Ever walked into a room and felt the atmosphere was stale? Or even downright grubby? Here are some well tested ways of cleaning and uplifting the energies in the places you live and work. Of course, be appropriate - or you could end up with some funny looks!

Let's begin with Reiki. If you are familiar with the Reiki symbols, you can draw them into the corners, floor, ceiling and walls. Pay particular attention to corners, and to areas where clutter tends to accumulate.If you have not been taught the Reiki symbols you can still "beam" (palms faced forward at level of the heart) sending healing energy into the same places with your hands and focused intention. Intend that any negativity be transmuted.

Here are some more methods that have worked for me:

· a really good physical cleaning of the room and good circulation of fresh air in the room before you start always helps your efforts.

· Invoke grace. Yes! Old fashioned it may be, but it really does help. If you practice Reiki, you probably do this in some form or another already. Call on the enlightened Masters and Saints with sincerity to help you, and they will intercede.

· spraying with rose water; ditto with Aura Soma essence or similar light essence (the Christ Quintessence, or deep red pomander for "heavy clearing", orange for trauma, followed by some lighter ones such as Hilarion Quintessence (pale green) or St Germain (pale violet) and so on, afterwards to give the room a "lift". You can also burn some sandlewood or pine incense sticks, or smudge with sage.

· sound helps a lot - Didgeridoo or Tibetan Horns and Sanskrit / Tibetan Buddhist chanting for heavy stuff and don't forget that the sound form of the Reiki Symbols chanted aloud can be very effective. Sacred music will keep it clean once cleared - Gregorian plain song, Taize or mantra chanting; any serene uplifting music!

· I have been known to use salt in jars in the corners of a room in really heavy situations... and have sprinkled it on floors - it absorbs a lot, remember to chuck it away afterwards, asking the earth to transmute the vibrations.

· using a singing bowl around the room, if you have one, or ringing a small bell helps to clear a room after a healing session or an argument. Failing that, several large claps with your hands will also help to break up anything sticky hanging around.

· A clean natural quartz (or rose, or amethyst etc) crystal can help to keep the atmosphere sweet, providing you clean it regularly, and healthy house plants and flowers will help to hold the beautiful new energy which you have welcomed in.

Finally, as in any situation in life, if you are really out of your depth, always ask for specialist advice - there is usually someone who can help.

(c)Chris Deefholts 2000