What is House Magic?

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Sep 15

August was a strange month for the doorways in my house.

First, the front gate lock fell right off.

Then the back gate post pulled completely out of the ground–leaving the gate totally unusable!

Next, the tiny screws holding my screen door handle together kept loosening, so the handle fell off at least once a week.

And, finally, the backdoor handle itself came complete off in my hand!

WHAT. was. Happening?

***The practical answer is simple: I adopted a dog, Sequoia, in May, and suddenly I was using my doors and gates up to five times more a day than before.***

That extra use revealed weaknesses that had been quietly hiding all along.

But beneath the surface, it felt like my house was speaking to me. And since I hadn’t listened the first few times, it started shouting. Welcoming Sequoia shifted the rhythm of my home, and in that shift, the weak spots revealed themselves. Thresholds are powerful places, and mine were reminding me I was ready for the next chapter.

As anyone who has rescued a dog knows, bringing them home is a huge adjustment. And ours was no exception—there were daily tears (mine) and stress-induced zoomies (hers), hours of training, and more than one moment I was ready to give up.

Finally, I made time for an oracle reading to ask what was going on with all the doors and gates. The message was clear: stop isolating yourself and go back into the world.

I realized I had been struggling to teach Sequoia how to feel at home, but I was also avoiding the world myself—too overwhelmed to manage her, too hesitant to invite people over. In just a few months, I had shrunk my world to the living room.

Thankfully, Sequoia is a clever little soul, and in four months we’ve come so far! I’ve started venturing out into the world with her, and she’s thriving (though we’re still very much working on her manners when guests arrive!).

Without that push from my house, I suspect I would have lingered in my living room a little longer. My thresholds—those doors, handles, and gates—were not just physical objects breaking down; they were messengers, nudging me to open up, step out, and embrace the next chapter of life.

What is House Magic?

This is the heart of what I call house magic: the practice of listening to your home as if it were a living, breathing partner in your life. Every squeaky hinge, every drafty window, every corner that feels especially cozy or especially heavy is carrying a message. Your home is not just a backdrop—it’s a collaborator, shaping how you feel, how you move, and how you show up in the world.

House magic blends the practical with the spiritual. It’s noticing when a door sticks and asking what part of your life feels stuck. It’s sweeping the floor to clear dust and stagnant energy. It’s designing your living room not just for aesthetics, but to invite connection, creativity, or rest—whatever your spirit most needs.

When we tune in, our homes reveal our patterns, our thresholds, and our possibilities. They whisper truths we might be ignoring and offer gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) nudges forward.

House magic isn’t about perfection or rigid rules—it’s about partnership. It’s about remembering that your home holds you, mirrors you, and has wisdom to share when you’re willing to listen.

How do you Get started with House Magic?

The beautiful thing about house magic is that it’s easy! You don’t need to overhaul your whole house to begin practicing house magic. You can start simply by noticing.

Pay attention to the spots in your home that feel especially comforting, or the ones that frustrate you. Ask yourself: what is this space trying to tell me?