what would you do if you were moving somewhere with 'bad energy'?

[Scales]

I'm not a fan of my phrasing in the  title but I think it's the clearest way of saying it.

I live in a basement suite, but we found out two weeks ago the neighbours upstairs would be moving out, and we decided to move up (small rant that also is the background) because we could get a pretty good deal on the rent because the landlord just want to keep renters in it until they tear it down and develop (rent is $350 below what our old landlords were renting the upstairs for, and this house was already below market rate). Bunch of annoying stuff has culminated in us still not being out/up, because after promising to be out and give us the keys last weekend, then on wednesday, then today, they've now said we'll get the keys tomorrow, and I'm doubting it. We really have needed a bigger space, and it will help a lot to organize for our real move, when they decide they want to start development. (end rant)

We've lived here for five years, and had three couples live above us in that time. Every single one has had screaming fights, and two couples were broke up temporarily multiple times (and forever once), and generally been absolutely terrible. This last couple were the least terrible, as they only screamed at each other ever week or two instead of every day, as the last two sets had. We've joked that upstairs must have a curse against couples.

I don't actually believe that there's a curse, obviously, but it's still made me nervous to move up. I'm worried it will feel bad, and that all the fights will somehow have effected the space.

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

[Yei]

I'm not a fan of my phrasing in the  title but I think it's the clearest way of saying it.

I live in a basement suite, but we found out two weeks ago the neighbours upstairs would be moving out, and we decided to move up (small rant that also is the background) because we could get a pretty good deal on the rent because the landlord just want to keep renters in it until they tear it down and develop (rent is $350 below what our old landlords were renting the upstairs for, and this house was already below market rate). Bunch of annoying stuff has culminated in us still not being out/up, because after promising to be out and give us the keys last weekend, then on wednesday, then today, they've now said we'll get the keys tomorrow, and I'm doubting it. We really have needed a bigger space, and it will help a lot to organize for our real move, when they decide they want to start development. (end rant)

We've lived here for five years, and had three couples live above us in that time. Every single one has had screaming fights, and two couples were broke up temporarily multiple times (and forever once), and generally been absolutely terrible. This last couple were the least terrible, as they only screamed at each other ever week or two instead of every day, as the last two sets had. We've joked that upstairs must have a curse against couples.

I don't actually believe that there's a curse, obviously, but it's still made me nervous to move up. I'm worried it will feel bad, and that all the fights will somehow have effected the space.

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

I know that this sort of thing always feels 'hokey,' but the feeling at least is well supported anecdotally. I'm sure we've all been in a place which we felt had 'power,' be that a sense of danger, or a connection to the world or through time. It doesn't even have to be spiritual. Our senses have been trained for millions of years through evolution to 'read' the world around us and be aware of danger and opportunity, even if our conscious minds are not aware of it. So, it could be as simple as poor ergonomic design, or a bad physical environment, which is affecting people living there. Regardless, you have good reason to be cautious and moving should not be frivolous.

However, if you are specifically worried about spirits, then making an offering to those spirits would be a good idea. I'm speaking from a Mesoamerican perspective of course, but I'd go with flowers, fresh food, and maybe a gem stone or two (traditionally, these would be either burned, or buried in the foundations of buildings and soil of fields. That might be a bit hard for you though).

[RandallS]

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

One thing I've found really helps is to clean the house well -- and focusing on removing all energies you do not want as you do so.

[arete]

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

You could have a christian priest come over and read a few prayers. 

[Jenett]

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

That sounds like a reasonable set of options. Here's my routine for moving into new spaces:

Clean everything, really thoroughly, on the physical level if possible. If it's already clean, do at least a symbolic pass. I am a big fan of putting a bit of sea salt and relevant essential oils in water for mopping the floors and in a spray bottle to spray on sprayable surfaces (including running a cloth over things like windowsills.) You can charge/bless/etc. the water in whatever religious or magical tradition you prefer.

Clean everything on the energetic level. The salt water is the start, but I also go around and clap loudly in each of the corners (shakes up energy and gets it unstuck) or ring a bell or a chime and let it reverberate. I go around and do the same banishing work I'd do before starting ritual (walking with the bell or chime or a broom, moving any stuck energy or stuff that doesn't feel good out of the space toward the door - I go counterclockwise through the house to the door.)

Bless and protect all the things. I walk clockwise through the space. I take some of that blessed water, and sprinkle/asperge everywhere, and then do a circuit with incense. (This is the standard blessing of a circle technique in my tradition, again, use whatever approach here works for you.) When moving in, I will also often do a circuit with a room spray designed for blessing/protection/purification (depending on what feels appropriate). Since you can't do incense, this is also a reasonable substitution (though because in my tradition, incense is the combination of air and fire, I'd probably still carry a candle and fan around and waft the light and candle smoke around symbolically.)

Then I take a dish of salt water, and do a protective sign on each door or window (pentacle is fine, any other symbol that works for you is fine. Note that if you do this on the glass, you may get a visible trace of it at certain angles, so I often do the windowsill). Pour a little of the salt water down each drain (including any toilets). Feel free to chant or say whatever words work here.

Get familiar with the space, and see if there are spots that still feel a little weird. If you know anything about how the space was arranged (either from having been in there, or from things like dents on the carpet), doing something different, if it's possible, might help shift the energy in the place. Sometimes feng shui remeditation tips (like placement of plants, mirrors, fountains, chimes, etc.) help here.

I am also a huge fan of 'spend some time in the spaces that feel a little weird doing things you love' - having a nice meal, playing music that makes you dance around the living room, reading a good book, whatever works for that space and for you. (In general, I am a fan of 'spend some time filling your new home with stuff you love' in terms of actions for the first couple of weeks you're there, between unpacking.)

[Uneryx]

I'm not a fan of my phrasing in the  title but I think it's the clearest way of saying it.

I live in a basement suite, but we found out two weeks ago the neighbours upstairs would be moving out, and we decided to move up (small rant that also is the background) because we could get a pretty good deal on the rent because the landlord just want to keep renters in it until they tear it down and develop (rent is $350 below what our old landlords were renting the upstairs for, and this house was already below market rate). Bunch of annoying stuff has culminated in us still not being out/up, because after promising to be out and give us the keys last weekend, then on wednesday, then today, they've now said we'll get the keys tomorrow, and I'm doubting it. We really have needed a bigger space, and it will help a lot to organize for our real move, when they decide they want to start development. (end rant)

We've lived here for five years, and had three couples live above us in that time. Every single one has had screaming fights, and two couples were broke up temporarily multiple times (and forever once), and generally been absolutely terrible. This last couple were the least terrible, as they only screamed at each other ever week or two instead of every day, as the last two sets had. We've joked that upstairs must have a curse against couples.

I don't actually believe that there's a curse, obviously, but it's still made me nervous to move up. I'm worried it will feel bad, and that all the fights will somehow have effected the space.

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

Between "basement suite", discussion of landlords selling/demolishing your place and seeing you live in BC - hello fellow Vancouverite?

I do think ceasing all thoughts/jokes about the space being cursed should begin immediately, so you don't reinforce anything that might already be there.

[Sefiru]

The current plan is to politely talk to any spirits that are there, use a bell to purify it room by room, spray an appropriate herbal mixture for 'happy home' and protection stuff (can't use smoke, so I make a tea or decoction of the herbs I'd burn and use a spray bottle), then set up whatever normal protections I'd generally do.

Another possibility, since the two spaces are adjacent, is to expand your current 'territory' from the basement into the rest of the house.

[Scales]

One thing I've found really helps is to clean the house well -- and focusing on removing all energies you do not want as you do so.

We really deep cleaned it and aired it out, and I think it did really help, or at the very least, eased my mind (jerk upstairs neighbour left it in a state, so there wasn't really an option not to).

[Scales]

Between "basement suite", discussion of landlords selling/demolishing your place and seeing you live in BC - hello fellow Vancouverite?

I do think ceasing all thoughts/jokes about the space being cursed should begin immediately, so you don't reinforce anything that might already be there.

Langley, and the little lot this house is on (1/8th acre maybe?) sold for over a million last summer. :|

[Morag]

Langley, and the little lot this house is on (1/8th acre maybe?) sold for over a million last summer. :|

Hi neighbor! I'm in Walnut Grove and a house on our street sold for over 3 mil last year. *laughs at the prospect of us ever owning*

To answer the question in your subject of what I would do if I were moving to a place with bad energy...well, nothing can be worse than where we're living, where there is literally an evil house spirit crouching above us, trying to slowly kill me, but I'm still seconding a lot of what has been said in the thread. Just probably I wouldn't go as intense as I've had to in our current place.

Before moving anything into the new place I'd take a few days to really clean it, both physically and energetically. I'd use a floor wash for the floors if they're hardwood or tile; for carpet, sprinkle an appropriate blend of herbs over them before vacuuming it up. Wash all the walls, doors, doorframes, windows, and mirrors -- they often get overlooked -- and use the same wash for the drains.

For warding I trace symbols of protection on entrances to the house, such as windows/windowsills, doors/doorframes, and mirrors, and currently I've hung up little cloth bags w/ Montreal Steak Spice in them, because it's a good mix of some protective herbs. They sit in four spots in the house.

For intense protection I visualize walls of blue fire at the boundaries of the place, but I probably wouldn't break that out unless there was a nasty beastie trying to get in. (like I do daily where I live now.)

Anyway, good luck on your new place! I hope it is full of happiness for you.

[Scales]

I did many of the things you guys said (and appreciated all of them), integrated into the plan I outlined in the OP and reply to Randall, thank you!

You could have a christian priest come over and read a few prayers. 

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm not Christian, so it wouldn't be much comfort to me. I also don't know if priests around here do that sort of thing, especially if you're not a member of their parish.

Another possibility, since the two spaces are adjacent, is to expand your current 'territory' from the basement into the rest of the house.

I would have probably done this if I saw it on time, but I'm kind of glad I didn't, because things are feeling good and I think it being a fresh start is part of that.

Hi neighbor! I'm in Walnut Grove and a house on our street sold for over 3 mil last year. *laughs at the prospect of us ever owning*

Same. We tried looking at some of the cheapest houses on the market, as far out as Chilliwack and Mission, and there was nothing liveable. We thought it would just be stuff developers wanted to tear down, but they all had mold, asbestos, fully broken roofs, etc, and were still at the top of our budget.

Yikes, these old houses we can afford to rent in this province eh? The only time I got something really nasty was a few years ago, and it has not since turned up. Thanks for the further advice though!