House Magick Part 1: Metaphysical Cleaning

Whether you have a new home, or have lived in the same place for years, smudging needs to be done periodically. Don’t think of it as some ancient awkward rite, regard it for what it is, metaphysical housework. Smudging cleans your home just like vacuuming and dusting and any other chore, working to remove negativity and stale energy, bringing light and happiness into your living space.

You can adjust your smudging mix to include anything you want to imbue your home with, but basing it in sage is the most effective. Try horehound for banishing, frankincense for protection, lavender for calming strife, or peppermint for purification. Most places sell sage in a bundle for ease of handling, but that’s all it is. You don’t need to buy a bundle of sage from the store if you already have some growing in your yard. When I smudge, I just use a few dried out branches of sage, light them until they’re smoldering, and then waft the smoke about my house with my hands, keeping my sage in a fireproof dish (most often just a small ovenproof saucer). Many practitioners reccomend the use of a feather, which I love just for a) ease an b) bringing in the extra energy of air to sort of blow the negativity away. However, my cat kindly ate my last one, so I simply don’t keep them in the house anymore. Again, I’ve found it to be just as effective without, treat it as you may. Also, if you’re a non-smoking person, or don’t like the smell of pot (I am both of these things) you might want to consider lighting some incense that matches your intent when you’ve finished cleansing your home.

Photo from: http://www.meditationexpert.co.uk/smudging.html

When you’re done your smudging, consider keeping a white candle lit often in your home. In doing so invokes the spirit of your house, helping to ignite the positive energies residing dormant there. You can do this by keeping one large pillar candle that you light often and just extinguishing when you’re leaving, or you can buy smaller white candles and just change them out periodically. I use a beautiful pentagram soapstone candle holder and votives I purchase in bags of 150 for just a few dollars from my local Walmart. I hope this helps you to bring the magick back in to your living space, as well as your personal space. Stay tuned for more house magick posts to come!