#cleansing magic

Where does one even start? Well, there's hundreds of lovely people both on Tumblr and other blog spaces, as well as wonderful beginner books and online resources out there that love to help. This is just one of many other witches takes on what a beginner witch may want to start researching and do, and some extra bits.

Before Magic:

What is magic to you? - You can't start performing magic until you learn how magic functions in your eyes. How do you make sure a spell will work? What is energy in magic? It may be a lot to ask, but it's something to keep in mind as you research other topics that might help uncover this question more, or vice versa, it can help you understand other topics.

Meditation is not *just* sitting and doing nothing - In my path I beat myself up so hard for not being able to sit down with my legs crossed and hands on my knees, sitting perfectly still, and just empty my thoughts for 10 boring long minutes. Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. Which means that if you can make your mind more clear and calm by sewing, listening to music, doing exercise, chant, etc. Learn what sort of meditation works best for you. I meditate outside by looking down at the ground to find amulets, or swimming, and inside it's when I draw or focus on a task.

Correspondence list - Find out what correspondences (example) basil has, but also, why does it have that? And maybe, it doesn't have those correspondences to you at all! This counts for colours, crystals and other things too.

Closed practices - It's good to know which sorts of practices are closed, semi closed, and open. As well as what practices Wicca preach and so on, it's a way to recognize what perspective your sources are writing from.

Pregnant or medicated people, please be careful - This may seem strange, but before just casting a spell or using herbs, please be mindful of what it contains as some herbs can have negative effects on pregnant people or your medication you're taking. This counts for poisonous herbs as well, know what to avoid or be careful with.

Do your own research - I can spew a lot of things to you, but I can only do it from my perspective. Learn from more than just one place. From both in real life and online.

Time For Magic

Cleansing magic - Figure out how to cleanse a space for magic use, you don't want energies mixing in with your spells. As an example, I can't cook in a kitchen that's filled with dishes and dirty counters. The same goes for spells, I can't perform spells until energies are clear and gone.

Protection magic - Every witch says this. But yes. Protection magic is useful even if you have no enemies. Once you have gotten rid of unwanted energies, it's time to make sure they won't come back in and make sure to up keep your protection regularly.

Warding and banishing magic - Listen, you can clean as much as you want, but you simply won't get rid of mold unless you use bleach. You simply can't get rid of annoying spirits unless you have a good banishing and warding spells you can rely on. Especially if you plan on summoning spirits whenever it's the elements or some high level demon later down your path. You must have a banishing spell in case things go wrong.

Charging and binding magic - Your magic will prove more powerful if you learn how to charge your energy and tools and also binding them to certain powerful uses. You may find a stick and use it as a wand, but it'll be more powerful if you spend the time to charge it, learn about it, and only use it for specific rituals.

Bonus Tips:

Stop researching about different types of witches - Maybe this is a hot take or not. Besides knowing what a pagan and wiccan is and closed practices, there's no need to write about what a sea witch, a hearth witch, a death witch, a divination witch, etc is! When I first started out, I got so stressed out because once I got done writing and research about 10 different witches, another 400 would show up, I gave up about it and used my focus and energy on other more crucial things than "a sea witch is someone who works with the ocean and..." *snores* we know, it's in the name. Besides, you shouldn't focus on labels so early on in your practice.

Amulets are not just shiny jewellery - Movies love to predict amulets and talismans as these hereditary important gemstone necklaces. But honestly, you can make an amulet out of anything. Snail houses, rocks, seashells, bags of herbs, nails, sea glass, horseshoe, or actually your every day jewellery like your wedding ring, earrings, and favourite bracelet.

Self-care witchcraft is not that fantastic - Maybe it's just me but the last thing I wanna do in a "self-care" ritual is clean up all the herb baths and find herbs and grind my own tea. True self-care witchcraft is taking care of your doctors appointment and enchanting them with luck and good news. Or Finally getting around to cleaning the oven (the hearth) so that your home is healthy once again.

by Keziah

Everyone everywhere comes in contact with various energies everyday — energies of people around us, energies of the environments we pass through, our own energies, energies of the unseen, and so on. Practitioners of magic and witchcraft, perhaps especially, are aware of or can attract various energies, and some can create or manipulate energies. Indeed, many magical models and methodologies heavily rely on interacting with, drawing down, petitioning, harnessing, and/or controlling energy, but the energies that we create, attract, or magnify whilst performing magical works aren't always something we want hanging around.

Sometimes magical workings can introduce negative energies into our space. This can occur when we're performing spells or workings for other people and are, therefore, exposing ourselves to their energies and/or the spirits around them; when we're performing workings that stir up or stem from particularly strong, painful, or disruptive emotions, such as healing work, baneful work, binding work, and such; or when our work brings us in contact with a negative energy or spirit in another way. Once the spell is concluded, these kinds of energies don't always just evaporate or dissipate. They can linger, both on the worker and within the space they're working in, and that does not serve us. This is why I have a particular way of 'cleaning up' after performing certain types of spells. These are my personal methods for averting potential lingering energy, and for cleaning it up and severing any link between myself and that energy. May this piece and these practices serve any and all in need of them.

: I'd like to preface this by saying that I am not a 'conventional' witch. I have to keep my practice very low-key, and I don't have access to very many herbs or crystals. All of my spells use items that can be found in a regular home, or the items have a specific requirement such as 'something you associate with [xyz] Deity'. I don't tend to use things like herbs or crystals in my magical work, and if I do, it's most likely leaning more towards 'formal', 'important' or 'ritual' than 'spell'. I aim to make spells that every witch can use, no matter their situation.

» ․ ❓ !! ˎˊ˗ What is this spell for?

This is a spell for protection, cleansing and blessing. It is meant to identify and remove hostile and negative energy and create a neutral or positive space for your magical working.

I name the spells so that I can navigate my spells better, you do not have to call them by this name.

The root version of the spell is called 'Purificatela', from the Latin word 'purificatio' ('cleansing') and 'tutela' ('protection').

» ․ 🪄 !! ˎˊ˗ What items do you need?

[Required] ~ Anything white | White is associated with purity and cleansing. This can be anything, from a kitchen towel to a blank piece of paper. ~ Anything black | Black is associated with banishing negative or hostile energies. Again, this can be anything. ~ Anything that can light up | Can be a flashlight, a phone light, a candle, LEDs [Optional] ~ Anything you associate with your Deity or spirit | Can be something colored with a color you associate with Them, a statue of them, a sigil, literally anything

» ․ 🕯️ !! ˎˊ˗ What to do?

[Version 1 - 'Purificatela Incluna'] : 'Purificatela' from the Latin 'purificatio' ('cleansing') and 'tutela' ('protection'). As well as 'incluna' from the Latin 'inclusus' ('enclosed') and 'luna' ('moon'). This version of the spell is for an enclosed area and is charged by moon energy. 1. Wait till nighttime, or any point in the day when you can see the moon in the sky. 2. Go into the room that you want protected and cleansed, close all doors and windows and turn of all the lights. 3. Place your white object directly beside your black object. Your light should be off at this point, place it in front of both of your objects. [If you have an object associated with your Deity, place it at the very front of the object group, so that your light is between your colored objects and the object associated with your Deity] 4. Say or think (some variation of), "Moon, I beg, protect my space. I ask that you cleanse and bless this place." [If you have a Deity, feel free to add (some variation of), "[Deity name], I beg that you will protect me and my space. You Gods of protection, cleansing and home, I pray that you protect me and never leave me alone] 5. Turn on your light to symbolize moonlight and cleansing. 6. Say or think (some variation of), "Let my energy fill the room, by earth, water, air, flame, sun and moon." 7. Thank the moon [If you involved Deities and/or believe in Deities that are associated with the moon, thank them too] 8. Turn off the light to symbolize the enveloping power of the moon and the night. 9. Respectfully clean up your space, put away your items and turn the room lights back on. [If you feel as if you need a more tangible closing, feel free to say or think (some variation of), "The spell is finished, the effect is done, stay in motion, through the moon and sun" as or before you clean up.]

[Version 2 - 'Purificatela Inclusol'] : 'Purificatela' from the Latin 'purificatio' ('cleansing') and 'tutela' ('protection'). As well as 'incluna' from the Latin 'inclusus' ('enclosed') and 'sol' ('sun'). This version of the spell is for an enclosed area and is charged by sun energy. 1. This version is casted during the daytime. 2. Go into the room you want protected and cleansed, and if you have windows, uncover all of them to let natural light in. 3. Place your white object directly beside your black object. Your light should be on at this point, place it in front of both of your objects. [If you have an object associated with your Deity, place it at the very front of the object group, so that your light is between your colored objects and the object associated with your Deity] 4. Say of think (some variation of), "Sun, I beg, make me shielded and pure, bless this place and make it secure." [If you have a Deity, feel free to add (some variation of), "[Deity name], I beg that you will protect me and my space. You Gods of protection, cleansing and home, I pray that you protect me and never leave me alone] 5. Turn off your light to symbolize negative and hostile leaving the area. 6. Say or think (some variation of), "Let my energy fill the room, by earth, water, air, flame, sun and moon." 7. Thank the sun [If you involved Deities and/or believe in Deities that are associated with the sun, thank them too] 8. Turn on the light to symbolize the shining power of the sun and the day, blazing through every pain and agony. 9. Respectfully clean up your space, put away your items and turn the lights off. [If you feel as if you need a more tangible closing, feel free to say or think (some variation of), "The spell is finished, the effect is done, stay in motion, through the moon and sun" as or before you clean up.]

Purifying plants and herbs

Rosemary water (can add salt and garlic for added potency) - Ensure you spray thresholds, spray in rooms as you see fit. Rosemary is also good for purification baths. Angelica - Scatter in home to purify. Benzoin - Smoulder for purification. Cloves - Burn for purification. Dragon's blood - Sprinkle around the home or burn for purification. Fennel seed - Hang at doors and windows to purify and ward off evil. Hyssop - Add to baths to cleanse yourself. Hang sachets or hang in home to purify it. Mimosa - Scatter around for purification. Oak leaves - Burn for purification. Parsley - Add to bath for personal purification. Peppermint - Burn to clear negative energies. Birch bark - Burn to purify a space and clear out negative energies. Birch twigs can also be used to make a besom to sweep negative energy out of spaces.

[image description: two small bottles of the cleanser spray, without their lid because my dumbass forgot one ingredient and had to re-heat everything to add it, so now it needs to cool down]

ingredients:

pink moon water (or another type of moonwater/simple water; i picked pink moon because there's a blooming energy to it)

black salt (i made it with fire incense ashes, so it's both protection and a pinch of energy; ofc standard salt works perfectly too!)

rosemary, for purification

lemon balm, for happiness and healing

thyme, to overcome the past negative energies

ginger, for energy

honey, for sweetness, productive energy and as my signature

use:

spray it around your home/room instead of (or added to) burning an incense to cleanse. I made this spray for both protection and purification and to give a bit of an energy boost!

(personally, i spray cleanse every week!)

Open your windows to air out your room/house if the energy or air inside is feeling stagnant.

Wash your surfaces with thieves vinegar or your favourite cleaner. Get rid of that dust.

Clean up clutter and mess. Put away that laundry you did last week. Tidy your altar and clean your magical items. Change your sheets. Have a bath.

i'm somewhat ashamed of admitting this, but i did half-ass my wards because i was too wrapped up in other things like uni, chores, etc. and, as all half-assed things do, it backfired today because instead of a peaceful evening i got myself a very unpleasant malevolent energy that needed to be banished asap.

I was planning on putting some wards in the house at the weekend and thought it could be a good idea to do some banishing after cleansing today. Because what if there is something here and I dont know!

Sure thing! The best quick-and-dirty banishing you can do is claiming your space while you're walking around your home with whatever cleansing or protective implement you plan to use. A simple recitation or held thought of, "This is my space and it is safe and calm and free from trouble / disruption / misfortunate / sickness / etc." will do the trick.

Banishing and cleansing are closely related when it comes to living spaces, so chances are good that you've already cleared out anything unwanted or disruptive with your cleansing efforts. Refreshing your wards and household protections will solidify this and help keep anything that's been cast out from drifting back in.