This is perhaps the most important magick that any witch can learn. When you’re able to cleanse your space and your life, you’re able to assert control over the energies that have access to you. Perhaps that’s why cleansing is one of the first things that we’re taught as baby witches. Keeping the energies that we surround ourself with clear and fresh is the first step to other types of magick.

There are several ways you can start cleansing yourself and your space. Take these suggestions and run with them!

• Actually clean your space. (Not gonna lie, this is one I need to work on…) The more you move old, stagnant energies out, by cleaning, organizing, and minimizing your things, the more you have room for new, positive energies. I find that whenever I clean my space thoroughly, I feel lighter and more free, and I also have exciting new energies come into my life. It can be a huge pain, but it’s worth doing!
• Clean your body. Treat showers and bathtimes as a purification ritual. Imagine the water rinsing away any negativity or ‘gunk’ that can collect and be stored in your body. Use special soaps or rub a little salt on your skin to amplify the cleansing. Use my Florida water or my smudge spray recipes and create a spray that you can use every night before you go to bed. This will help you get rid of anything that you don’t want to take with you into dream time.
• Clean your mind. Think about the things that bring you down. Too much screen time? Too much gossip? Too much stress? Do you have friends or family that put you in a negative headspace? How can you limit their affects on you? Make a list if necessary. Identifying the problems will help you find solutions and clear your mind.
• Clean yourself spiritually. Periodically I like to do a small energetic ritual where I cut cords that I’m no longer needing. I then use my left hand to take back energy I’ve given to others, visualizing it coming back to me as a silver light. And then I use my right hand to project the energy I’ve taken from others back to them as a gold light. It helps me to keep myself to myself and not be caught up in others’ issues and drama. You can also meditate on your bodies (physical and energetic) being cleansed from above by golden light pouring in through your crown chakra. Whatever floats your boat!

And of course, now we need to talk about…

Herbs for Cleansing and Purification

• Hyssop– a brilliant cleansing and purification herb, and a worthy substitute for sage in your workings.
• Peppermint- Great for a Winter seasonal cleanse.
• Rosemary- Use in baths and cleansing teas.
• Rue- Can be used by dipping a bunch into a cleansing water or tea, and sprinkling drops over your space. Also used in exorcism rites.
• Sage- perhaps the best known for purification and blessings. Be careful with what you buy, and forego the white California sage (which is sacred to some Native Americans as a closed practice and is being over-harvested). Use garden sage instead (which is easy to grow yourself, and has just as much ‘oomph’ as white California sage).
• Solomon’s Seal- used in exorcism or cleansing.
• Tobacco- Burn on charcoal to remove negativity.
• Vervain- Used in purification incenses and baths.
• Woodruff- A Spring herb, used to clear away the stagnant energy of Winter.

(From Scott Cunningham’s Magical Herbalism)

Stones for Cleansing and Purification

• Agate- Cleansing at physical and emotional levels.
• Amethyst- Cleansing, helps over come addictions and blockages.
• Ametrine- Cleanses the aura and helps remove toxins from the body.
• Black Tourmaline- Absorbs negativity, especially electromagnetic smog.
• Petalite- Aids in spiritual purification.
• Smoky Quartz- Absorbs negativity and transmutes it to positive.
• Turquoise- Dispels negative energy.
• Zincite- Can stimulate a healing catharsis. (Use with caution!)

(From Judy Hall’s The Crystal Bible)

How about you? What do you use to cleanse your home, body, mind, and spirit? Are there some things I forgot here in this list? Please let me know in the comments.

Blessed be! <3