As we move through the ever-turning wheels of the seasons, we enter a new year of the zodiac. When the Sun enters Aries, we celebrate the Spring Equinox and the return of a new life. Here we have a chance for another new beginning, just as we did at the New Year because of our calendar system. We also have the same opportunity with every New Moon, 13 times a year.

How do we prepare for new beginnings? Clear out the old, worn out, or no longer useful to prepare for the new. Just as a gardener prepares the bed of soil, by weeding and fertilizing before planting new plants, so too must we do that in our lives while we prepare for new friendships, new jobs, new ways of thinking, and more. If we leave the weeds of past gardens in our beds, the new arrivals can’t thrive.

So how can we clean and clear our space in anticipation of the arrival of the new in our lives? It is actually quite simple. Yet, somehow, we must first find the courage to let go of what is worn out, negative, or not honoring and serving us anymore. It is like an old pair of sneakers that feel so comfortable that we won’t throw it away. Are those sneakers still supporting your feet, legs, and back as best as they could or have they long since passed their usefulness? These are the questions we must ask ourselves literally, regarding physical things in our lives, and metaphorically, regarding our friendships, jobs, and other relationships. Aaaah . . . and letting go or breaking up is so hard to do!

There is some magic about moving the energy by cleaning our space and our lives. When we clear out what is no longer for our highest good, it opens a creative vacuum to allow for fabulous things to enter in. Are you trying to start something new or manifest something in your life and you feel stuck? Try clearing the clutter of your life and watch the magic happen around you.

Start by cleaning with consciousness, or in other words, clean and clear with intention. To get the ball rolling, start with an easy project or a simple drawer. Dump the contents of the drawer on the floor, your bed, or the table, and sort through it, item by item. While you decide what you will definitely use, consciously connect with each item and put each one back in neatly and with love. And now, for the crucial part of the process, decide what you can Give Away or Throw Away. How often do you use it? Is it broken? Have you ever used it? Does it even fit? I remember cleaning out our closets with my mom and sister a few times a year to prepare things to put in the big boxes outside our parish church for the poor. Perhaps this would be a good practice to teach our children in order to give away those things that are no longer useful to those less fortunate than ourselves.

I happened upon a TV show one Sunday afternoon, called Clean Sweep. On this show, a team of people came in and actually completely emptied the rooms to be cleared, bringing everything to the outside of the house. While the team inside cleaned, painted, and fixed the interior, the team outside decided what wouldl be kept, sold, or thrown out. We, too, can create this “clean sweep” in our lives by doing internal work while we clear our space. Self-observation and a clear awareness of the layers of our consciousness energetically instilled in our physical stuff and clutter may catapult us to higher spiritual awareness. We may also choose to elicit the help of a friend or a group of friends when we need the support to complete the task at hand.

During this process, become conscious of what is being released. Perhaps there are old memories or stuck emotional energy associated with that shirt that you wore on that day you argued with your loved one. That was then and this is now. Release the past and clear the energy away while you deposit your things into your Give Away Bag. The release is simple. Think the thought that you are releasing the energy as you complete the action of the Give Away and voila! . . . so it is!

Now, the clearing of this one drawer leads to another drawer, then to the armoire, then to the wall unit, and so on. Pretty soon you will find yourself clearing out all the spaces and closets of your home by releasing things you will never use again or that have long since passed their usefulness.

If you wish, clear your space energetically through the use of sacred herbs or pure essential oils and flower essences. The use of smudge is a ceremonial process using herbs, such as sage, cedar, osha, and lavender buds, and resins, such as frankincense, myrrh, and copal. Using these sacred plants and resins does a spiritual house cleaning to clear out old thought forms, past arguments, and negative emotions, and smokes out other uninvited “house guests” from your space. Some of the herbs invite blessings and love to replace that which was cleared. You can also use essential oils such as lavender, sage, sweet marjoram, pine, and frankincense, along with Holy Water or say prayers of love and well-being into the water yourself to create your own Holy Water. Then add flower essences or sacred site essences to the mix, which also assist in the clearing process. Use the mixture in a spray bottle, then pray into your walls and spray this special mixture around your space to clear out the negative and refill that space with love and well-being. Regardless of which method you choose, and there are many more, be sure that the focus remains on clearing out the negative and replacing that space with love!

As you do this, you will begin to observe the magical manifestation of your actions in the world around you. You will have the clarity to see what relationships may no longer work and the courage to take the action necessary to rectify it. You will have the space to create that new baby or to write that book. You will have the energy to integrate an exercise program because the old energy is no longer weighing you down. You will have created the space to allow for new friendships to develop or a new beloved to enter your life. If you build it, they will come. Build your field of dreams and be sure you have weeded and cleared the land first, so you begin with a fresh new place to plant the seeds of your life.

May we have the motivation to take the first step to clearing out the old stagnant things and energies of our life. May we honor ourselves enough to make our space clear, clean, magical, and loving. May we respect ourselves so that we have the courage to let go of relationships that do not respect us. May we always remember to put Love into every action we take, whether it is letting go of what no longer honors us or inviting in the new magical manifestations that we create!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Margaret Ann Lembo

The Crystal Garden
2610 North Federal Highway
Boynton Beach, FL  33435
561-369-2836
Toll free outside Florida: 1-877-444-5099
email: info@thecrystalgarden.com