How To Be A Witch

Sacred Spaces

So when I searched this up in google, they thought I was talking about a special place that makes me happy, or something like that. It didn't change when I added in the word rituals. I then decided to type in, "How to cleanse spaces." Really simple. I didn't use grammar in google though. Sorry.

The point is, that's literally what sacred spaces are. Cleansing a space so it can be used in a sacred way. And when I first started, this was something really daunting to me, because it felt like so much. But if I had just thought of it as cleansing a space, then it would've been lots easier for me.

So I'm trying to make sure you all don't have that same problem.

Now, in all honesty, you can't have a cleansed space with clutter around. Remove as much as you can, because that stuff holds onto bad energy like glue. We don't want that in a sacred space, because it is just as we call it: sacred. So before cleansing the energy of a place, please, please, please make sure you actually and physically clean it up!

If it's already clean, or as clean as it can be without throwing out the furniture and upheaving the floorboards and everything on it, then you're good to go. To move on to the next step, I mean.

No! Wait! Don't leave! I promise you, it's not as hard as actually cleaning up. Pinky swear.

By now, you've kinda gotten the gist of cleansing. Lots of common methods include salt, incense or burning herbs, and other variations of herb usage. This is exactly what we'll be doing. Provided by ThoughtCo (citation at the bottom rather than just a link because they have a citation button, yay), I have a list of various methods you can use to cleanse a space of negative energy.

Before we really get into it though, I just want to remind you all that you have to cleanse and charge everything before creating your sacred space. Otherwise, it just won't be effective, or it'll even work againt you. Bad energies are never a good thing.

Incense and Burning Herbs (NOT SMUDGING) --- No cultural appropriation.
It's literally as it says. You burn herbs or incense and wave it around. Typically, practitioners will walk around the room or area clockwise (sometimes three times) and make sure to wave the smoke around every nook and cranny. The most common cleansing herb I've seen used is sage, especially white sage, and it's often used in a bundle of dried sage leaves. I typically use the incense, though. You can also use rosemary, sweetgrass, sandalwood, or any other herb to do this. You don't have to wait for the incense or herb bundle to burn all the way through. Just make sure it's put out effectively.

Asperging
First of all, I'm not sure where the name or this act comes from, so I deeply apologize if it comes from a closed culture. If it does, please tell me and I'll change the name. Anyway, asperging is kinda the same way with incense in that you spread it around gently. It also typically is enchanted so it's perfect for cleansing a space. The root of it is some liquid, most often water, that you sprinkle around (note how I said sprinkle, not slosh or throw). I'd say that you should go clockwise here, too. Instead of water, you can also use milk, wine, or any of those with honey, but I feel that water is the easiest and even cheapest way to go, plus, I see it as the purest out of those.

You always cleanse the water, or consecrate it, which also is the way to make holy water. Sometimes this is done by chanting, or sprinkling a little salt in, or putting it under moonlight (to make moon water) or under sunlight (to make sun water). All those are effective, it just depends on what you're going for. You can also put crystals in the water (this is how you make gem elixirs, but you have to be careful with which crystal you choose so that it doesn't contaminate the water or so that it doesn't get damaged. More on how to safely make gem elixirs will be added later on, but this is the basics that you might want to know. Another common method of asperging is infusing the water with herbs. You can either just put the herbs in the water or you could make it into a tea, but just like you do with the crystals, choose the herbs accordingly to your intent.

Broom/Besom
You may have noticed this one method of cleansing in the chapter I made for cleansing and charging. This method is often used with cleansing spaces, which makes it perfect for creating a sacred space. Most witches create their own broom or besom for magickal purposes, but you can also buy one (I think it's best to get one with straw) just for, well, magickal purposes. It's really simple to use, which I think makes it really appealing. All you do is you sweep around the room, visualizing that you are sweeping away the negative energy. Some people chant along with this (they can do with with other methods too) or hum, just something to give it a little bit more power and to help it resonate with them. Remember, though. You shouldn't use your broom for anything other than magickal purposes. It. Is. Sacred. If you use it for something else, it will contaminate it and you don't want to disrespect it like that. This is where the thought that witches fly on broomsticks came from.

Salt
Another tried and true method is the ever versatile and effective salt. There's got to be a million uses for salt. Seriously. Anyway, it's kinda like asperging, you just sprinkle it around. Make sure you take a broom with you though, for after the ritual or after a few hours. Not your magickal broom. Just a regular broom. Also, just like everything else, you should cleanse the salt first. Charge it for purifying intentions. You can also use salt lamps!

Okay, thank you for reading through this long chapter of cleansing methods for a sacred space! Once again, all this information came directly from this place below:
  Wigington, Patti. "How to Cleanse or Purify a Sacred Space." ThoughtCo, Jun. 22, 2018, thoughtco.com/cleanse-or-purify-a-sacred-space-2562876.  

Anyway, now that I've got that out of the way, I should probably sleep now, huh? It's almost 4:30 in the morning. How's that for good sleeping hygiene? It probably doesn't leave good energy, either. So don't be like me. Sleep. For the love of (insert deity or spirit), please just sleep!

With that, good night everyone.

~Rae