So what's a cleansing anyway?

There is no right or wrong way to cleanse a home or person, just right or wrong intentions.

So what is a cleansing anyway?
I am not referring to dusting and vacuuming your home, nor am I referring to getting rid of old furniture, clothing, or the garbage that has littered your home. Cleansing in this case means to either bring in positive energies, or removing negative ones.

I am often asked "How or why would any one require or want this done?"
Majority of my clients want to feel safe and feel peaceful in their homes. When the house feels stale, empty, or negative; people want those feelings to disappear. Sometimes people of religious faith want to have the home blessed and have a removal of any evil that may be lurking within.

Now I am asked, "What about haunting, negative feelings or evil beings?"
People that claim to live in a haunted home might have a spirit or ghost that is playful, helpful and kind. In these cases, the people would like to have what ever is there to be calmed and relaxed. Most are okay with sharing there home with spirits, ghosts or beings that lurk in the shadows. Now when it comes to a spirit or ghost that is constantly noisy, poking, or pushing people and things; a client wants these things to stop or to away. As far as evil beings such as demons, majority of people would rather move from their home than have it dealt with. In any case, each is treated accordingly to the wishes of the home owners. Unfortunately there are no guarantees.


When I prepare for a cleansing there are a few herbs I like to use.


Sage

The use of sage is for healing. The smoke is used to bless, cleanse and heal the person or object. Sage is used to wash off' the outside world when one enters a home. Objects are likewise washed off with sage smoke to rid them of unwanted influences. 

Cedar

Cedar is an herb of protection. Cedar is often used to cleanse a home or an apartment when first moving in. This will help unwanted spirits to leave and the cedar will help protect a person, place or object from unwanted influences.  

Sweet Grass

Its sweet aroma reminds people of the gentleness, love and kindness; this is why Native people pick it and braid it in 3 strands representing love, kindness and honesty. Sweet grass is used for smudging and purification of the home and individual person. When Sweet grass is used, it has a calming effect on people and the area around it. It is said that it attracts the good energies. It can also be use it to call in spirits.

Other herbs

Herbs for calming and bringing in positive energies:

lavender, chamomile, rose, gardenia, lilac, and flowers that give off a light scent that is pleasing.

Herbs for protection and making you feel rooted:

cinnamon, mint, caraway, dill, and any herb that is earthy scented.

  

Herbs for banishment and getting rid of negative energies:  

rosemary, garlic.cloves, juniper, wormwood, and any herb that has an unpleasant scent.

       

These are items I like to use for blessings and banishment.

Sea Salt: used to sprinkle across thresholds and windows of your home. Known for keeping out negative energies and unwanted spirits.

Holy Water: used manly in christian belief system, the ideas behind it are relatively  the same. It has many uses across many modern religions to protect, banish, heal, curse, cleanse, purify, and the list goes on and on.

Rose Water: used to bless the living and/or the dead.

In some cases I tend to use candles.
White Candles: to help bring in positive energies
Black Candles: to help absorb the negative energies










Like others who preform cleansings, I tend to use an array of "tools" to help with focus.

crystals: amplifies whatever energy or intent that is needed. 

stones: helps to give a sense of strength and balance

mirrors: reflect light, and help spread energies around














Here is an example of a simple cleansing I would do in a home:

1. light a white candle
2. prepare a charcoal burner for the incense I made for the situation of the home
3. open the front door and leave it open.
4. go room to room starting in the back ringing a bell to start to help knell the energies within
5. take the incense burner from room to room making sure to waft the smoke to every wall, across every window and anything that might be considered and opening to the unknown world.
6. while using salt water, holy water, rose water, or my own concoction  I chant a blessing or a banishment depending what is required.
7. I ask the clients to please come with me from room to room and tell them that they need to vocalize that this is their house and what ever has been dwelling within to either respect their wishes and is allowed to stay or to leave and not return.
8. take sea salt from room to room and sprinkle it across the thresholds and windows and any other opening in the room.
9. light a black candle and go from room to room asking only good remain and all negative energies to go into the candle.
10. gather up the remaining incense, the little bit of water used, and the black candle and take it out the front door.
11. at the edge of the front of the property I dump out the incense, poor the water on it, and then blow out the black candle away from the house.
12. when I return to the front door I sprinkle the threshold with salt and then blow out the white candle.
13. I then (depending on client) give them the white and black candle, a pouch of the incense. I tell them to light the candles (white for positive, black for negative) when they feel they need a sense of calming or peace. The incense may or many not be used by them, but i like to give them what I used (tends to give them a sense of empowerment)

DISCLAIMER
Each cleansing is different depending on the need of the client/s. Each cleansing is unique and carters to the client/s beliefs and /or religion. I have great faith in what I do, but I do not guarantee that a cleansing or banishment will work, especially when the client starts to have doubts or questions if any thing I do will work. I am upfront with all the herbs I use; this allows the client a chance to say what they want or do not want, or perhaps they may have an allergy to a certain herb. I do not go against the client/s wishes. If they want a follow up, I am happy to comply. My views and opinions are my own.