The new year so often comes with new goals and a desire to be better for yourself. While this most often comes with a new workout plan and curbing cravings, sometimes the desires are more…theoretical. Mental. Possibly psychological. A cleaning of the mind.
And what better way to start your internal work than with a good old-fashioned space cleanse! This practice goes back thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt, China, and many Indigenous cultures.
Spiritual cleansing helps clear your space of stagnant, negative, or weighed-down energy. It acts as a reset for yourself as well as your space, making room for good energy, creativity, and harmony within the home.
There are many different ways to cleanse a space, but we would like to discuss three here.
Sound Cleansing
The deep, resonant sound of a gong definitely feels like a reset on your brain, so it's no surprise that it can also be a reset in your space. The vibrations from instruments like gongs, singing bowls, or chimes help to clear out any negative energy within your home and yourself.
If you don’t have a bell or chimes, you can also do this by chanting or clapping.
Like most cleansing rituals, it’s important to make sure to walk through your entire space, and focus particularly on the corners. The witchy folk believe that the tucked away areas of the home is where the dead energy lingers
Salt Water
If you’ve ever watched a show about demons or the supernatural, you know that salt is often used as a protective device, either keeping people safe or keeping evil creatures at bay.
It’s unlikely that you’re going to be facing off with a demon in your home, but that doesn’t mean you should undermine what salt can do for you. These shows were right about something, after all!
Salt is purifying and absorbing, so you can get rid of any unwanted energy by spraying down your furniture or floors with a salt spray, or mist the mixture into the air. There are some setbacks to this, though, as certain areas of the home do not mix well with salt. We wouldn't recommend spraying salt water on marble and hardwood. In these cases, you can also set out bowls of salt to absorb any unwanted energy.
The best part about this cleansing method is that you're physically and spiritually cleansing your space at the same time.
Smoke
Smoke is one of the most popular ways to cleanse a space, because it is somewhat passive in nature. Sure, there’s a bit of work to do at the beginning, but then you get to enjoy the fresh smell of burning herbs.
To cleanse a space using smoke, light up an herb bundle of your choosing and walk clockwise around the room. Make sure to waft that smoke into the corners of the room, especially in those hard-to-reach areas. Once you’re done your wafting, make sure to open a window so the smoke can escape, and enjoy a fresh smelling and fresh-feeling space!
