. 20 is to "shield the space".

What does it mean and how do I go about it?

- C.S, USA

Karen's reply:

My publishers insisted I put a brief description of Space Clearing in my 'Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui' book but I'm horrified to think people may be attempting to space clear just from this. It certainly isn't what I or they intended as there is so much more you need to know to conduct the ceremony safely and effectively. Please thoroughly read my first book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui, before going any further. I hope this misunderstanding is not very widespread.

Dear Karen,

I have attended all your workshops and loved them. I don't have the time to train professionally but would really like to learn more. Why don't you offer any more advanced Space Clearing workshops?

- J.P., USA

Karen's reply:

Glad to hear you enjoyed my workshops so much.

I've thought many times about how to offer something midway between what I teach publicly and my professional training, but it simply isn't feasible. A person is either fully capable of doing professional Space Clearing or not.

To offer something midway would be like taking someone who knows basic biology, giving them specialist teachings about the workings of the heart for a few days, and then leaving them to attempt open-heart surgery by themselves. A recipe for disaster, I'm sure you'll agree.

However there will certainly be new workshops you can come to in the future that will have a connection to Space Clearing and will be of interest to you. The best way to make sure you hear about new developments is to keep your contact information up to date on my emailing list so that you receive Space Clearing newsletters.

Dear Karen,

I am of Middle Eastern origin and just bought a townhouse in America that I will move into in January. I am hoping to find out what sort of Space Clearing techniques are used in the Middle East so that I can stick to my own cultural heritage. Could you recommend a few books about this?

Thanks, Deena, USA

Karen's reply:

One of the most exciting things about the way people have responded to my book is that I have received many 'thank you' letters from people of all religious denominations and cultural backgrounds worldwide telling me that the Space Clearing ceremony in my book works beautifully for them, and not only that, it explains many things their own priests and elders could not explain to them about their own religious or cultural practices.

This was entirely my intention in writing the book -- to teach a ceremony which is universally applicable and accessible to all -- and I am so pleased to receive this confirmation that I have succeeded. None of the material I teach comes from books so there are no titles I can recommend to you. I simply encourage you to try the Space Clearing ceremony yourself.

Dear Karen,

While the walls are torn away exposing the rock wall foundation of our 90-year old house, is that a good time to do some Space Clearing especially around those walls?

- Jennifer Downs, USA

Karen's reply:

It's best to do a Space Clearing ceremony before the contractors begin work and again after they have finished. Buildings always need to be reconsecrating after such intensive work.

If you are in the middle of building work and are experiencing difficulties with its progress, it is very worthwhile to halt the work for a day, give the contractors a day off, and space clear the building.

One of my practitioners has a client who is a contractor, and he always includes the price of a Space Clearig ceremony in the budget for any remodelling job he takes on because he has found everything goes so much more smoothly when this is done. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense - if clapping in corners causes stuck energy to disperse, think how much more energetic debris comes out of the walls when workmen start hammering or tearing things down.

Hi, I'm an 18 year old young man and I've been reading your book on space clearing for about a week and I've started to tidy my room up in order to clear the energy. To do so I've moved all my stuff (furniture, books, CDs and clutter) to other rooms of the house (I'm currently living with my parents and sister but they're on a business trip for now).

I'm wondering if it's better to clear the energy while the room is empty or to first put the things back in, then do space clearing. The other question I have is, living with my family, is it better to clear my own room or to clear the whole house?

Thanks - Anael V., Montreal, Canada

Karen's reply:

People often ask me about this when they are moving house - is it best to space clear before moving all their things in or afterwards? My reply to this enquiry and to yours is that it is best to do the Space Clearing after the stuff has been moved in because that way both it and the home get cleared.

As to whether it's best to clear just your own room or the whole family house, this is covered in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui, in Chapter Six. Step 2 of the preparations states: Obtain permission before doing Space Clearing in someone else's personal space.

It's fine to do your own room but would be out of integrity to do the rest of your parent's home without permission from one of them.

Hi,

When I do energy sensing, do I need to move furniture out from the perimeter of the inside of my house (from the walls)?

- Laura Hensley, USA

Karen's reply:

Definitely not. Energy sense the furniture too. In fact the furniture is usually the most interesting stuff! Space Clearing is designed to clear out old energy from the walls and also from all the objects in your home.

Dear Madam,

I have read your book 'Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui' and wish to space clear my house soon. But before I do so, I'd like to clear some doubts.

1. Is it necessary to move all furniture, like a table, sofa set, bed, etc., away from the walls in the house to enable walking around the inner perimeter during space clearing? It is practically not possible to move huge & heavy furniture items. Can I space clear by walking around these furniture?

2. Is it necessary to keep the front main entrance door to the house open during space clearing. I understand that the door to a room should be kept open. But does the lower energy of one room permeate to another room through the open door?

Thanking you, Sunita

Karen's reply:

In my book it does not say that you have to move all the furniture away from the walls or open the front door to the house. Neither of these are necessary or desirable. All that's required is that a window or door is left open so that chi can circulate. By doing the ceremony in circuits, in the order described in my book, leaving internal doors open allows the new higher frequencies to permeate the entire space to replace the old lower frequencies.

Hi Karen,

I found your books in a local bookstore and after reading them, I felt more motivated and happy and excited than I had in a very long time. For the first time in my whole life, I was able to think about throwing things away ... and then actually DO it.

However, I very quickly discovered just how expensive the various space clearing tools and workshops are and came crashing back down to earth. I am on an extremely low income and am wondering how people like me can make Space Clearing a part of our lives. What do you recommend?

- Violet, USA

Karen's reply:

There's nothing I can do about the cost of the workshops, I'm sorry to say. It simply costs what it costs for me to travel internationally and obtain work visas to teach my work. I have very few material needs myself and the workshop proceeds are all ploughed straight back into development of my work. However I wrote the books as comprehensively as possible so that people could get all the information they need from them without attending a workshop.

Clutter clearing, of course, costs nothing to do and can even bring you a financial return if you have a garage sale!

Space Clearing is a different matter. I thought long and hard before making the results of all my years of research publicly available. The reason is that my Space Clearing ceremony is very powerful, and as with anything powerful, it can also be dangerous if wrongly used. To ensure its safety, it is VITAL that the ceremony be followed exactly and that a Balinese bell is used rather than any other type. These are the only ones I have ever found that can create the necessary shattering of the lower astral levels.

My suggestion therefore is to do what many people in similar situations to your own have already done, which is to join together with others to purchase a bell that can be shared between you. This works practically very well and creates a wonderful sense of community too. I do hope this will be possible for you.

 Dear Karen,

I ordered a large Space Clearing bell (previously called an Empress bell) after I read information on your website about your products. I also ordered three harmony balls and the purple colorizer. I haven't had time to do the Space Clearing ceremony yet but clearly your products are filled with beautifuly energy. They literally seem to sparkle with love. I read your book on Space Clearing after I ordered the products, which describes using two different bells. Do I need to buy the small space clearing bell, too, or is the large bell alone enough?

Thanks!

- Steph Carter, USA

Karen's reply:

Large bells are suitable for Space Clearing all types of rooms.

Space Clearing bells are smaller and are suitable for small rooms.

So if you already have a large Space Clearing bell, that's all you need.

Dear Karen,

Is there something I can substitute instead of incense? I haven't tried the brands you recommend in your book but I usually have a very allergic reaction to such things.

- Doug Phillips , USA

Karen's reply:

I have tried perehaps a thousand different brands of incense and the best I have ever found for Space Clearing are the Nitiraj Nagchampa sticks and the Basilica incense granules that I recommend in my book. These are extremely pure and even people who are normally allergic to incense are surprised to find that they have no adverse reaction to them at all. If you have difficulty finding them locally you can purchase them by mail order through the online stores on this website.

If you still feel you would rather not even give it a try then simply leave the incense out. Using it really helps to lift an atmosphere when Space Clearing and will help you get much better results, but it would be counter-productive to use it makes you feel unwell.

Dear Karen,

Can any incense be used?

- F.P., South Africa

Karen's reply:

Definitely not! Most incenses are made from terrible synthetic products that contain carcinogens. Rather than helping to raise the atmosphere of a space they drag it down.

See the next question about Incense Subsitutes for details of the brands I recommend for Space Clearing work.

Why the need to use such expensive space clearing paraphernelia?

I guess poor people are shut out again - such hypocrisy - shame on this money making scheme for the rich!

- No name supplied

Karen's reply:

I agree that the Space Clearing products are quite expensive, but anything of good quality is. In all the years I have been selling Space Clearing equipment, I have only received a handful of emails complaining about the price and literally thousands of thank you's from people who are grateful the products are available in the world and have been absolutely delighted by them. I offer a full money-back guarantee to anyone who is not 100% satisfied.

The fact is that it is just not possible to space clear effectively with sub-standard equipment. It simply doesn't work. So I had to make a decision when I first started selling products whether to sell things that really do the job, or whether to sell things that were cheap but useless. In all integrity, I had to choose the former. I would no doubt have sold a lot more if I had chosen to sell cheap stuff but that's not what I'm about.

As to your concerns about money-making, my products business provides jobs for approximately 40 Balinese people who would otherwise be unemployed. It has enabled them to support their families through all the economic crises that have affected Bali in recent years. 20% of the sale price of goods sold in Bali goes direct to Balinese charities or educational projects, and the rest is ploughed back into developing Space Clearing in some way or another. I live very modestly with very low personal expenses and do not take an income from the product sales at all.

Space Clearing bells are designed to last a lifetime and I sincerely hope that one day in the not too distant future you'll be able to afford one. It's a wonderful investment for anyone engaged in a spiritual journey, so that you can maintain the energies of your home in such a way that it will help you rather than hold you back.

Dear Karen,

I believe I'm still benefiting from the Space Clearing you did of my space 10 months ago. I would, however, like to re-energize the space by re-ringing the harmony balls. Do I need to re-imprint the same thoughts from our session? I'd like to observe/honor your clearing practice. If I want to imprint new 'thoughts' into the balls is there a special ceremony? Do I first need to clear the balls or do they sort of clear themselves?

- M.Y., USA

Karen's reply:

You can infuse your harmony ball at any time with the same or different frequencies and then shake them out into the space. The technique for doing this is described in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. There is no need to clear the harmony ball first.

However the effects of Space Clearing diminish over time as new residues of energy build up in a place, so it is recommended that you do a complete Space Clearing ceremony at least once a year to maintain your space in optimum condition. To do this you would follow the 21 steps in my book or, better still, the more up-to-date steps I teach at my Space Clearing workshop if you have attended it. I am currently revising my book to include all the new updates and it will be published in 2007.

Dear Karen,

My question is why do you need to use different harmony balls for each place you space clear? Is it not possible to cleanse them between houses? I was wondering if this just applies to people who are Space Clearing only their own homes and possibly friend's/family's homes. Do you personally (and the people you professionally train) use different harmony balls for each home? I presume the answer is no and that you must have a deep cleansing technique otherwise you would be surrounded by mountains of them!

- S. Aiston, England

Karen's reply:

The answer to this question becomes abundantly clear after doing the Space Clearing ceremony.

After infusing a harmony ball with all their highest aspirations and using it to consecrate their home to higher frequencies, no-one ever wants to part with it. So included in the cost of a professional consultation is the price of a new harmony ball that the person or family keeps and can use again and again, whenever it is necessary to repeat the Space Clearing for themselves. No-one ever wants to use a second-hand harmony ball that someone else has already infused with their own personal frequencies.

If you are Space Clearing for a friend or relative you will therefore need a new harmony ball for each ceremony and leave it with them afterwards so that they can do their own repeat ceremonies when necessary. Sometimes individual family members each prefer to have their own harmony ball rather than mixing their frequencies in a communal one.

Thinking about the best for my husband's two boys, I moved into the house where he had lived for 8 years with his ex-wife. The first years I did not feel comfortable and wanted to move. Now 6 years has passed, we have had two girls and re-decorated the house and my urge to move has disminished.

My question to you is: Is there a 'time-limit' for old energies to disappear? I want to either commit to this house and make it 100% mine (because it has a lot of advantages!) or move. At the moment I feel stuck in my thoughts and feelings about this and do not do anything (except checking house ads).

Thanks - Eva, Sweden

Karen's reply:

It is precisely because energy imprints do not disappear over time that I developed Space Clearing. I've been in properties that are hundreds of years old and the imprints of all the previous occupants are still there in clearly defined layers, imprinted into the walls.

That's the bad news. Now the good news:

Space Clearing very effectively clears out old energies, and clearing the energies of a partner's previous partner is one of the most common requests I receive in my professional work. You can do the ceremony yourself by following the steps outlined in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui (published as Skapa Harmoni I Ditt Liv med Feng Shui in Sweden), or you can call in a professional space clearer, which many people in your situation prefer to do.

Dear Karen,

I am a trainer, and go into many different environments to deliver courses. Some rooms are small for say 10 people and others large for 100 people. Just wondered if you had any advice for space clearing a room pre training. I have read in one of Denise Linn’s books how she first met you pre her session at the mind body festival and just hoped you could give some more details about what I could before starting a training in a room that I have little influence over.

Many thanks - Debbie, London, UK

Karen's reply:

I love this question. There is so much that can be done with Space Clearing to set the space for a workshop or seminar in a meeting room. I have a lot of expertise in this area, having working in many different meeting rooms all over the world. I have also used it for board room meetings, other types of business meetings, meditation groups, therapists' rooms... there are so many situations where Space Clearing is invaluable.

Replying to your question in a few short sentences here won't work but I will be including a whole section on this topic in the updated and revised version of my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. The best I can suggest at this time is that you join my emailing list and then you'll be among the first to know when the revised version is available. I'm busy writing it now (Sept 2006).

 Dear Karen,

Our home was recently broken into and many things were taken. Our shelves and drawers were dumped to the floor. The things that were taken from me were highly personal and many were very sentimental. I seem to be unable to replace things where they belonged as I am too emotional and I feel that there is too much bad energy.

I need to do clutter clearing, etc., but due to my type of seasonal work, I cannot make the time right now. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Thank you - T.M., USA

Karen's reply:

Your question asks about clutter clearing but as you can see, I have put it in the category of Space Clearing.

Most people experience churning emotions after a burglary, accompanied by a sense of violation of personal space and sometimes feelings of lack of safety too. Your email certainly describes emotional churning and it is this that needs to be addressed rather than how to tidy your home.

My advice to you is as follows:

1) Space Clearing is the best way I know to clear out the sense of violation associated with having your home broken into. You can do this yourself by following the instructions in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui, or if you are too busy or too upset to do it yourself, check my Directory of Practitioners to find a professional who can help you. Tidying your home will follow naturally after that, as the ceremony will deeply settle your emotions and allow you to get on with your life again.

2) Read Chapter 7 of my book, Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, which gives information about how to deal with the emotional effects of a burglary.

How can I space clean the police station I work in?

- C.Z., USA

Karen's reply:

If you are the highest ranking person in the police station and it is possible to empty the building for the duration of the ceremony, then it can be space cleared.

But even if you are the top authority and the building can be vacated for a few hours (impossible, I'm sure), then I still wouldn't recommend that you space clear it yourself. The information in my book is simply not enough to cope with the kinds of energies that are found in police stations, especially in urban USA. You would definitely need to employ a space clearer I have trained to professional level.

How can I encourage my son-in-law to start a family, by using the space in my home. My daughter wants a baby and he does not? It is causing untold grief.

Many thanks, M.G., England

Karen's reply:

There is a strict ethical principle that Space Clearing is NEVER used to manipulate anyone's energies, even if you feel it would be for their own good. It is always done for the highest good of everyone concerned, not just to fulfill the wishes of one person.

You do not say whether your daughter and son-in-law are living in your home or whether they live in their own place. If they live in their own place then your daughter could space clear it and this would facilitate the best possible outcome for everyone. If they live in your place then you can space clear with this intention, but it wouldn't be right to include their personal living space unless they both invite you to do so.

Agreement about having or not having children is a a core decision in a marriage and it really needs to be decided between the couple without any outside influences (and preferably before marriage!). If it is causing as much distress as you say, marriage guidance counselling may be required.

I have already read Karen Kingston's book about Space Clearing.

We live in a house where (about ten years ago) a husband murdered his women. Is it dangerous for me to do Space Clearing here? Would it be better for me to get professional help?

- Nadège, Germany

Karen's reply:

I'm glad you emailed to ask me about this. The first step of the ceremony described in Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui is:

1. Do not attempt Space Clearing if you feel any fear or apprehension. These techniques are perfectly safe but are designed for personal everyday use, not for the purposes of exorcism – leave that to trained professionals.

You are clearly feeling fear or apprehension about doing this Space Clearing, and rightly so. The techniques described in my book are fine for general use but not for clearing such heavy imprints.

So yes, you definitely need to call in one of my professionally trained space clearers to do the ceremony for you. As you live in a part of the world where there are (at the time of writing) no Space Clearing practitioners based near you, email my International Office to find out if/when a practitioner will be visiting your area.

Dear Karen,

I read with great interest your book Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. Five years ago my mother was killed by my schizophrenic brother. That hideous offence happened in my mother's house. I later sold the house because I had no good feeling there, but I brought some objects of her home to my household. Some of them were in the room where the offence took place - they would have"watched" the criminal act if they had eyes. Do you think that these objects harm me? I would very much appreciate your answer.

Best wishes - D.L., Germany

Karen's reply:

In my clutter clearing book I introduce the topic of Space Clearing that is described in detail in my first book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui. This is now available in over 12 different languages, including German (Heilige Orte erschaffen mit Feng Shui).

My best suggestion is that you purchase a copy of this book and do the prescribed ceremony in your own home. It very effectively clears out old frequencies from buildings and objects and is designed to work in conjunction with clutter clearing.

Those objects you have from the room in your mother's home will certainly have absorbed imprints from that tragic day and can be cleared by Space Clearing. However you also need to re-read Chapter 15 of Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui (entitled 'Clutter and Feng Shui Symbology') to determine whether you still have negative associations with these items. If so, it would be better to let them go and begin your life anew.

Dear Karen,

How do I use Space Clearing techniques to overcome the negatives caused by people doing bad workmanship in the house we have just renovated?

- David Pankratz, Canada

Karen's reply:

Space Clearing is excellent for this. Hold it in mind firmly throughout the ceremony that you want to clear out any residual energy left by the workers, and put particular emphasis on the final part of the ceremony where you use a harmony ball to put your own frequencies into the building.

Dear Karen,

Is it better to space clear before or after redecorating a room?

- Roswitha Bonthrone, UK

Karen's reply:

The answer is "yes!".

The process of stripping wallpaper, sanding old paintwork and applying new finishes will dislodge some energies stuck in the walls so it is best to do a short Space Clearing ceremony before redecorating to clear these energies out first. Just make one offering for the whole space and do one circuit of clapping and one of bell-ringing. Then decorate. Afterwards do a full Space Clearing, with special emphasis on the consecration part of the ceremony that is done with harmony balls. It is usually best to do this the following day rather than when you are still weary from working but if you decide to do it the same day, be sure to take a full bath or shower and put on clean clothing before doing the ceremony.

Note that if you are decorating a new building that has never been lived in before it would not be necessary to do Space Clearing before decorating.

Dear Karen,

I am housesitting for a friend for 3 months. I had been to the house twice before as a guest but living here is entirely different. I do not have a bell and have been toning (and feeling silly while doing it) - I don't really understand the function of the sound portion, but I do hear a different resonance in the tone as I move around that isn't coming from my voice.

- T.G., USA

Karen's reply:

From what you describe of your Space Clearing, it is unlikely to have been effective. You would need to be very proficient indeed at both Space Clearing and toning to use this method. You need a bell, and the best I have ever found for this purpose are Balinese bells - they truly are in a class of their own.

It certainly is desirable to space clear a home that you are housesitting. However it is always difficult to establish your own frequencies in a place that is full of another person's belongings. At best you will only partially put down your own energy anchors. It won't feel like a real home. So my best advice to you would be to plan to move to a place of your own as soon as it is practically feasible and in the meantime regular Space Clearing can help.

Dear Karen,

I lack motivation, have done for the last year. My life has been very dramatic (teenager in the family) and now I seem to be in a state of limbo. Is there anything that I may have accidentally moved/brought in using Feng Shui which may have precipitated this? What can I do to bring some direction back into my life?

- F.C., Jersey, Channel Islands

Karen's reply:

The feeling you are describing speaks of a lack of spiritual connection - sadly a very common condition in western society. The remedy for this does not lie in moving your furniture!

Space Clearing can help you clear out the stagnant energy that has accumulated (full instructions are in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui). I also suggest you read Samuel Sagan's Awakening the Third Eye and begin the practices he describes in the book.

Can Space Clearing my house help me with my health problems?

- Jane Furner, USA

Karen's reply:

The reason why Space Clearing is so effective is because there is such a strong energy connection between a person and their home. Clearing stagnant energy in your living space will have a corresponding effect on you, and will therefore help with any health problems relating to blocked or stagnant energy in your body. It is a wonderful aid to healing.

However it is important to be fit and healthy in order to do Space Clearing safely and effectively, so it will be necessary for you to call on the services of a professional space clearer, or have a close friend or relative do the ceremony for you. Space Clearing when you are unwell can make your symptoms worse, and it is not recommended that you are even in the house while the ceremony is taking place.

Be sure to consult a health professional too. Space Clearing can greatly help your healing process but is not a miracle cure-all.

Hi,

We have bought our first house which has a history of divorces. The people we are buying the house from are playing all kinds of unfortunate mind games in relation to their separation. As newly weds we are worried about the energy in this house. I have been reading Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui and just got to the part advising that one shouldn't space clear if they are not familiar with the people whose space they are clearing. I would really like to clear out the energies in this house and offer loving nurturing intentions before we move in.What is the best way to do this without creating any dangerous or negative situations?

- Anna Page, USA

Karen's reply:

It is perfectly OK to space clear your own home. The warning in my book is about not space clearing other people's homes without proper training and is aimed at people who decide to set themselves up as professional space clearers after just reading my book and thinking that will be enough (it definitely isn't).

Dear Karen,

I am about to get my house tented for termites. I don't want to mess with those toxic chemicals, but termites are eating my house. Any suggestions?

- Laura Hensley, USA

Karen's reply:

I have never claimed that Space Clearing can be used to combat insect infestation. However, at clients' requests, I've sometimes performed Space Clearings in different parts of the world for people experiencing problems with ants, spiders and other pests. I usually find there is an element of geopathic stress in the building that needs to be worked with too.

Whenever I have taken on jobs like this, I ask the client to pay for the materials (flowers, harmony ball, incense and candles), and only pay me my fee for the consultation later on, if they find the infestation clears. I'm happy to report that in most instances it does work.

Unfortunately I haven't had much success so far in teaching this very specific technique to any of my practitioners. You certainly wouldn't be able to do it yourself, and there is no guarantee that you would get a result if you go to the expense of calling in a Space Clearing practitioner whom I have trained. The techniques are still very new and untested.

Dear Karen,

Is there anything I can do to help my home sell faster? We've had it on the market for a while now without any offers. I've cleared my clutter, but I have a feeling that there is a bit of negative energy in the house. Please tell me what I can do to remedy this problem.

- K.B., USA

Karen's reply:

Space Clearing can be used whenever you are feeling stuck in your life and especially when you are ready for major changes. It's therefore ideal for situations such as selling an old home and moving to a new one, and I've received countless e-mails from people over the years letting me know how effectively it works. In many cases the building has been on the market for years, and then the owner space clears and it sells within a matter of weeks.

Just follow the instructions in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui (the brief description in Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui is nowhere near detailed enough), and also make sure that you are really ready in yourself to make this move (examine any fears you may have, etc).

Dear Karen,

Thank you for your two wonderful, inspiring books. I have almost finished clearing my clutter and I am looking forward to space clearing my house.

In your book, you say that one should be healthy and 'emotionally balanced' to carry out the ceremony. However, I have recently been diagnosed with post natal depression and therefore, I suppose, I do not fall into that category. I live with my husband and three children. While my husband would probably agree to do the ceremony on my behalf, I'm not sure that his heart would be in it, and I would really like to do it myself. If I pick a good day, would it be O.K. for me to do it myself, or at least could we do it together?

- Angela D, England

Karen's reply:

Yes, you're absolutely on the right track here. Pick a 'good' day and do enlist your husband's help, if he's willing.

Dear Karen,

I have recently broken up with my girlfriend in a very bad way and I still live in the house. I wanted to know about things that I could do to be free of the 'bad' symbols of things in my life.

- C.L., USA

Karen's reply:

Space Clearing will clear out the frequencies of the old relationship and allow you to bring in new frequencies to build your life anew. You'll find details of how to do the ceremony in my book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui (read Part One).

The next thing to check is whether there are Feng Shui problems with the Relationship area of your home, which may cause the same kind of thing to happen again if you start a new relationship. You'll find information about this is the same book, in Part Five.

Finally, I suggest you read Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, and in particular, Chapter 15 entitled Clutter and Feng Shui Symbology. This will show you how to free yourself from negative or non-productive associations with objects in your home.

I am a medical student and am currently living with two other women in my class. They are not my friends, they are merely cohabitators in the school's housing. I can clear my own bedroom, but what should I do about the common area. It is as far from "homey" as a living situation can be! I'm not sure there is a way to handle the situation without causing discord, but there are certainly things that need changing. How should this situation be handled?

- Jessica, USA

Karen's reply:

If you are all sharing this common area on an equal basis then you all have an equal right to change the energy of it.

Ideally it is best for room mates to agree on and even perform the Space Clearing ceremony together but in this circumstance it doesn't sound as if that would be possible.

To avoid friction, I would suggest that you space clear the common area when your room mates are out. As you do the ceremony, have the intention that you are clearing and consecrating the space for the highest good of everyone concerned. When you do the harmony ball meditation, intend that you connect to your own higher self and have it in turn link to the higher selves of your two room mates so that you can bring through the frequencies which will benefit you all the most. Transforming the energy of the communal area you share can greatly enhance the way you all relate to each other, so don't be surprised if you all become friends after this!

Dear Karen,

When a couple does space clearing for their house together is it best to work separately in completely different areas of the room, to each clear the same areas, or clear different rooms?

- Susan Harrow, USA

Karen's reply:

When more than one person is involved in doing a Space Clearing ceremony it is vital that they do it together as a team rather than independently in separate areas, which sounds very discordant and results in a lack of harmony.

In a small building, it is best for one person to do the clapping, another person to do the bell ringing, and so on. In a larger building, one person could start the clapping and when they get tired the next person steps in and takes over, handing the energy over to the new person in the same way that a baton is handed over in a relay race. This works beautifully.

Dear Karen,

I have been following your work for years and have conducted many successful space clearing ceremonies in my various houses.

Next year I would love to do a Space Clearing specifically for my health which has been very up and down, and also for the well-being of the family. Is it safe to conduct it with a young baby? I would have to carry him around in a sling. I have a tremendous urge to go ahead as soon as my 7 year old daughter returns to school. This house is totally stagnant right now. I would appreciate a reply. Thanks and keep up the fabulous work. I am a huge fan.

- J.B., Australia

Karen's reply:

You will need to find someone to look after your baby and take him/her out of the house while you are doing the Space Clearing ceremony.

In Bali, it is customary for people to address babies using the high level of the language normally reserved for priests and gods. This is because they know that it takes time for a baby to fully incarnate on earth and its consciousness is mostly still in the higher realms. Because of this a baby's energy field is extremely open and therefore susceptible to picking up etheric and astral debris during the Space Clearing.

My advice is never to have any young babies or toddlers present during Space Clearing, partly for the reasons explained above and also because you need to be free to focus totally on the ceremony rather than on the needs of your children.

Providing you use a high quality bell Balinese bell for maximum safety and the energy of the place isn't too heavy or unpleasant, it's usually fine for children of age 6 or 7 and upwards to be present if they want to be. However don't involve them in performing the actual ceremony. You must do that yourself. The parts they can participate in are picking the flower heads to make the offerings and the whole of the harmony ball process at the end.

You also mention in your letter that you are not in the best of health. Space Clearing, as you will know by now, requires quite a bit of "ooomph" and so the person doing it needs to be in good shape, physically and emotionally. It would be best for your partner to do the ceremony rather than you, but if you are intent on doing it yourself then I would recommend that your partner at least does the first round of clapping while you step outside.

Dear Karen,

I recently found out that I am pregnant and it was the best birthday gift ever! Anyway, I was scheduled to space clear our apartment but I decided to write you first to ask if that is okay. I am doing Reiki and I'm still doing it right now because I think the baby likes it. Is there a way I can still do space clearing by protecting myself with Reiki? What are the concerns why pregnant women can't space clear? Do you recommend stopping energy work all together while I'm pregnant? Your insights will be deeply appreciated.

- S.G.C., USA

Karen's reply:

Reiki does not offer any kind of protection during Space Clearing. Even my most experienced practitioners cease Space Clearing during pregnancy and breastfeeding because of the effect it has on their babies. Energetic debris passes to the baby instead of being dealt with in the usual way.

Dear Karen,

I'm seven months pregnant with my first baby and as the time of the birth approaches I am becoming more and more aware of how much my home is in need of Space Clearing. Can I do this myself? If not, what do you suggest I do?

- Sara Thomason, England

Karen's reply:

It is definitely NOT advisable for a pregnant woman to do Space Clearing. It can be harmful to the unborn child. It is, however, very desirable for a new baby to be welcomed into an energetically clear birthplace and home. It will give the new arrival a clear start in life and makes for a healthier, happier infant all round (good news for any parent!).

You don't mention your marital status but it would be ideal if your husband/partner could read my book and do the Space Clearing, or maybe you have a close friend who would be willing to help? I also have a directory of trained practitioners who are skilled at clearing birthing rooms and homes in general.

Dear Karen,

Is it OK to use a drum to do Space Clearing rather than clapping?

- Jennifer Stuttle, England

Karen's reply:

Yes, you certainly can use a drum instead of clapping. In the early days of developing Space Clearing I used all kinds of drums, cymbals, even pan lids banged together! However as the years have gone by I have developed the art of clapping so highly that now no-one I have trained professionally has ever wanted to go back to using a drum again for Space Clearing purposes. There are many more levels of information that can be accessed by using your own hands which you just cannot hear when you do drumming.

Drums still have many other uses, though. For example, they are wonderful for various types of invocation after Space Clearing.

Dear Karen,

I'd appreciate info on whether loud bangs would have to be employed or whether you could 'get away' with quieter ones as I have regard for the peace and quiet of my neighbours. British life is often lived in confined dwellings of cardboard-thin construction and the thought of annoying neighbours/arousing their suspicion is neither pleasing nor conducive to effective Space Clearing!

- Vajrakumara, UK

Karen's reply:

Clapping is most effective when done with will and intensity. Get right into the corner and clap briskly a few times, with the firm intention that all the stuck energy lodged there will be dispersed. With the correct intensity it is not necessary to clap so much. If you clap weakly you'll need to do much more clapping to get the same effect. I suggest you choose a time when your neighbours are out if you are concerned about disturbing them.

I have to smile as I write this. I'm in Bali at the moment and your question brings to mind the annual Space Clearing ceremony precedingNyepi, the Balinese New Year. It's quite something to experience a whole island of 3 million people making as much noise as they possibly can for a whole night (car horns, firecrackers, shouting, loud music, you name it) and then the incredible peace of the next day, when everything comes to a total standstill for 24 hours. No planes are allowed to arrive or take off from the airport, no-one can travel on the roads, no-one works (except for very basic tourist services), no-one cooks, lights fires, uses electrical appliances, makes phone calls, etc, etc. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that could happen all over the world for a day?

Dear Karen,

I read your book and space cleared my house. The problem is that my hands got very sore from clapping. Is this usual?

- Robyn Gibbons, Canada

Karen's reply:

Here's a professional Space Clearer's tip: Simply put on some hand cream before you begin that part of the ceremony!

Dear Karen,

I live in a terraced house with very thin walls. I am keen to space clear, however I am concerned that the noise may attract unwanted attention from my neighbours. My opportunities to practice space clearing whilst the neighbours are out on both sides are limited. Is there an effective method for space clearing without clapping and chimes ?

- Richard, England

Karen's reply:

Using sound to break up stagnant energies is the most effective of all the Space Clearing techniques I have pioneered and developed and lies at the heart of the ceremony described in my book.

Certain types of sound (strong, resonant clapping and high quality Balinese bells) have the ability to break up the stagnant energies that accumulate in walls, furniture and objects. The sounds go deep into the walls, furniture and objects in the building. Silent techniques such as wafting incense around may temporarily lift the energies in your home but the effect is superficial and will disappear when the incense smell is gone.

The advanced clapping and belling techniques I teach to my space clearing practitioners produces an effect that is equivalent to (and a lot cheaper than) demolishing and rebuilding your home as well as replacing everything in it. The more resonant the clapping and belling, the more effective the techniques are in clearing out the past and enabling the occupants of a home to have a completely fresh start.

When you do Space Clearing for yourself following the instructions in my book it is therefore vital to include clapping and belling, as well as the harmony ball process at the end of ceremony to reconsecrate your home to higher frequencies. If you are concerned about disturbing your neighbours, by all means choose a time when they are out, but you may be interested to know that complaints are very rare - most neighbours are more curious or intrigued than disturbed by the sounds of the ceremony.

By the way, I notice you use the word 'chimes' in your question rather than 'bell', so just in case you are thinking of using wind chimes, click here to go to a Q & A about why this doesn't work.

Dear Karen,

I attended one of your workshops a few years ago and I am now reading your book, "Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui", for the 3rd time! I am especially interested in bells.

I had a wonderful experience last week at a health farm - after a wonderful cleansing massage the therapist finished the session by ringing a bell over my stomach. I felt waves go through my body like ripples through a pond and had the most overwhelming feeling of emotion which made me cry. The therapist said this was good as stuck energy had cleared! Anyway if I was a little skeptical before about energies and auras, I'm not anymore. The bells she used were actually 2 metal discs attached to each other by a cord and they had a beautiful tone, but she didn't know where they came from.

What I'd like to know as well is if it is OK to buy and use second hand bells if they are purified before use, and do you have to be careful of what's engraved or depicted on the bell eg. animals or star shapes. I would be grateful for any advice on this.

- E.W., UK

Karen's reply:

The first thing to understand is that if someone rings bells over your body and makes you cry it doesn't necessarily mean that stuck energy was cleared. Unless this was accompanied by very clear understandings and resulted in a dynamic resolution to a particular problem you've been experiencing then all that happened was that this person created turbulent waves in your astral body that caused you to cry. The therapist was probably well meaning but has no real understanding of what she/he is doing.

The second thing is, as you may remember from my workshops, I recommend that you only ever use high quality bells in your own personal energy field. Since discovering them many years ago, I now use only Balinese bells. They are simply the best in the world. Inferior quality bells can do more harm than good.

As to second hand bells, this depends entirely on your level of sensitivity to etheric imprints. My husband is the only other person I allow to use my bell and I can tell immediately if someone else touches it. The best method I've found of purifying bells involves using a particular type of Balinese holy water. All symbology has an effect so yes, you certainly have to choose appropriate engravings.

Dear Karen,

Is it usual to feel heady/almost dizzy after space clearing with a Balinese Empress Bell or is it from too vigorous use of the bell, or not being able to handle the energies?

- M.W., Canada

Karen's reply:

Balinese bells have the ability to simultaneously clear lower energies and instill higher frequencies in a space. They are the only bells I have ever found that can do this and that's why they are the only ones I recommend for Space Clearing.

Because they are so powerful, if you ring them more than is required it can leave you feeling heady and temporarily dizzy. It takes the average Balinese priest an entire year of training to learn how to ring a bell correctly so don't be concerned if it takes you a while.

If you are ever able to come to my Space Clearing workshop, the easiest way to learn is to see me demonstrate. If this is not possible, take a measured approach and allow the bell to teach you what's needed.

Dear Karen,

Is it necessary to use both the bells and the balls when space clearing?

- J.E., USA

Karen's reply:

Balinese bells and harmony balls are used for completely different purposes.

The powerfully crafted Balinese bells have the ability to clear energy imprints that become embedded in the walls and furniture of rooms.

Harmony balls are used at the end of the ceremony, after the space has been cleared, to consecrate the space to new frequencies.

Karen,

In your book, Creating Sacred Space with Feng Shui, you mentioned that towns in Bali do a consecration ceremony for a new bell. We recently bought one of the Bali bells with the wooden handle. Is there a consecration ceremony you would recommend before using the bell for Space Clearing?

- L.A., USA

Karen's reply:

Actually it's not that towns in Bali do consecration ceremonies - ordinary folk folk do not own bells at all. They are only made for priests and priestesses, who will then perform their own consecration ceremony in their own private temple before using the bell for the first time. The ceremony requires at least a week of preparations, takes over an hour to perform, and the cost of the offerings alone comes the equivalent of about US $150 - a huge sum, when you consider that the average Balinese person earns only $1 per day!

It would obviously not be possible to replicate this complex ceremony in theWest, but it would be excellent for you to create your own personal ceremony to welcome your bell into your life. I suggest you create offerings that represent the four elements, and the best ones to use would be those that I suggest in my book: flowers for earth, incense for air, a candle for fire and holy water for water (there is a description in my book of how to make holy water). As you perform the ceremony, call on your higher spiritual connections to be present, to bless and consecrate the bell. Also, hold in mind the function you will be using the bell for (Space Clearing), and ask for help from the higher realms in performing this function. They love to help but will not do so unless invited.

Dear Karen,

I have a question in regard to practicing the ringing of the bell. I want to become proficient with the use of it. Is it safe to practice anywhere? Or is there a specific space?

- C.C., California, USA

Karen's reply:

Balinese bells are powerful and when I train practitioners how to use them we have to do it in a series of short lessons rather than one long one because otherwise everyone gets 'belled out' - a heady, spacey feeling of energy overload. If you feel this, it's time to stop. Otherwise it may develop into a headache and the room may feel too intense afterwards.

Personal belling (the new name for the technique described in my book as chakra balancing) can, of course, only be done with Balinese bells (to do it with other types of bells can be damaging), and you need to be careful not to overdo this. Three passes of the bell from base chakra to above the head is the maximum, and I don't recommend it more than once a day.

If you are interested to learn more about this, there are full instructions and practical demonstrations of the technique in my Advanced Space Clearing workshop.

Dear Karen,

I will be in Bali next week and would like to know where I can buy a bell while I am there.

- Anne Searing, USA

Karen's reply:

If you visit Bali and look around the markets you will occasionally find temple bells for sale. These are made by entrepreneurs wanting to cash in on the popularity of Balinese bells since the publication of my book. Sadly, they are very poorly crafted and absolutely useless for Space Clearing. You would be wasting your money.

Space Clearing bells are available in Bali at my annual workshops, and also in the shop at my feng shui hotel, Dancing Dragon Cottages in Amed Beach (prices are substantially less than the usual retail prices in the West).

In the meantime, the easiest way for you to obtain a bell is to order by mail direct from one of my international offices - go to the Products pages of this website to purchase online.

Hope this reply is helpful. Have a wonderful stay in Bali!

Dear Karen,

I'd like to know if it is acceptable to use a gong? I don't have a bell, much as I'd like to acquire one at some stage in the not-too-distant future. In the interim, I have a fine Chinese brass gong which can make vast amounts of noise if I want it to and which resonates marvellously. Would this do as an alternative to get me started?

- Vajrakumara, UK

Karen's reply:

Before I had a Balinese bell I had series of different types of bells, ranging from low to high in sound. I found I needed to make several circuits of a building, starting with the lowest sounding bell first and gradually refining the energy with each subsequent circuit as I worked my way up to the bell with the highest note. Nowadays one circuit with a Balinese Space Clearing bell or Empress bell will do the job that all these other bells used to do, and in a fraction of the time. This is because of the unique way the Balinese bells are crafted.

Gongs are very powerful. The sound resonates deeply throughout an area, and you could certainly use one for maintenance Space Clearing once a week or so (providing it doesn't annoy the neighbours!). However if you choose to use a gong for the initial Space Clearing you would ideally also need to use a series of bells afterwards, to refine the energy as I described above.

There's another very interesting difference between using gongs and Balinese bells. I teach my practitioners how to use the bells to access and bring to consciousness levels of information that become lodged in the walls of a person's home. I have found that gongs will only do what I call 'blanket Space Clearing' (ie. they do the job but are not subtle enough to allow information to be discerned) whereas bells can bring to light the most remarkable information, which can be tremendously helpful in moving on the person in their spiritual journey. There are many levels of Space Clearing which I have not yet written about, but there is a little more information about this in my article entitled, What is Space Clearing?

Dear Karen,

I recently bought meditation chimes that come with a 'gong' or stick to ring them. Can I use them to purify my space in the place of bells?

- Nubia

Karen's reply:

Same reply as for the question above. Wind chimes are not at all effective for Space Clearing and cannot be substituted for bells. They simply do not have the clearing effect of high quality bells.

Dear Karen,

I want to thank you for your wonderful Space Clearing information.

I have spacecleared twice and have not achieved the results I was hoping for. I am wondering if you can give me some advice or tell me about an experience that may have been similar. I am new to all this and am not financially able to purchase the bells and harmony balls. I have used some feng shui cow bells and visualized the harmony balls. Do you think this is why my results are not that dramatic?

- T.G., USA

Karen's reply:

I'm not surprised to hear that your attempts to space clear using cow bells have brought no results. Glass bells, ceramic bells and Indian bells are also non-effective for Space Clearing. They simply do not have the resonance to break up stagnant energy.

If your finances are stretched, the cheapest option would be a Tibetan bell or a maybe a Western-style school bell, but your results will only be minimal. To make an analogy, it would be like using a blade of grass to sweep a room instead of using a proper broom that is designed for the job.

The Balinese bells I recommend in my book are the best in the world for Space Clearing. There are photos of these bells and information about them on the Products pages of my website. Purchasing a bell is really a one-in-a-lifetime investment, so it is worth saving up and buying one that will do the job you need it to do.

Dear Karen,

When one has done a SC in an apartment and then didn't do maintainance SC at all, should one do again a full SC ceremony or will a 'quickie' do? It's been maybe 5 or 6 months since I did the last full ceremony.

- Gabor Simic, UK

Karen's reply:

It's best to do a full Space Clearing ceremony once a year and at any times of major change, and do