Ever feel like nothing is going your way, like you’re stuck in a loop and need a reset? Some people take a dip in the sea, replace their mezuzot, or book a spiritual retreat abroad. Others are turning to a more unconventional practice: cleansing their homes or workplaces of negative energy.
Keren Cohen Scali, a spiritual guide and home-cleansing practitioner, found her way into this world when her son, now 14, was born with what she calls “health challenges.” “We were looking for an alternative way to help him, something that would let us treat him remotely while he was in the neonatal unit,” she recalls. “We met a couple trained in shamanism who had studied in Native American reservations in the U.S., and they agreed to help. That was my introduction to the spiritual world, through the traditions of nature and the earth. Within a year, I became their student and I’ve continued ever since.”
Over time, Cohen Scali learned how to perform energy cleansing. “Just like we clean a home physically, it’s just as important to clean it energetically,” she says. “A home absorbs the energy of everyone who lives, visits, or even dies there. It holds all the arguments, anger, grief, and pain. In shamanic tradition, energy shapes physical reality—it’s the seed from which everything grows. Cleansing allows for a fresh start, bringing renewal, joy, balance, and harmony.”
How it works
The process begins with a phone consultation to understand why the client wants a cleansing. Together, they decide what energies or intentions to invite in. “For example, in the kitchen we might focus on abundance, health, and joy. In the living room - togetherness. In the children’s rooms, we think about what each child needs or wishes for. We go room by room,” she explains.
When she arrives, the space must be clean and tidy so she can move freely. The ritual itself involves a shamanic drum, a pot and ladle, sage, incense, bells, and a ceremonial knife. She moves through the home in several rounds with each item. “I connect to the home’s energy and sense what’s happening. Sometimes it’s immediately clear, and sometimes clarity comes as I begin. At the end, I bless each room with the intentions the homeowners chose. Then we sit together for an hour as I share what I found, what I did, and what they can do themselves to maintain balance.”
Who seeks cleansing—and why
Her clients come from across Israel. “Some are moving into a new home and want a clean, fresh start. Others have lived somewhere for years and start feeling uneasy, like they can’t sleep, sense strange presences, have recurring nightmares, or experience tension and constant breakages. Sometimes they know the house has a history of accidents or death,” Cohen Scali says. “Many come to me because they can’t sell or rent a property, and the cleansing helps release that block, both practically and emotionally. It’s like freeing the house itself.”
How much does it cost to clear your home?
The price of cleansing depends on the size of the home and the number of rooms, says practitioner Keren Cohen Scali. Rates typically range from 600 to 1,500 shekels per session. But not everyone hires a professional. Some prefer to take matters into their own hands.
DIY cleansing: clearing energy on your own
Yael Eini, an international instructor of karmic constellations, author, and emotional therapist, regularly purifies her own workspace. “I first encountered energetic cleansing while studying energy healing,” she says. “Now I cleanse my clinic and myself on several levels, each with its own purpose. The goal is to protect my energy and that of my clinic so I don’t absorb energies that don’t belong to me or my clients.”
So what exactly are these “energies”?
“The biological view suggests that when someone enters a room, they bring energy with them, much of it subconscious,” Eini explains. “Every person has DNA, and research shows two key things: first, it influences the environment around them, and second, even after a person leaves, traces of their DNA remain. I don’t want myself or my clients to be affected by the energy of whoever was here before.” She adds that emotions, too, are forms of energy. “They’re unprocessed or unconscious energies that clients release during therapy. I want to clear that away.”
The ritual of cleansing
“Cleansing is like mopping the floor or taking a shower,” Eini says. “Just as we wash off physical dirt, this practice removes energetic residue that harms us without our awareness.”
Each morning, she performs a short ritual with a special essence to protect herself and her clinic. Between sessions, she sprays what spiritual practitioners call ‘blue water’—plain water left to absorb sunlight through a cobalt glass bottle, which, according to Hawaiian spiritual teacher Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, transforms it into purified water. “I spray the blue water on the treatment bed, floor, and any area where my client and I were. At the end of the day, I use another essence designed to purify the space. This practice of cleansing between treatments is common in shamanic traditions,” she says.
Does it work? “It’s like asking if mopping the floor helps,” Eini laughs. “Yes—it’s clean, even if only for a few minutes before life happens again. Cleansing lets us feel refreshed.”
When good vibes meet good design
Interior designer and feng shui expert Meirav Eichler believes that energetic cleansing can indeed improve one’s environment—but cautions it’s not magic. “The basic idea is that every space contains life energy that should flow freely,” she explains. “Over time, this energy can get stuck, especially after illness, loss, anger, or negative thoughts. That stagnation affects how people feel at home.” Energetic cleansing, she says, “removes that heaviness and invites new, vibrant energy in. But people must understand it’s not an external ‘fix.’ It’s about intention and awareness. It’s a combination of physical space, inner purpose, and the desire to renew.”
Eichler recommends regular cleansing, not just during stressful times. “It’s simple, natural, and accessible,” she says. “A bundle of sage costs a few dozen shekels, saltwater is easy to make, and Tibetan bells or bowls are a one-time investment. The cost is minimal but the sense of lightness is real.”
The long-distance cleanse
Some people are even taking the process digital. Mika Ziv used to cleanse her own home but recently opted for something different: a remote energy cleansing. “It was a really hard period,” she says. “We bought a house, the contractor went bankrupt, and the property went into receivership. When we finally got approval to move in, I wanted to let go of all that negativity and start fresh. But I felt too emotionally drained to do it myself.” She hired a practitioner to cleanse her new home from afar. “It cost 450 shekels, including a prep session,” she recalls. “We did a call to align expectations, I sent her a floor plan and a video of the house, and she performed the ritual remotely. Later, she updated me on the results.”
For Ziv, the emotional benefit was immediate. “I really felt someone was taking care of me, like handing responsibility over to a professional. Just preparing for it brought a sense of relief and joy. It’s like going to a physical therapist or a coach: you get help from someone who knows how to move energy.”
More than a trend?
Whether through sage smoke, Tibetan bells, or blue water, Israel’s growing fascination with energetic cleansing seems rooted in a universal desire: to regain a sense of control, clarity, and peace in uncertain times. As Cohen Scali puts it, “It’s not just about removing bad energy—it’s about creating space for the life you actually want to live.”