When we speak of energy, we tend to focus on its “amount”, its “flow” or its “nature”. We speak less often of its “quality”. By “quality” I mean how “clear”, “strong” and “effective” it is.

Regardless of the type of energy (internal, divining, projected, healing, space, crystalline) there are some general practices that apply to its general “upkeep”. These include cleansing, purifying, charging, intending and blessing.

Cleansing

“Cleansing” is a way to rid space, tools, objects and people of unwanted energies. This can be “point cleansing” (i.e. when the situation warrants it) but regular cleansing of space and person is seen as part of good spiritual hygiene, as is cleansing before and after an event, ceremony or ritual. For the latter, pre-ritual cleansing readies the space and participants and post-ceremonial cleansing banishes any negative energies brought out during the proceedings. And, this can of course be extended to anything we set out to “do” or “experience”.

There are different techniques and explanations for cleansing depending on cultures, traditions and teachings. The way for someone not attached to a particular tradition is a matter of personal preference and intuition. Some of the cleansing techniques include:

• smudging
• using the four elements: earth, water, fire and/or air
• using light: moonlight and/or sunlight
• using sound
• using Source energy: Reiki
• using intent

Notably once a space, an object or a person is “cleansed”, desired energies can be brought in and present energies can be strengthened and streamlined.

Purifying

Purifying is, in my mind at least, a step beyond “cleansing”. Energies can be “clean” (i.e. lacking unwanted energies) but this doesn’t necessarily prepare them for a specific intent. In my holding of these definitions, purifying is this “readying”.

Many of the techniques listed above can also be used for purifying. Some, like smudging will use different herbs or resins for this but, for me, it is the intention we add to cleansing process that “purifies”. If I think of water, “clean water” may be described as “not having” a whole bunch of things and “purified water” may be described as being “drinkable”. So… even if “drinkable water” also “doesn’t have” a bunch of things, its stamp is that it is drink-worthy. So it is for the “cleansing” and “purifying” of any thing, space or person. And, notably, “purifying” is, to me, the first step towards shaping how/we use energy in the first place. It is easy to ask that the gunk be gone. It is harder to ask for what would we like to be left with.

The “simplest” way of “purifying” is “to ask” that whichever energies being cleansed also be purified for “whatever purpose or reason”.

Charging

The process of “charging” is analogous to what we do with batteries with one important difference. Beyond storing up energy, “charging” in the esoteric sense can also augment the amplitude, strength or flow of the energy available for use.

Seen sequentially, once we are rid of unwanted energies, once we have purifed the energy readying it for whichever use, we can if we want strengthen and expand this energy by charging it. There are various charging techniques and these include, again, many of the techniques described above. The overall premise is that although energy can’t be created or destroyed, it can certainly be borrowed, attracted and channeled. The overriding “way” is “to ask” that one source of energy “share” or “connect to” another.

Intending

Once we have a bunch of clean, readied, strengthened and flowing energy, what do we want to do with it? Articulated this way, it might feel backwards asking this at this point but it is surprising how often this step is simply let drop. And, it is let drop because it is the hardest of all of the steps to “articulate” (which is too bad given that it is the most fun of all).

The process of intending is, exactly, the placing of an intention “somewhere”. Be it a place, an object or pointed towards a person, it is the articulating of a “wish”. And… an articulated “wish” is an “intention”.

“May this house be protected.”, “May this person be healthy.” “May this crystal share all of its wonderful magic with me.”, “May these tools be strong in their use.”, “May I act in courage today.”… Intentions truly are all of the “may that’s” that float in and around us. And, notably, with all of the attention that the power of attraction is drawing these days, it is exactly one way to set up these attraction “fields” around us. (And, for a deeper discussion on intent, please see here.)

Once an intention has been “formed”, the simplest way of placing it is to focus in on the place, object or person to which the intention will be attached, to start with “May that”, to then add on the “you, I, s/he, this” and then to articulate the intent. Notably, through this we don’t have to worry about how this intent will be realized. We simply need to focus on the “what” of the realization. (And, for sure, again and always, there are a bunch of ethics involved.)

Consciously placing intentions and then letting them go to do their work becomes a habit. And… what an amazing habit! Seen this way, intending — articulating intent, placing intentions, focusing on intentions, surrounding ourselves in our intentions — will… well, look at that… surround us in them.

Starting out can be a little tough to sort out so my suggestion is to always show up for this “intending process” honestly. Intending “May that you share your good with me.”, “May that you help to keep me in alignment with my higher purpose.”, “May that this person be in alignment with their highest purpose.” works. And, as most circles and cycles, it seems that many people utter these intentions both when they can’t yet articulate them any more clearly and when it is impossible to be clearer any other way.

Blessing

In describing these various “steps” for the care of energy, I have no problem admitting that the lines aren’t always crystal clear for me when it comes to articulating them in words. In my view of this though, “blessing” is in a category all on its own. It is different from the others in that it accompanies all of them. Calling for “blessing” while cleansing, purifying, charging and intending makes sense to me even if it is often and already integrated into the individual steps or “is” one the steps.

For me it is important and “special” given that it confirms our connection to the Spritual (or spiritual), to our Spirit (or spirit)… however we hold this, however we are this, whatever we name this, whether we capitalize the “s” or not. Asking for “blessing”, asking that my connection to Source (a name that I am comfortable with) remain present and strong and guided — particularly when applying my connection through these “care” processes — feels right to me. It may feel like a double loop (are we asking Source to help us instill Source?), it might even feel like an “unsure” loop (Source is only always good so how can we screw it up? If we can’t screw it up why do we need “help” with it?) but honouring the whole while trying to best do my part “works” for me.

That written, calling for “blessing” always has to come in and through your own personal package. However you do is yours to describe. I only add that you might consider doing it here, along with the general steps of energy “care”.

•