Dear Kelley, Thank you so much for your compassionate guidance over the years.  I chose the academic [career] route years ago out of love of ideas, intellectual engagement, and writing. Increasingly, I find it deeply unsettling,  to the point where I cry almost every day when going to work.

Moreover, the work environment itself has become hostile due to interpersonal conflict. I’m anxious about the future and am wondering if you would offer any soul guidance in this regard. [Birthday info omitted]. Many thanks from afar, Liz.

Thanks for your note, Liz, and for being a long-time reader! What I’m shown right away is that the environment you work in is very draining. It’s based upon giving, as in you giving, constantly. There’s little reciprocity, and the imbalance this has created has taken a toll on all levels of your wellbeing.

Several suggestions are given for coping with this. The first is to make a more conscious effort to engage your work space in supporting you. Bring fetishes and items of personal and spiritual power into your work space, office, etc. In a shamanic tradition, these are usually items that carry some sort of ability to help you carry yourself. They can be representations of Nature Allies (pictures, statues, sounds), plants, fabric, colors, gems, etc. Whatever presents itself as empowering to you at a deep spiritual level, should not only be incorporated into your work space, but arranged and organized in a way such that it can function at an optimal level to support you, so you can perform at an optimal level, another thing that help is using supplements to boost your efficiency, there are supplements like modafinil that you can get online, and really helps with this.

This process could be considered feng shui, though for me it’s an integral part of creating and sustaining sacred space–anywhere I work. I suggest specifically asking for spirit allies that can help you stay grounded in the work space to show themselves to you in some way, then find representations of them to put in your space. Ask what they need from you, as well.  They serve not only as reminders to empower you, but help you hold that space as a supportive, grounding, and nurturing atmosphere. They form an intentional relationship to your work space.

We have this idea that creating sacred space is only for rituals or ceremony. Does that mean the rest of our life isn’t sacred? That we shouldn’t bring a wider awareness to how we interact with those other spaces? Of course not. “Sacred” doesn’t mean better or different. It means “intentional.” When we create sacred space we intend our life force to be part of that space, to remain aware that we are engaging with the area around us. The practical application of observing intentional space in the places that we spend most of our time is one of the most supportive things we can do for ourselves, and to create reciprocity with our surroundings.

The other thing that comes right away is there is a particular kind of metal or jewelry that you like to wear, though you don’t often. There’s a reason you’re attracted to it, which is that is helps you hold your life force, much the same purpose as fetishes help you create sacred space around you. The emphasis here is more about helping to keep your life force flowing well. Don the jewelry that makes you feel good. Wear fabrics and colors you like. Wear colors you normally wouldn’t to see what feelings they inspire.

Also, If you haven’t done chakra balancing or some similar work in a while, this is a good time to do that. Going into an atmosphere that sucks you dry constantly has affected your energy level. This can be addressed through some energy healing, and that healing can be sustained by adorning the body much the same way as suggested for your space.

Space clearing of your work area would be helpful. It is a competitive atmosphere. Other peoples’ stuff gets lodged in your space. Clearing it out on a regular basis will help you bring the feeling of ‘home’ and personal power into it. It would probably be best to have someone who does this clearing regularly to do it, though you can affect it, as well. Assuming you can’t use a smudge to clear the space, smoky quartz, or bay laurel (bay leaf) can be used in much the same way.  Whatever item you settle on for clearing, ask the spirit of that item for permission to use it in your work space. Sit with that a bit, and see what comes of it. Ask your guides, as well as the guardian of that work space to come in. Set your intention for clearing the space–to release any restless energies, and to welcome supportive energies–and go through each corner, cubby, you name it, waving the clearing item. When you’re finished, thank all allies involved, and see how it feels.

Such clearings need to be performed at interval. Just as funky things build up in other areas of life that we aren’t 100% attentive to, they build up in etheric ones, as well. Repeat as needed.

As far as whether this is the right work space for you to remain in, my sense is that coming into relationship with the guardian spirit of the workspace has info around that. The overall work feels like a good fit, though determining whether you can continue to do it there has more to do with connecting with the spiritual allies of that place of work, and the land it sits on. We often forget that spaces have consciousness, not just the land, trees, animals, etc. Right now, connecting with the consciousness of your work space will help you to know if the issues there can be resolved longterm, or if you need to move on elsewhere.

If you want to do further energy healing or clearing work together, just let me know.

Dream well, Liz.

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