House Cleansing and Blessing
Cleaning Your House
The first step to cleansing your home is going to be to physically clean the house, as well as you can. Some people can keep a spotless house. Some people barely have the spoons to make it through their day. Do what you can. Sometimes, just doing one task can make you feel accomplished. It doesn’t have to be perfect but take care of those dirty dishes and laundry. Clean your bathroom and your cat’s litter box, etc. Break up the stagnant energy and make your space healthier. Even if this is as far as you get, it is a good start.
I like to crank up the music. It gets me moving and thinking less of the act of cleaning. The vibrations of the music can also be a step in the cleansing your home. Clap, stamp, sing, dance, get the energy flowing around your space, so that it can carry out stagnant energies, and bring in the positive vibes.
Open windows and doors. You know what is and isn’t possible – perhaps you have pets or small children, maybe your allergies make the outside an enemy. The point is to get the air flowing through your space. This will freshen the air, make it less stuffy, and get the energy flowing through your space.
At this point, I check on any protections that I have in place and smudge the house. This point is about cleansing your home. Stir it up and move it out. If you don’t belong here, I don’t care where you go, but you can’t stay here. Some people stamp their feet or clap their hands. Ring a bell, wave a fan, or sweep bad energy out the doors.
Cleansing Incense:
Dragon’s Blood – Cleansing, Blessing
Sage – Cleansing, Purifying
Notes: These incenses are what I would use for these purposes, because they have significance for me. Feel free to make different choices or use what you have available.
Blessing Your Home
Okay, now you have a squeaky clean fresh slate, now it’s time to set your foundations. Establish what kind of energies you want your home to have and what you would welcome into your life. You may burn or bury intentions and/or wards/protections for your house.
I am going to set out any new protection items, talismans or amulets. I really like wind chimes, witch bells, brooms, etc – things that are mundane but magical at the same time. Then, I’m going to bless my home, and welcome those energies that I want. I do this while carrying a blessing incense through the house.
Blessing Incense:
Bay Leaf – Purification, Consecration, Luck
Rosemary – New Beginnings, Protection
Orange Peel – Cleansing, Good Fortune, Prosperity
Optional:
Cinnamon Sticks – Protection, Good Fortune, Amplification
Notes: To dry orange peels, cut off thin slices of the orange rind (no white bits). Spread the orange peel in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 200°F oven until they curl and harden slightly – 25 to 30 minutes.
I sometimes take these same items, along with some apples and simmer them on the stove throughout the year. It makes your home smell lovely and also invokes that feeling of comfort and home and protection.
Sit and enjoy the beverage of your choice and enjoy the feel of your freshly cleansed space.
