Hello spring, you blossoming beauty, you. Floating in on fresh, aromatic breezes, I see your green tendrils unfurling towards life. I hear the song of the bluebirds and know you are to thank for the melody. Oh, how I’ve missed the outdoors so.

Out your doorstep the natural world hums in celebration. Hibernation is over. Spring is here. Within your walls though, there is a different narrative. Your home is still a bit hygge, while the back yard beacons you to sip lemonade over a picnic basket. We get it, it’s daunting. Those brisk, overcast days didn’t illuminate the dust bunnies and when did those piles collect in the corner anyway? You swear you didn’t notice from under your wool blanket, on the far cozy corner of the couch.

This Spring Equinox, as I’m sure we are all too aware of, marked not only a shift in weather but a year of pandemic pandemonium. We have been asked to stay indoors for the greater good of humanity, a noble request that among many other monumental shifts, has spurred a reacquaintance between dweller and dwelling. Maybe your home has always been your safe space. Maybe it was just a place to lie your head at night. Whatever the relationship you held with home, it has undeniably evolved in the past year. As many of us have lived more life within the confines of our abode than ever before, a truth unfurls itself. Home is a sacred environment where our expression of self reaches outwards, and inversely affects our inner world. It’s a choice to honor it as such.

Okay, so you’re convinced. The season naturally invites rebirth in the home space. You’ve put the fluffy slippers away, but where do you possibly start? We got you.

Start Here

Set the tone

Having a heart to heart with your home is the bookends of this process. It’s a way to tune in and see where you stand. If you have a meditation practice, it could look like that. Maybe you write a letter. Or perhaps you just talk aloud, as if to a friend. Express gratitude for the shelter it has offered you, mention areas of concern, and ask what (and where) is needing immediate attention. Communicate to your home how you want to show up authentically this season, and ask for it’s support. Don’t do all the talking, remember to listen. Your home has a spirit, can you tune in to it? Is it feminine or masculine? Whimsical or exasperated? This energy is the undercurrent of your daily life, might as well get acquainted.

Music is both medicine and motivation for the soul. Likewise, it can uplift the home as well. Give some thought to what frequency the present moment calls for. Maybe your previous tête-à-tête gave you a clue? Take a moment to mindfully set the tone. If say, there has been anger, hate, sickness, or despair present perhaps mantra music or a tune at 528Hz, known as the ‘Love Frequency’ or [‘Universal Healer’]1 would be welcomed. Alternatively, you or the home may be more called to energize the space and groove to an African drum mix. The selection can reflect what you are calling in.

*Side note: dancing the place clean is a fantastic way to move stagnant energy within your own body and makes passing the time all that more enjoyable

One of the fundamental tools of feng shui is the bagua, which serves as an energy map of your house. This can be a valuable reference point to keep in mind as you purge and cleanse different areas of the home. The Black Hat Sect is the most common type of feng shui practiced in the west. In this school, they apply the bagua in alignment with the front and back of the house, making it easily applicable to any home. It is believed that areas of your life correspond to areas within the home. Your internal space is reflected in the external. Inversely, you hold the power to influence your internal by altering the external. Apply this map to your home and see if you notice any correlations.

Okay we’ve laid the groundwork, now roll up your sleeves, we got work to do!

*Efficiency tip: Work top to bottom in each room. As in first shelves, then countertops, floors very last. This method cuts down your chances of recleaning the same spot twice or even three times.*

Air Out

Open the windows - all of them. Raining? Storming? Freezing? We still encourage you to throw them wide, even if only for five to ten minutes. The fresh breeze literally breathes new life into the space and stirs up stagnant energy hiding in all those sneaky crevices. There is no quicker way to refresh the space. Feng shui refers to the windows as the eyes of the house. We want to allow a free flow of chi to pass through. Spritz glass with a vinegar solution and wipe away fingerprints and smudges inviting in clarity. To a similar effect, time for the rare task of washing curtains and freshening up blinds. Don’t forget to polish the sill. Now the eyes are sparkling!

Purge

Cleaning is a form of self therapy. It’s a beneficial practice to regularly reevaluate what no longer serves you. What better time to throw out the old, than in the season of rebirth and new life? Start with the most obvious: garbage and recycling, it’s gotta go. Clutter is sludge to the flowing energy through a room. Build two piles: sell & donate. Empty the junk drawer, sort through the bags that have accumulated under the stairs, pull out the clothes shoved to the back of the closet. Imagine the joy and functionality these things can bring to someone else. As you purge the clutter, visualise your manifestations and see the space you are creating for them to come through. This practice extends to your mental and emotional scapes equally. Consider the clutter in your mind and heart and make an intention to lighten the burden.

SUGGESTION: Permanently designate a basket as “Give Away”. Keep in an out of the way area, and make a habit of emptying it once every two weeks or so. This clear-as-you-go method will diminish clutter claustrophobia, without requiring a big overhaul

All In the Details

Turn the music up, time to get into the nitty gritty. Lay cushions outside for a quick beating and to air out. Vacuum sofas, chairs, and benches. Wipe down light fixtures and ceiling fans and replace any burnt light bulbs. Flip mattresses if it apples. Dry clean the comforters or at least hang them outside with the cushions to ventilate. Clear the drains. Scrub the showerhead. Replace that shower curtain. Halloween has come and gone, the cobwebs got to go. Sanitize light switches, door knobs, and remote controls. Replace air filters where necessary. Scrub, scrub, scrub those walls all the way down to the floorboards. Sparkling.

*Pro tip: Congested energy? Clap it away! Clapping immediately dispels negative chi within the space around you. For a powerful space-cleansing ritual, rhythmically clap while you recite under your breath the ancient mantra, Om mani padme hum which translates to, the jewel is in the lotus. The vibrational current will raise the frequency of any room.

Repair and Mend

Turn that “Honey Do” list into “Honey Done”. Damaged items drain financial energy. Think, broken things equate to being broke. If you’ve been putting it off because of a lack of confidence in your skills, enlist help. Call a professional or trade favors with a friend. (Polish up the south east “helpful people” corner first!) Now is also the time to find a sense of completion in unfinished projects. You have permission to ask for help, let me assure you none of us have to do it all on our own. Delegating is an essential practice to both connect us with our community and practice kindness towards self. If something is broken beyond repair, make the call and toss it. Notice where the broken item or unfinished project is located and refer to the bagua map, do you notice a correlation? Take a moment to look inward and inquire if there are other places you are lacking completion. So often, it is all connected.

Clean Your Mouth

The kitchen is considered the heart of the home. It is where meals for yourself, your friends, and family, are crafted. The space is utilized daily and is the safe-keeper of nourishment and fuel for the body, mind, and spirit. Not only can this space get sticky with build up from meal preparations, but also can accumulate expired foods or not-so-nutritious options. Organize the cupboards and pantry, asking yourself: Does this nourish my being? Will I feel satisfied after consuming this? Does this support me in meeting my health goals? Nonperishables can be donated. Cleaning up your diet enriches every aspect of your life, and stepping into a kitchen brimming with whole foods and fresh produce will set you up for success.

In alignment with the holistic mindset we advocate here, take a moment to consider what comes out of your mouth just as much as what you put into it. Do you taste gossip, judgement, hate, or unworthiness? Words are powerful vibrations. The spring season, and the long awaited sunlight that comes with it, entices us to recall what we are grateful for. Express gratitude to a friend, or pass along a compliment to your neighbor. These small expressions can revitalize you and create a positive ripple in your community.

Raise the Vibe

Fine Tuning

Are your throw pillows a gift from your mother-in-law that you never truly vibed with? Have you outgrown that duvet cover you chose in college? Do you still feel inspired by the painting hanging above the dining room table? Human beings are in constant flux. It is okay to change your mind. Evolving is the natural outcome of a growth mindset and that can organically shift the things you are drawn to. Your home should feel like a charging pad. You walk in and are infused with comfort, security, and a sense of belonging. Assess if your surroundings are an original expression of your most authentic self, in this moment, in this season, right now. Purchasing an entire new wardrobe, or getting all new furniture may be extremes that are unattainable right now, but you can make small adjustments that drastically change the feeling tone of your space. Play with new fabrics, colors, textures, and decor. Parade in armfuls of fresh flowers. Diffuse luscious essential oils. This is the hub of your life, it should overflow with vitality, in whichever way that looks for you.

You deserve a home that embraces you like, “ahhhhhhh, welcome”.

Infuse

Ceremonial burning of herbs or sacred wood is a practice which is rapidly gaining popularity but is by no means new. White sage has been used for thousands of years in Native American cultures for cleansing and purification of negative energies. Palo Santo’s aromatic earthy smoke is a grounding force used to enhance creativity and bring forth good fortune. Both are powerful plant medicines when used with intention and reverence. Presence of mind is essential to perform such a ritual. Give gratitude to the plant for allowing us to utilize their body to bless our space.

You’ll want to open all the windows for the energy to move. Have a fireproof bowl or traditional abalone shell on hand to catch ashes and embers. Begin at your front door, ignite your chosen plant and get it to a steady smolder. With your intention at the front of your mind, follow the perimeter of your home clockwise using a feather or your hand to fan the smoke to each corner, allowing it to drift into hidden spaces, leaving no crevice untouched. If you feel called to do so, recite a mantra or prayer. When you have come full circle to the entrance, speak aloud your intention one last time to close the smudging ceremony.

Savour

Reaping the Rewards

A deep cleansing breath brings you to the end of this road. You have honored your dwelling by taking time to acknowledge and be present with its needs. You have honored yourself by birthing a space that nourishes your body, mind, and spirit. Your home is pristine, the vibe is so high it hums. Trust that your labour has a multidimensional result. Keep a journal in the next three weeks, if not already in your personal practice, to help tune in to the shifts of your outside world that become of your spring cleaning. Remember, it is all connected. But for now, settle in and take in the sight of a job well done. It is time for that other book end. Whisper sweet somethings to your darling home. Convene with its spirit and rejoice in your partnership.

How sweet it is, to be home.