It will come as no surprise that I love vintage pieces. In my childhood home my parents collected antiques and I grew up around old things. Then my sister and I had a boutique in Italy where we sold vintage pieces (clothing and objets d’art) and my Jungalow is filled with a deep combo of old and new — but it’s the quirky old pieces that are my favorites.
I’ve been reading a few different books on space clearing (Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home is probably my favorite) and several of the books recommend clearing vintage pieces before you bring them into your home. While saging new homes is a habitual practice for me, I’ve haven’t gotten into the habit of clearing the old energies out of vintage furnishings I’m bringing into the home–but it makes perfect sense to me–if a chair was sat on for twenty years by grumpy old man, I want to clear that energy before it becomes part of my home and my vibe.
So I’ve adopted a new practice of clearing vintage items of past energies (as well as, of course, cleaning them…). I do this simply by giving the item a good cleaning and then saging the item. But, as I read through these books there are many clearing methods that I’m going to try as well — like clearing items by leaving them in the sun for a day, or moon clearing by letting the items stay outside overnight–sea salt can also be used to clear items of old energies.
What do you think? Can objects hold energies of their past?
Christine says
I have heard this as well. Antiques have the previous owners’ energies in them.
PS I just bought a little commode (small cabinet) that I left outside for a couple of days and during last night’s full moon – only because I have no place – yet – to put it.
PS Love your blog and ideas!
Tara says
I hold the object between my hands and imagine white shimmery light coming out and getting into the object and cleaning it from the inside. Incidentally it helps woth tummy ache too!
Hannah says
I was just thinking about this the other day! My friend’s mother was selling her grandmother’s engagement ring. The original owner was in a deeply troubled marriage, and ended her life. The rational part of my brain dismissed its history – but luckily, it wasn’t the right color gold for us! I was happy to have that as a legitimate excuse to pass on the ring. It never felt 100% good.
BILLIE says
hi justina,
yes, there are energies that have transferred onto the vintage pieces.
by whatever method you choose to remove them, try to do it
before you bring them inside.
thanks for all of the useful plant tips on your fabulous blog.
billie
sara says
Hello Justina!
I’m from Tuscany and you often mention the boutique you had with your sister in Italy. I’m very curious, where was it? Tell us! Bellissimo sito, lo adoro. Un abbraccio
Justina Blakeney says
It was in Firenze, nella zona di Santa Croce :)
Un’abbraccio anche a te!
Libbynan says
Not sure how I feel about this. I have an antique chaise that belonged to my grandparents. They were married for almost sixty years and their marriage was tumultuous at best. However, I remember hours spent happily curled up in that chaise reading. To me the happy memories far outweigh the unhappy parts of my grandparent’s marriage. Virtually any object with a long history is going to have both good and bad memories attached. Clearing would eliminate both. I suppose I’m just an optimist who prefers to concentrate on the positive vibes.
Geri says
My home is full old antique and vintage treasures found everywhere! From thrift stores to estate sales to fleas to family heirlooms! I like to think that every item has a story and that that is part of its charm! If I bring it home it’s because I love it and I actually love daydreaming about its past :) always happy thoughts !
Shannon Jones says
Makes perfect sense, I always clear my house with sage but didn’t think about clearing vintage pieces. Thank you
tammyCA says
I’ve never heard of “clearing” of energies. I suppose if I knew there was a bad story associated with a piece then my mind won’t forget that every time I looked at the piece no matter how fab..so maybe the clearing would be for my mind. :) I like to think of good stories attached to anything I get from thrifts, estates, flea markets. I do have a tendency to think of unwanted pieces as “orphans” that need some love (polishing, rewiring, refinishing, painting, etc.) & a new home..trying to save things from the landfills. Maybe, it seems kinda weird that I always think of things back to their original form, like “this wood table once was a tree in an exotic land but now they aren’t harvested anymore because they over harvested” so I appreciate it much more. scientifically everything is made of atoms, constantly moving, so each thing does have its own energies…hmmm.
mary says
What about bad energies associated with all the unethically produced items from chain stores?
Eva says
@Mary
Right on!
And……..our food?
Justina Blakeney says
Agree!! But I have a feeling these things may need more than a good saging :-\
George Fukuda says
I’d hadn’t thought about the possibility until my Japanese husband questioned the energies coming into our home from items purchased on ebay. I was buying vintage Hawaiian clothing, estate finds, rolls of vintage fabric, to site a few catagories. He recommended I salt everything before bringing them into the apartment a tradition poste Japanese funerals. I took great pleasure in literally showering salt all over him – head to toe :) to cleanse away the restlessly dead who might of clung to him from temple or shrine, and I would do this before he even entered the apartment building. Salt, smoking sage and incense are all historic cleansing tools though I’ve never really understood the Sage smoke or the properties it has as an aura or energy cleanser, but have employed the ritual in a room or two or three. (Ok fessing up I saged the entire house whilst living in California, because we kept seeing someone moving in the shadows and even our dogs were growling! )nuff said…
Peter Piper says
Funny, I was thinking about this when I bought an antique dresser at a thrift shop. It kept finding new and inventive ways to smash my and my husband’s fingers as we brought it home. I kept thinking “this dresser really doesn’t want to come home with us” LOL. It’s been well behaved since finding its new home in our bedroom however.
Pat says
I have a lovely little calico feral rescue who was adjusting well. Except for the “accidents” on my bed. In desperation I consulted a pet psychic.
During the phone call the psychic said, “You have a lot of people in your house.” I was replying that I lived alone when I looked at the furniture I had in the living room alone. Grandpa’s desk, Dad’s bookcase, recycled wing chairs, an old trunk…you get the idea. I mentioned the furniture and the psychic confirmed that Callie was seeing/feeling the energies and getting overwhelmed. The energy wasn’t unkind. It was just too much. Did some furniture forwarding and asked the energy in what remained to be kind and reassuring to Callie.
No more accidents from a calm and confident kitty.
Sally says
I truly believe that vintage pieces hold past energies, just as one-of-a-kind pieces hold that of their maker. However, I also find that I’m drawn to pieces because of the energies they hold so I could never clear them away. Maybe someday, if I end up with something that feels “off” to me, I might try clearing it. For now, they get to keep their energy.
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Do you have any video of that? I’d care to find out some additional information.
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