Because of the stone walls I came up against when I first embarked on my spiritual journey (and the fact that it was the summer holidays and I wasn't allowed out much) I kept a lot of my work in my room.
I would emerge (at irregular intervals) and try to drip feed scraps to everyone about what a fantastic time I was having, even encouraging them to join me, but the Devil (fear of) had a bigger hold than I imagined.
Obviously, I would retreat and whenever I emerged (more enthusiastic than before) I was questioned about which cult I had been sucked into, which hurt because the truth was, I was desperately yearning to share what I was experiencing with someone (anyone), but no-one seemed interested.
After a while I just stopped talking and opted to keeping two separate lives; spirituality behind closed doors and normality everywhere else. That got testing after a while because things from my spiritual life would slip out and spill into my normal life, and the reactions I would get from whoever was listening were not positive.
Plus, I was beginning to feel increasingly restricted by the way I was conducting my whole life, because my spirituality felt like it was being contained in a little box it was just getting too big for.
I then thought running away to somewhere nobody knew me so that I could start a new life would solve everything, but on a level I must have known that I was the one stopping me from being truthful, because although my company changed when I went up to Huddersfield, my behaviour remained the same; I was still ashamed (and afraid) of speaking my truth.
This is why when I left University (or rather went home for the weekend and never returned), I retreated into my room for about a year and religiously worked on clawing my way out of depression.
During that time I mastered the art of solitude and got to know myself pretty well, I also became so spiritually enlightened, that if anyone was capable of turning me off of it, or it had really been a phase (as everyone thought), that year took me past the point of no return, and I could never be unconscious or unspiritual again.
But it was to be a long time yet before I realised that changing my homes wasn't the best way to go about trying to change people's negative perceptions of me (or rather how I was affected by them) when I admitted my spirituality was not based in religion.
And for many years I continued to move around looking for that cooling balm to stabilise my restlessness and ease my feelings of not belonging, but I never found it. Instead, I kept floating around from place to place, job to job, course to course, relationship to relationship, which would only succeed in calming me down for a little while, but inevitably I would feel the need to move on again.
After a while I got bored of moving and tired of the instability; there was no excitement in anything anymore because I was seeing different places through the same eyes, and none of them were giving me what I needed.
So, although it was shocking the way in which it was brought to my attention, I realised that being grounded has nothing to do with where I lived (the house, neighbourhood, town, country), and everything to do with being comfortable in my own skin (something I had never been). Being so at home within myself, and so centred in “Being” (rather than having or doing) that anything could try and knock me down but nothing would succeed in moving me; I would be like a tree.
That was when I started consciously (and daily) connecting to the earth and its representatives; bringing it into my home and making time to spend with it; celebrating, showing gratitude, appreciating, and embracing nature so that anywhere in the world I went, I would feel at home.
I noticed at this point, how my base chakra opened like a flower, and things started to manifest in my life, such as qualities I had been working on for ages, situations I had been striving to move into, people I had been yearning to meet, and experiences I never knew I could experience!
The best thing of all though, was that my perception of creation shifted; it went from energy flowing in from the outside to energy flowing out from the inside. Me, the source of all creation and I began to accept myself as the Master. That is the state of mind I operate from today.
Also, for the longest time I have had random visions and dreams of "A Special Place", which is an enlightened community that I am very drawn to (description at the end of this section), but have no idea where to even start looking for it (if you know, send it my way).
At first, I thought that to move there I would have to give up physical pleasures and spend all my time meditating (and nothing else), which I really wasn't ready to do yet. But as I continued growing, the visions became clearer and I realise now that I can go there (when I find it) in my current state of mind.
When I read James Redfield's The Secret of Shamballa, my need to find this place became so ridiculously obsessive (I know I have an addictive personality) I spent days online searching for spiritual communities around the world that I could run to, but felt no particular energy drawing me to any of the ones I came across.
As you can imagine, I got myself into a pretty frustrated state which didn't help my cause or search at all. But thanks to my mum (who handed me The Cosmic Ordering Service by Barbel Mohr, a few days after I'd handed it to her) I realised that I'd be better off asking the Universe to lead me there when I was ready, then forget about it and focus my attentions on more obviously productive quests.
Now, I love to travel and stay in different places, experiencing different cultures and ways of life, eating exotic foods and meeting eccentric people. On the other hand, I do value a bit of stability, somewhere I can always return to that doesn't change, and retains the comforting, embracing, all encompassing, healing energy of home.
Plus I am just greedy for space, and when I scout it out and affirm it as my own, nobody is welcome unless I invite them in. I put up all sorts of energy barriers (even salt and crystals) that any sensitive person would pick up on.
However, there are people out there, who are totally oblivious to energy alarms, and doors to them mean nothing more than the split between two rooms (yes, I spend a lot of time trying to keep them out of my space).
Anyway until I find "A Special Place", this is how I home-make and keep my spaces spiritually charged wherever I go:
• Personal Space. Not everyone has a whole house or flat to themselves, so if you are stuck sharing with a sibling or a partner, or whatever, especially someone who doesn't want Angel figurines or candles taking up valuable clothing space, I would suggest you scavenge for a scrap and hoard it. The best place to start is on the wall(s) around where you sleep (or on your side), look around your room as it currently is, and consciously notice of what messages you are sending yourself by what you have up on the walls and around the room. I like to surround myself with representations of Angels, love, peace, money, positive affirmations, inspiration, aspirations, quotes, and poetry, etc. In the form of pictures, cards, figurines, books and whatever else I am drawn to. As well as sticking up blank and amounted cheques, I put up bank notes and coins on my wall which I visualise myself picking on a money tree every time I take one down to spend or lend to someone else (abundance has to start somewhere). I enjoy cosmic ordering, and usually spend hours writing them down while visualising clearly in my mind what I desire, then I draw pictures that represent manifestation to me, and stick them on my wall so that positive energy will get to them when I dance or meditate. While decorating my room one day I put up a portrait of me and surrounded it with inspiring quotes, Angel cards, and crystals, right above where I sleep. A few weeks later I started to notice how accelerated my growth and enlightened thinking was becoming; I highly recommend you do the same. Put up a picture of yourself (preferably looking happy, loving, peaceful, comfortable, etc) and surround it with representations of qualities, things, people, situations, etc, that you would like to manifest into your life, and see what you create!
• Charging. I do everything from writing to healing, exercising to sleeping, in my room (wherever it is), so you can imagine how charged it is with my energy, intentions, personality, etc. I remember a time when I religiously did healing work on myself daily for about two hours in the morning before flying off to work and then coming home to do two more. I lived at halls at the time and only invited a hand full of people (two at a time) so that I would not get overwhelmed by their energies in my space. However, it turned out that they were the ones who got affected by mine, because whenever they came to visit (for whatever reason), they would undoubtedly leave having received a healing session they weren't aware they needed. From then on, I started calling it my healing sanctuary and deliberately charged it with healing energy for whoever would need it when they next came to visit. How you go about charging your space is entirely up to you, just make sure it feels comfortable and right. You could start by spending ten minutes a day (for example) charging incense, candles, crystals (or salt), and water with your energies and/or qualities you would like to strengthen in your life. Then putting them in all four corners of the room, making sure to rotate them hourly, daily, weekly, or whatever feels right. After a few months tap into how charged your room is and how strengthened the qualities are within you. By spending time doing things that express who you are in your room, you will begin to make it into a sanctuary that retains bits of you. This will work to keep you connected, open you up further, and gently nudge you back on track if you happen to lose your way.
• Clearing. Once again, cleanliness is very important, whether it be hovering, mopping, sweeping, or dusting behind the sofa, I find that living and working in a clean environment keeps me clear and levelheaded, but I am not obsessive. There just happens to be times when certain lines (between untidiness and down right dirty) get crossed and I have to do something about it, even if it is means getting up at 3am and waking people up with my vacuuming. Though sometimes, it's probably better to ask your Spirit Guides and Angels to clean in the middle of the night, and visualise them vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing the room, instead of waking up your flatmates. Because I also do a lot of energy work (daily), I have to regularly clear my space of released energies otherwise they get stuck around the room and make me feel down and dirty. For this, I dance around clapping while visualising the energy being released, and flowing out of the window to be replaced by clean air. The other three elements (earth, water and fire) come in very handy also, (and for me) especially during the waning Moon; when I gather all the soiled pages of my therapy journal and burn them while visualising myself being freed of everything I wrote down. This is followed by a ritual dance to ground and clear excess energy and raise new ones, then I have a bath or shower and ask the Spirits of water to wash away the negativity. It doesn't hurt to directly call up the elements to clear your room and then visualise them flowing in. You could also invite a plant and ask it to absorb any negative energy from your room, in return (or gratitude) you could send it positive energy to balance and heal it. I should probably mention that holding onto old clothing, photographs of old lovers, or any representations of a past long gone, keeps your present life stagnant, and stops you letting go, moving forward, and allowing new energies to flow into your life. Monitor what manifests immediately after you do a good clearout.
• Protection. What good is your spiritual sanctuary when you have energies coming in from outsiders (including Lower entities) that work to counteract or upset your balance? For protection I use salt around my room, especially the threshold of the door, either side of which I keep protective crystals that do not get moved (except to clean). I visualise an energy barrier going up after I enter or leave the room, as well as a bubble that keeps positive energy within and negative without. I find it very affective to invoke protection from Angels (such as Michael), and asking them to keep my room impenetrable, I then visualise them "standing" guard inside and outside my door. I have store bought and hand made symbols of protection (pentagram, cross, figurines, circles) which I charge with mine and protective energy, and hang above my door and below my windows to stop anything untoward from entering.
• Music. I find that playing music to set a mood prepares me for something I want to do; soft and relaxing music to sleep, high octave (and sometimes up beat) to dance, instrumentals aid my creativity (like John Barry’s The Beyondness of Things - my favourite), and inspirational music gets me all riled up and passionate about sharing my truth. Using chakra balancing music to balance the room energy is also very affective (as I accidentally found out). Music is one of the easiest and best ways to train your mind to prepare for an activity.
• Visualisation. This can be used for anything you desire to manifest into your life, all you have to do is see it in your mind's eye (third eye chakra) and begin to manifest it. So, use visualisations to charge your room with intention, clear it of stuck energies, and protect yourself from outside influences, be creative with this tool it’s free and totally at your command.
Bear in mind that these methods can be used in any rooms within your home, office or space you feel is your sanctuary, all you have to do is conjure up the intention to charge the room and make it your own, then do it!
I remember a time when I stayed in a dodgy hotel and kept hearing a woman's stiletto heels on a tiled floor, she kept walking up and down behind me, but every time I turned around I couldn't see her, and the room was carpeted.
While trying to sleep, I was plagued by noises that indicated others were in the room with me, and even felt a presence sitting down on the bed next to me, but couldn’t see anyone.
Yes, it scared the hell out of me but I got through the night (and made sure never to accept that invitation again) by invoking all the Angels and Higher Guides I could think of, to protect and keep me company so that I didn't feel scared enough to run out screaming and refuse to sleep in the fully paid room.
So, there is no reason why you cannot get creative in your home, after all it is your sanctuary, where you can let yourself go and be. Charge it with every ounce of who you are and have fun doing it!
However, be respectful of others' space, privacy and beliefs if you share, because it wouldn't do to have your positive efforts soiled by somebody else’s resentment and negative thinking, would it?
Besides, "do as you would be done by" I say, and think about how you would feel if someone else imposed their beliefs on you, however well intentioned.
Happy charging!
This is a high energy community situated in a rural area where nature has been preserved; there are trees, lakes and picturesque views, but the kind of living is very modern. The standards of living differ just like in any other community, and there are some who have bigger, pricier homes and a much more expensive way of living.
But there is no jealousy or negativity towards them because every inhabitant is conscious of their right to choose their standard and way of life.
So, if someone lives in a one-bedroom apartment and drives a modest car, it is all of their own making.
However, if they decide that they would like to change and upgrade to a four bedroom house with a swimming pool, they just go ahead and create it.
There is a neighborhood committee as in any other, but these residents also get together to consciously infuse their environment with positive energy on a weekly basis to maintain the high energy.
They are geared towards personal and collective growth, and are all constantly clearing, cleansing and healing themselves, their community and each other.
There are arguments, disagreements and disputes, but everyone knows that when these come about, there are lessons for the involved to learn, and the appropriate action is taken immediately.
When someone behaves in a negative way towards another or the community, members will consciously protect themselves but also send love and support to the individual, encouraging them to see the truth behind their negative behavior; there is no judgment, ridicule or shunning, just opportunities to grow.
There is emphasis on community spirit, but individualism is also encouraged. There is a strong sense of free will and respect for each others' lives and choices.
And because the residents are tapped into a higher individual and collective consciousness, none of their acts of free deliberately to harm another, if they do; something needs to be dealt with and it then is.
This community is not a closed off enclave however, people drawn to live there are individuals ready to dedicate themselves to clearing, cleansing, and healing and all the hindrances delaying them from fulfilling their highest potential.
Because growth is a conscious part of the collective, opportunities, people, and situations are constantly being drawn to residents to deal with all their issues.
The residents go into cities to work and the children to schools to learn; it is not exclusive or cut off, it is like millions of neighborhoods all over the world, but this one attracts individuals who are specifically geared towards conscious growth.
Everyone supports each other emotionally, spiritually, psychologically and energetically because there is an abundance of it from the trees and nature surrounding the neighborhood.
And everyone knows how to tap into it, so there is no stealing of personal energy and draining going on. However, that is not to say that people won't try, it just won't affect a resident negatively, because they are not closed off to the sources of energy around them, and if they are, it will be shown to them and it will be their responsibility to take the appropriate actions to change it. The collective consciousness of this community is of clearing, cleansing, healing and facilitating growth in order for them to fulfill their highest potential and live out their birth visions as close to the plan as they can, taking into account experiences, reactions to them, and free will.