| Cleansing Rituals |
| The purpose of cleansing your items, like crystals, tarot cards, runes, pendulums, etc. is to clear away excess energy that you don't need, or left over energy from an event or person. This is often a good thing to do with new items, or items that have been involved in some sort of healing or ritual, of just handled by alot of people. There are several ways to cleanse your items, and you will find variations from person to person. I enjoy using all of the elements in my cleansings and have developed a ritual that feels very good and productive to me. First some words about the elements and a little about other cleansing techniques. Sunshine (fire) Leaving your items out in the sun for a few hours or even the whole day can be very cleansing and purifying. The sun's rays burn away excess energy and also charge them at the same time with the healing energy of Mother Earth. But be careful with this technique when cleansing some crystals. Some of the lighter crystals, like Amethyst, Citrine, flourite and other light colored stones can bleach in the sun. One the other hand, Clear quartz really enjoys a good sun bath and will be brighter and clearer after a day in the sunshine. Water Water is also a good form of cleansing. Especially if the water used is a purified water or even holy water. By running water over your items you can wash away the energy you wish to release. Of course, it goes without saying that you should put your tarot cards in a plastic bag before doing this, and be careful with some runes, as the paint can flake off with too much water. Dirt (Earth) I feel the Earth has powerful cleansing properties and often use natural, sterile soil in my cleansings. Just by burying your items in clean dirt, our dropping them in your garden for the day will often do a good job of clearning energy and establishing a connection with nature and Mother Earth. Of course again, becareful not to warp your cards in moist soil. But crystals and runes do just find in soil. Along these same lines, Salt is often used in cleansing rituals, because of it's connection with holy practices. But again, some crystals can be very fragile and if left in salt, they can crack and split. Smudging (Air) In almost any case, a good smude will clear energy from an object or place. I will often use a combination of incence and smudging to create a personal feeling and connection to the cleansing. And by making your own smudge sticks out of fresh herbs you can make this ritual all your own. For those of you who aren't familiar with smudging, read my page on Smudging and how to make your own smudge sticks My Personal Cleansing Ritual What you will need: 1 white candle Bowl made of Pottery, Wood or Stone Sterile Soil Smudge Stick 2 incence sticks Glass Bowl Glass of Water Light your candle. Center, ground and focus your energy. Light the incence and smudge sticks with the candle. Smudge the area and each object gathered, water, bowls, soil, etc. Bury the items you wish to cleanse in the soil. Lay your hands on the soil and repeat these words: "I cleanse these objects with love and light." Repeate if you wish. Remove the items from the soil and place them in the glass bowl, and rinse with the purified (smudged) water. Place the items cleansed on a dry towel to air dry, then smudge the area again. In the mean time while the items are drying, take the newly purified and cleansed soil and scatter among plants, gardens, potted plants, etc. This shares the purity and cleanses the items in which you are growing. Now that your cleansed items are dry, lay your hands over top of them and repeate 3 times; "I affirm abundance and prosperity for myself and all beings. Good comes to me and from me." Center and ground again, and thank Spirit for the cleansing. At this point, I choose not to speak for an hour. This is something personal that other's do not have to fallow, but to me, it just feels right to keep this spirit internalized and not let my words allow the power of the ritual to escape me. But we each must find our own form of empowerment that works for each of us. |
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