If you live in an apartment or housing with neighbours, you may be able to relate to this post.

Last year, we moved to a new place and are so much happier with our living space and neighbours (mostly.)

Our previous neighbourhood and apartment was rife with problems for years and little could be done about it (other than moving.)

Sometimes the only option is to move, if you’re able to do so, while other times many of us can’t afford to move or don’t want to.

It can be a mentality of “we were here first” and “this is my home,” which is understandable. (We had that mentality for years.)

PERFECT STRANGERS

Living in a multi-housing unit can have its advantages and disadvantages. The biggest factor can be neighbours.

If you have wonderful, considerate and quieter-than-a-door-mouse neighbours, it’s great.

Then sometimes you get the neighbours from hell. (Been there.)

There’s a saying that we can’t change people, but we can change how to deal, manage and respond to them.

A lot of magick is focused on the practitioner and influencing themselves rather than the other person (which is also more ethically sound.)

Let’s say you have disruptive neighbours and you’ve done everything about lodging complaints and so forth and it gets nowhere. You can’t afford to move or you don’t want to.

What’s left to do (other than tear your hair out and go insane)?

Keep in mind that sometimes you may be able to keep the peace and your sanity and other times the Universe may force you to move instead. (It can happen.)

Here are tips that I’ve use when dealing with neighbours that encroached on my living space and peace of mind:

Sage (and lots of it)

I sage my apartment as needed and usually around new and full moons (when it can get crazy around neighbours).

If a particular neighbour across the hall or on the other side of an adjoining wall is getting loud for whatever reason, I grab my best white sage and cleanse to keep those vibes and noise away.

The idea is to cleanse your space and deflect the energy coming from the outside source.

You can use white sage, blue sage, palo santo, sandalwood or anything that you like to cleanse the air and energy in your living space.

It doesn’t have to be sage if you don’t like the scent, but there are many different varieties and blends of sage, so experiment with different ones to find your favourite and a type that suits your price range.

Crystals

Smoky quartz is my go-to crystal when it comes to getting rid or and stopping negative vibes from neighbours.

This crystal absorbs the negativity that is around it, so if you use it and find that it stops working, it may be time to cleanse it using running water, salt or moonlight.

The crystal can be placed near areas that are close to the source of energy from the neighbour or outside world such as windows, doors, adjoining walls or even high shelves or bookcases (for example if it’s an upstairs neighbour).

Whenever I have a neighbour that is getting loud from a party or playing music too loudly, I place smoky quartz near the wall to deflect the noise.

Other crystals (as an example) that can help repel which some can even transform negativity are:

• Tiger’s Eye
• Obsidian
• Onyx
• Black Tourmaline

Rose quartz can help transmute the negative energy into loving energy.

If you have neighbours that can be yelling all the time, you can try to keep some rose quartz around the perimeter of your apartment to keep loving vibes in your home.

If you’re an empath, you may find that the negativity and arguing from neighbours may have a negative affect on yourself, your mood, relationships or even sleeping patterns.

Amethyst is another stone that can be used, even though it may seem unlikely. It is known to dispel anger, rage, fear and anxiety while creating emotional balance.

This crystal may be helpful to center yourself when you find yourself at the tipping point of dealing with other people who frustrate you.

Tarot Cards

When I was having a problem with new neighbours, I placed a copy of the Queen of Wands by my front door (which the neighbours were across the hall) and the Ten of Pentacles.

This helped me to reinforce a loving, yet strong and commanding energy in my home and the Ten of Pentacles also reflected my current home status with the image of two dogs on the card (i.e. representing the pugs.)

This helped to create a state of mind of what I wanted in my home.

We had just moved in our new place a few months earlier and we were not going anywhere else.

I was determined to set the right intentions and environment and give this type of energy and vibe to the neighbours, who were loud in a very quiet environment.

After about a month, in combination with white sage and crystals, they settled down tremendously.

Certain tarot cards can be worked into a spell to help creative a harmonious environment in and around your home. Some suggested tarot cards:

• The Empress
• Queen of Wands
• Ten of Pentacles
• Two of Cups
• The Lovers
• Queen of Pentacles

Water

Take a glass of water and place it near your front door or near an area that is troublesome from a neighbour or negative energy.

This method can also work if you feel like you have “picked up” negative energy from the outside world; it could be from the hallway, at work, the bus/subway or anywhere you feel “icky” after leaving or being there.

When you come in the door, sweep your aura with your hands and “throw” that energy into the water. (If you have pets, make sure it’s not on the floor so they don’t drink it.)

After some time, you may feel the water turns murky. You can then flush this “dirty” water down the toilet.

If you keep the glass of water near an adjoining wall (best on a shelf or high where it won’t be knocked over), you can set the intention that this water will trap the negative energy from entering your home.

You can also gather the energy in your hands from the area or adjoining wall and “throw” it in to the water. When you feel it’s time to dispose of the water, flush it down the toilet.

Sea Salt

The previous technique can also be done with sea salt and be left in corners or on shelves to help neutralise the energies and absorb the negativity.

When you feel the salt is no longer affective or needs to be changed, dispose of the same way as the water.

PEACE OF MIND

Sometimes these techniques will work fully, other times for a while or not at all. It could help repel the negativity, make the neighbour settle down or even move (like it did once for us.)

However, sometimes the Universe can send you packing and moving instead.

Set the intention to create a loving and peaceful home and soon the energy that is inviting will radiate from your home and can have a calming affect on your environment and neighbours.

If we create a loving environment that exudes calmness and serenity, it can have an influence on everyone else.

Friends and family are always relaxed in our home and I’ve had friends fall asleep from being so comfortable as if they’re at home (which always made me think, am I that boring? Ha!), but they always say that they feel relaxed in our home.

I try to create that feeling for our whole building. I thank this effort mostly due to the crystals that I have everywhere, the constant burning of incense and sage.

Create the space that makes you feel at home, your sanctuary.

Apartment living isn’t for everyone (especially if you have paper-thin walls), but sometimes it’s the only option for many of us.

We can pray for nice neighbours and hope the “bad” ones move away, but sometimes we have to take matters into our own “magickal and witchy” hands to create an atmosphere suitable for everyone.

#Puglove,
Stacey & the Tarot Pugs

Card images from Rider Waite Tarot ©1971 by U.S . Games Systems, Inc.

Images designed in Canva.