PURPOSE: Cottage Cleansing & Blessing (to remove unwanted energies and reset the flow of positive energy)
MOON PHASE: Can be performed under a moon waxing toward full with focus on the positive/blessing OR under a full moon waning toward gibbous with focus on the cleansing/purging/releasing of unwanted energies.
SPECIFIC LOCATION: The dwelling that needs cleansing/blessing
ELEMENTS/GODDESSES/GODS INVOKED: Spirit (others may be called based on your beliefs and the focus of the ritual. Aotearoans frequently invoke the Ancestors and Tane Mahuta to bless the wood sacrificed to make the home)
INGREDIENTS/SUPPLIES:
At least one dried white sage bundle/wand (depending on size of home)
Burning bowl (fireproof bowl to catch ash from sage wand)
Drum, rattle, and/or bells
Blessed water
Essential oils (chosen based on the energy you want to set in the room after cleansing)
*NOTE You can omit the essential oil step if your main focus is cleansing (if you choose to use oils, there are numerous sites that cover the magical properties/energies of oils)
STEP 1 – CLEANSING
Start at your front door and move through your home counter-clockwise. Begin by smudging the entire house with the sage wand, keeping the bowl underneath to catch falling ashes. Cover everything. Including closets, under beds, under desks, under tables, etc. If you are working with other family members or friends, someone can follow you with the drum, rattle, and/or bells and encourage the negative energy to leave with a little noise “smudge.” Feel free to chant something like this:
Leave this place, I claim this space. I set you free, now let me (us) be.
Once you have completed the smudging take the vessel of blessed water (see below for more on this) and pour a little down every drain (sink, shower, tub) and flush a little down each toilet.
If you live in an apartment you can skip to Step 2. If you live in a home with property around it, you may want to walk the property line with the sage wand, bowl, and drums – clearing out any lingering energy outside the house or cottage.
STEP 2 – BLESSING
Now that you have cleared out all the old, stagnant, or negative energy, you want to ground your intentions for your home. If you live in an apartment you will want to find the north, east, south, and west corners in your home. If you have a bit of land you will want to locate the four compass points on your property. Once you have your bearings, take the bowl of sea salt and walk to the East and sprinkle a little salt as you say:
Spirits of the East, awaken the winds of change and bring the gentle breeze of new opportunities – here, now! Thank you.
Walk to the South and sprinkle a little salt as you say:
Spirits of the South, stoke the fires of the Phoenix and bring a new glorious future – hear, now! Thank you.
Walk to the West and sprinkle a little salt as you say:
Spirits of the West, shift the tides of time and bring abundance to this place – here, now! Thank you.
Walk to the North and sprinkle a little salt as you say:
Spirits of the North, stir the earth, this new earth, and nourish the souls that have claimed this space – here, now! Thank you.
Return to the center of your home and sprinkle a little salt as you say:
Spirit bind these Elements together, lend your magick to this rite. Bless this house and its family for the highest good tonight. Thank you, it is done, it is done, it is done. I bind this blessing and now I see, by my (our) will, so it will be.
STEP 3 – ANOINTING EACH SPACE
If you want to use the essential oils in your ritual, keep reading. If you decided to skip this step, then proceed to Step 4.
I’m going to use the last home I cleansed/blessed as an example for the use of essential oils. You can customize this step to fit with the energies and properties you wish to manifest in your space. Once you select your oils go through each room and anoint the four corners of the room and above the door. Here’s the example:
Master Bedroom: Primrose – protection, love
Child’s Bedroom: Chamomile – sleep, love, purification
2nd Child’s Bedroom: Lilac – exorcism. protection (this child suffered from severe nightmares)
Meditation Room: Gardenia – love, peace, healing, spirituality
Entryway: Basil – love, wealth, protection
Kitchen: Lime – healing, love, protection
Living Room: Rose – Love, healing, protection, luck, divination
Bathroom (which was the center of the home): Yarrow – courage, love
Master Bathroom: Carnation – Protection, strength, healing
These oils were chosen for the specific needs of this family. You can easily find essential oils that support your needs, several lists exist online. Don’t forget to follow your intuition, too – if you feel strongly about a certain oil in a certain room, but the properties you find online don’t match with what you feel… follow your intuition!
STEP 4 – ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLAIM
Finish the ritual by announcing to the home:
This house is my (our) home. May the Goddess embrace me (us) and protect me (us). May my (our) soul(s) flourish and my (our) hearts fill with love.
Your House Cleansing & Blessing is complete!
BLESSED WATER
In case you don’t happen to have a bottle or jar of blessed water, here are a couple of suggestions. If you live near water, take a mason jar to the creek, lake, stream, or ocean, and fill it up. There you go – water blessed by nature. If you live in a big city and can’t get to a natural water source, here’s a little mini-ritual for you:
Get a bottle of pure spring water (like Voss), a few teaspoons of sea salt, a clean glass container, and a few drops of rose water (if you can get it). Head outside under a full moon, or stand in front of a window where you can see the moon and cast a circle. If you are not familiar with casting a circle, just take a few deep breaths and ask Spirit or the Goddess to bless your space and your work. Next put the sea salt into the clean glass container. Now hold the intention of cleansing and consecrating and slowly pour the spring water into the clean glass container. Watch it mix with the sea salt and feel the water transform from the mundane to the magickal. Let the moonlight shine on your creation and add a few drops of rose water and swirl the container clockwise three times. Hold both of your hands over the container and command, “This water is blessed and dedicated to my work, it is free from all negativity in any time and any space. By my will, so it will be. Leave your container in the moonlight overnight and place your hands on the floor or ground and release your excess energy back to Mother Earth.