Sometimes a home needs a very strong blessing before the new buyers move in.  The home has bad, seriously bad, vibrations.  You sometimes come across this kind of home in a short sale or foreclosure or divorce.  Such a sad house!  It needs light, air, and a complete makeover.

Gather my full kit:

• CD player with meditative music
• Votive candles in glass holders (don’t forget the matches)
• Compass
• Abalone shell
• Smudge (small bundle of aromatic herbs like sage)
• Bell
• Broom
• Prayer shawl (optional)

The blessing:

Place a candle in every room of the house. Don’t light them.  Shut all the windows and doors . . . except the back door.  Keep it open.

Put on the prayer shawl (optional)

Set the compass down in the middle of the living room floor (to orient the house . . . and the owners . . . to the four directions)

Light and place votive candles in glass holders out on the axes of the 4 directions, a few feet from the compass.

Meditate in silence for a little while, clear your mind

Give the buyer the broom

Give another buyer (or an assistant) the bell

Give another buyer (or an assistant) the smudge

Chant  a blessing or mantra (optional) or turn on the music

Light the smudge, hold it over the abalone shell so you don’t get ashes on the floor.  Take your time lighting the smudge stick.  It’s sometimes hard to light, and the smell, by the way is very strong.  It’s supposed to be.  The house will smell like smudge for several hours.

Go to one of the far rooms.

Light the candle in that room as someone rings the bell creating sonic energy in the room. Another person smudges the entire room.  Everyone exits the room except the “sweeper” who follows last, ritually sweeping the remnants of old energy out the door, closing the door behind him (or her).  You don’t want that old energy to sneak back in the room, do you?

Go to another room and repeat.  Light candle, ring bell, smudge, exit, sweep, close door.

Go to each room in the house, lighting candles, ringing the bell, smudging each room, sweeping the old energy ahead of you and closing “escape routes” behind you.

Finally, you will be at the back door.  The sweeper pushes all the old vibes out the back door.  And shuts it.  Send someone to the front door and open it, so that the fresh, clean energy can enter.

Face the North and say:  From the spirit of the North we ask for blessings on this home.  We promise that we will honor our Ancestors in this home, the Ancestors of this family and of all peoples who have dwelt upon this place.  May the Ancestors be remembered and honored in this home.

Face the East and say:  From the spirit of the East we ask for blessings on this home.  We promise that we will honor all our Relations in this home.  May our Family find this home to be a place where bonds of love between the members of this Family grow stronger with every visit.  May our Family be honored in this home.

Face the West and say:  From the spirit of the West we ask for blessings on this home.  We promise that we will honor our Friends in this home.  May our friends find comfort and ease, laughter and fellowship with every visit.    May our friends be honored and entertained in this home.

Face the South and say:  From the spirit of the South we ask for blessings on this home.  We promise that we will honor the greatest spirit of the universe, whatever we believe that spirit to be.  We promise that this house will be a sanctuary where righteousness and kindness dwell.  May the Greatest Good be honored in this home.

Ask if the new owners would like to say a prayer.

If so, cool.

If not, I say:

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

Om Peace Peace Peace be upon this home and all who dwell within.  Amen.

I ususally give the new owners the votive candles and holders as a little souvenir.

There, that feels better, doesn’t it?