Clearing Spaces

After suffering a series of illnesses, family tragedies, and other strange setbacks, I finally sought the advice of a professional spiritual practitioner. I was desperate and, now that it had finally dawned on me what I might be wrestling with, I was additionally all kinds of freaked out. She recommended a book to me—"assigned" might be a better word, actually—called Deliverance!, also written by this author. That book is an AMAZING resource, but it's kind of an intense read for a lapsed Southern Baptist who only *just* realized something might be "spiritually wrong."If I were embarking on that same journey all over again, I think I would've liked to have started with this book instead. (Unfortunately for me, it hadn't been published yet!) For anyone who is acknowledging for the first time that there's something "off" in their environment (or in their life!), this book gradually, but necessarily, delves into what must be very frightening subject matter for the newcomer. Hardly limited to mainstream ideas of "clearing" a space with bells and sage, this book tackles floor-washing, jinxes and, yes, even what to do if you have "nonhuman entities" lurking about. (Uhh... look. You don't have to believe in demons with zany Latin names to get the full benefit of this book, okay? But if you DID ever suspect, this book could probably help you determine yes or no. I'm just saying.)I really appreciate that this book is so pleasant to look at, with soft colors and clean lines, because that aesthetic really chills out some of the book's content. It also helps that the author reads as INCREDIBLY calm. This book dives into folk magic without batting an eyelash; it's a straightforward and direct course in conjure (and, to a lesser extent, shamanism). I think that might surprise some people, seeing as how this book is pretty and well-written enough to be shelved in your super-mainstream local bookstore. But it's a lot more in-depth and practical than it looks—there's no fluff here. These are tried-and-true traditional practices for ridding your space, and yourself, of every type of negativity. (Its techniques are "nondenominational" but the last section does give an overview of helpful Catholic saints to petition—which could definitely come as a surprise to hippies and neo-pagans who have never brushed up on conjure before.)If there is a corner of your home you'd ever describe as creepy, or if your gran gave you an antique that "gives off bad vibes," you might... well, you might need this book. I can tell you, having followed the author's advice from one of his previous books, that I came out of that experience feeling competent, empowered, and much less fearful or anxious. I felt healthier and more grounded, and IN FACT a whole lot closer to my childhood's religious upbringing than I ever had before. This book covers much of the same material ~and more~, making it an ideal entry point for anyone who has ever felt anxious in certain spots in their home, but who maybe doesn't know what that means, or what steps to take next. The advice given here will help.For those who are already literate in rootwork, this book perhaps will not have much new to convey. But—as far as I can tell, anyway—this is the first time so complete an overview of "space-clearing" has ever been offered in a single volume, which makes the book worth a lot more than its asking price. I enjoyed reading it, and I would absolutely recommend this particular book *first* to anyone who feels like their new apartment is weird.

Good book. Provides some recipes which is nice.

A different take on space clearing from someone with a more shamanic and African American folk magic background. Lots of great photos and unique insights from someone with plenty of experience.

Really informative and practical book on space clearing! This book takes you beyond the standard advice to use sage! I also love how the book asks us to build upon our own existing intuitions about our spaces. While helpful, my experience of home magic books has typically been about seeing a long list of recipes that I had a hard time relating my environment too. Khi Armand writes in a way that both informs and prompts our own intuitions. He does not write with heavy handed demands to listen to inspiration but instead prompts the flow of such inspiration. Beautiful book and makes space clearing exciting!

Lot's of useful cleaning advise. Easy read and easy to use the techniques. Dirt not always phisical. Time to empty the bin.