Does it matter, what’s in the basement?

“Dixie, do you think it matters, what I store in my basement?”

“Yes, I do. I really do think it matters quite a bit.”

If you look at the maxim, “As above, so below,” and “as below, so above,” and if you live in my world, you see everything as a network of energy. You think of everything in terms of what energy it adds or burns.

And you realize, the above part and the below part tend to work in rough sync.

That’s why you can have medical intervention that changes your life emotionally. And why you can do emotional interventions that changes your health physically. That’s why magic spells work. The symbolic representation in the physical manifests outward. It starts ripples in motion.

And this is quite true, in terms of stuff. It can retain vibrations from its past, connections to its former owners (particularly depending on how they currently feel about the stuff), imprints of the kind of emotion and activity that’s happened nearby.

Have you ever looked at something or picked it up, and got a really good, warm feeling? What about going to a place where you instantly felt comfortable? Being around an animal or person, where you felt good, and at home?

Or maybe you’ve had less pleasant experiences as sudden, inexplicable but maybe visceral reactions. These are related to the energetic qualities and imprints.

I find the environment an item is in, the emotions most consistently displayed in its vicinity, the purpose of the item, the relationship to its owner, etc. all play a role in what kind of energy physical stuff picks up. And the MEANING of the item, both generic and personal, play a part as well.

Stuff that’s not used for its intended purpose, stuff that’s packed away and just sits, tends to add staleness to a place’s energetic temperature. It’s like filling your energetic space with waste, withering plants, deadness, lack of fulfillment, you know? Stuff that’s not fulfilling a purpose becomes a burden. Carried out of obligation perhaps, or fear we’ll one day need it, or guilt we haven’t utilized some resource as effectively as we could.

It can pick up residue from our feelings surrounding it and make those feelings less transitory and more concrete.

And even if you don’t feel like that energy impacts you because you’ve effectively managed it, processed or neutralized it, it’s still THERE. Which means there’s quite probably some of your own energy budget that is required to keep those vibrations out of your everyday awareness.

Stuff also maintains energetic imprints from owners or how it was used. You can specifically clean items, smudge or use salt or holy water or sound cleansing or what-have-you to remove “energetic residue” but depending on what it’s picked up and how embedded, some stuff can’t easily be salvaged or may not be worth the trouble.

If you want new into your life, the best way to get it is release old from your life. This creates a vacuum.

But understanding this has a very helpful dynamic: you can use physical items to distance or lessen ties to individuals, situations, and other dramatic or difficult circumstances that you don’t want to invite into your world. Consciously make choices about what you store.

Especially in the basement. Because what is the basement? It’s the foundation of your home. It’s the building blocks you trust to keep you held up, safe from outside weather and threats. It’s what you and everything else in your home rests on, you know?

Now, I’m not saying freak the Hell out over every piece of clutter in your home. Nor am I claiming the effects of too much or the wrong types of stuff is going to be violent or immediate. It’s gradual, like dust bunnies and it builds up over time. Especially if you’re not one to smudge a lot.

I have found it TREMENDOUSLY helpful to slowly, gradually and mindfully migrate stuff out of my life. Start a donate box or something similar and as you come across things, pick it up, observe it. Notice how it feels, and remember, who or what an item is connected to for you.

“Is this energy I want to keep in my life? Does this still fit my life, and who I am in it at this point?”

In the kitchen, ask, “Does this help feed me?”

In the bedroom, ask, “Does this bring me peace?”

In the basement, ask, “Does this help support me?”

In the bathroom, ask, “Does this help revitalize and heal me?”

In the living room, ask, “Does this help entertain me and bring me joy?”

In the attic, ask, “Does this offer me protection and connection?” (Thanks Cat for the reminder!)

In the hallway, ask, “Does this aid in smooth, healthy transitions?”

I especially like to do this slowly, gradually when I’m cleaning for new or full moons. That way, the energy surrounding me is transitioning along with the energetic shifts of the moon cycles. I always go by my feelings and nudges and don’t stress about how fast or how slow it’s going. I just stay tuned in to how I feel about the process to gently, gradually trudge my way through.

Then? I smudge the heck out of the space! Clean it, smoke it. Bless it. Protect it, set your boundary. (You can do this however you like, really. Blessed salt–which you can bless yourself, it’s your damn house–holy water, protective oils, plant guardians, deity statues, animal friends, angels, guides, house spirits. Do what you find meaningful or ask for spirit help from whomever you work with. It’s about finding what resonates for and with you.)

I’ve found these principles just as powerful with electronic items – photo files and emails and texts and such – as with physical stuff. If you want to release someone else’s energy, release emails, texts, and physical items connected to that person and watch how swiftly shifts happen. You’ll be agog.

The other thing to remember: excessive clutter is not a great thing to live with. Ugly, unpleasant energy loves clutter. It hides in dark, messy, inhospitable places you don’t like to look through and collects. So efforts to tidy, clean, lighten and brighten any and all areas of your home will definitely lift your spirits and make your travels through life lighter.

What have you discovered regarding the connection of energy to stuff?