Ritual Corner
Ritual Tips
At the moment for me, it has been important to regularly clear and cleanse not only my ritual space, but my day to day personal space. This led me to feature this article here on the landing page for this section, as it is important to most of us at all times to ensure we do this for many reasons;
Ritual Space Clearing
To be able to work in a ritual space it needs to be clean of any negative, harmful or blocking energies. This is why it is essential to clear your space. There are many ways of doing this but the three that I will be focusing on in this article are smudging, white light cleansing and crystal room clearing.
These simple ways of clearing a space can be used for normal space clearing as well as for ritual, but it is well worth doing so before a ritual, especially if using a commonly used space. This is because any use of a space carries energies with it. All these energies build up over time and if not cleansed and can ruin a spell or ceremony by their presence. Therefore while a space clearing is always useful if you feel uncomfortable in a psycic space, it is especially valuable pre-ceremony or ritual in order to ensure that the room is as energetically neutral as possible.
Smudging
This is where a bundle of herbs, large enough to burn and not burn your hands is lit. The sacred smoke this produces is said to clear the room of any harmful, negative or problematic forces. This works to create a clean space for you to work in. Chants are often used and this can vary according to your personality and/or tradition. When Smudging be careful of two things – flammable items around and smoke alarms. Accidents to happen so be careful and take note of what is flammable, staying in the cleared areas of the room. As for smoke alarms, well... Nothing is more distracting than one or more high pitched squeals that you have to go and shut off. All because they’re picking up smoke you knew existed. If you have particularly touchy one make note of where it is and make contingency plans around it.
What your chant or hum will be will vary according to tradition and personal preference. Sage, Clary Sage and Eucalyptus (also associated with Aboriginal Smoking Ceremonies also using the same principles) are popular ones, though any dried herb bundle according to preference can be used. If a particular level of energy (ie. Base) is causing a problem, add herbs specific to that, same with an element using elemental correspondences. Personal preferences can also come in here as can traditions and what you would use for rituals in your tradition. Unless working to clear the space in a group this will be very much up to you and how you work.
- Smudging bundle/Incense burner
- Chant/ Prepared visualization (can be simple or complex – an Om or a hum will do of using a chant.)
- Centre yourself and ensure that you have enough defenses up against any negative energy, especially if there is any heavy negative energy present.
- Light your bundle or incense in a carryable burner. Start your chant or visualization if you're using one as you start to walk around the room.
- Walk around slowly, being careful of flammable materials and smoke alarms. Keep up any visualization or chant you have going till the end. When finished extinguish your bundle or incense, close up and thank the universe or any deities you may have invoked in your smudging.
- Go onto your ritual or your normal activities, depending on what you are doing.
White Light
This one is one I used and at least reinvented for myself. This is a method of using pure white light from the 7th Evolutionary ladder to cleanse out the energies you don't want. It discorporates their forms, creates pure energy in their place and cleanses your ritual area in the process. This one requires no supplies other than yourself, centered and in a neutral, open frame of mind free of any Awareness or understanding level emotions or thoughts. If you do cleanse yourself before preceding as you will only replicate any negativity in yourself in your room.
- Focus up through your chakras till you feel the clear and Violet energy of the Crown Chakra. This is pure light energy and what you want to work with.
- Bring it into you, your aura, and create a field of ice crystals resonating out with this energy. Visualise the colours of the unwanted energies as it hits them, breaks them up into pure light like the crest of a wave and continue.
- Once you have done this to the very edges of your room then bring this back in, sending out the pure energy to replace the old, then back into your aura. Close up, bring this back to the Crown Chakra, then close up and de-centre.
- Thank the universe for the gift of the energy and bring yourself back to reality slowly – this is a very pure energy so might leave you light headed.
Crystal Room Clearing
This can be done two ways, stationery and permanent or as a one off. This is about using the crystal to absorb the energies you don't want in your space and getting rid of them through this conduit. The best crystal for this is a clear quartz point or terminator, but amethyst or other types of quartz will work just as well depending on the room and circumstances. Some might use decorated wands but remember, whatever you use has to go into salt water and be buried regularly so don't choose anything too elaborate or nice that cannot handle this without deteriorating. Think of your room and purpose when finding your crystals and you will find a good match to what you are doing with it.
This is done by once again centering yourself as per the white light cleansing. Once again, also ensure that you are emotionally and mentally neutral because if not you will retain the rooms energies with your mood. A self cleansing might be a good idea if you cleansed yourself, especially if you were dealing with some very negative energies as you might be carrying them.