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A CLEANSING RITUAL
This ritual was devised for a woman who was seriously psychically disturbed. This is the reason it is so elaborate, because she would only believe that something could work if it was complicated and took a great deal of time. Because she believed so strongly that she was unclean or possessed, she needed to go through a very thorough cleansing which would not be necessary for anyone in a normal state of mind. However, you might like to adapt parts of it for your own use. It can be used to cleanse any place where you want to be safe, either from psychic attack, or from unwelcome physical influences. It can be used to cleanse and bless new houses, refresh and protect old ones.
Layout The work has been set out in three stages:
1. an explanation of the procedure and its intention. Intention is an important word in magic: when intention is clear, words and actions will be correct, whether you have followed instructions perfectly or not.
2. the imagery to employ while carrying out the work.
3.the bare bones of the working ritual. The method
First, read through the whole ritual, bringing visualisation to bear throughout. I hope you will be able to “see” the images described in your own mind. If you find you are receiving additional information, perhaps seeing detail not given here, or slightly different colourings and positionings, this is a sign that you are tuning into the work. Be careful, however, that what you see is in tune with the intention. If you start to see something completely different, you are in the grip of distraction, and you must “bring your mind home” by re-reading the words and fixing the given images firmly in your mind.
It is more important to arrive at an understanding of what you are doing than to drill yourself to a state of perfection. Always remember it is the intention that matters, not the ritual itself, which, though serious, is the peg on which to hang the cloak of magic.
Second, work on the nuts and bolts. How are you going to do the work? What will you use, what will you need? Make a list, if necessary. Work out how much time it will take, and when that time is going to be available to you. Consult the astral tides and influences on the day you have chosen, to see if anything will seriously interfere with your Intention (like an eclipse, or a bad passage of Saturn).
Thirdly, read everything again so that it is firmly fixed in your mind. Setting up the work.... Have everything ready and make sure the time you need is available to you. Make sure you will not be disturbed. Prepare yourself by having an ordinary bath and then a cleansing bath. The sea is a great cleansing medium, and sea or salt water is often recommended for spiritual cleansing. My preference is for liquid seaweed, which captures the unique essence of the sea and sea life. It contains many trace elements and vitamins which can be absorbed by skin and hair, making you look and feel healthier, as well as performing its cleansing role. Experiment with how much you feel you need, but start with a capful. Like homeopathic remedies, it is more valuable dilute than in concentrate form.
Proceed.... in sections. You cannot be expected to hold four sets of imagery in your mind at once - indeed, it would not be advisable.
Begin by sitting quietly on your bed and meditating on your intention. Carefully read the first set of imagery, then carry out that section. Return to base, meditate if you wish on what you have done, then read the second set of imagery, and so on.
Follow the instructions to the end, including addressing the major earth deities and installing your personal deity over your bed. Then perform the protection ritual.
Before you leave the room, turn and quietly thank the guardians who made it possible to do the work, and before you shut the door, visualise the angel who is guarding it.
Go outside to a place where you can look up at the window, and visualise the angel you set to guard it. Now your work is finished.
For the Future..... You may like to mentally greet the guardian of the door every time you enter the room, until this becomes habit and you are no longer aware of doing it. Likewise, you should frequently look at the four walls and visualise the elements and their images. It helps to position something on or near each wall to remind you - pictures, posters, objects that contain the correct symbolism.
For instance, for the East clouds, aeroplanes, birds; for the South fire, hot sunny places, deserts; for the West any pictures containing water or the Moon; for the North landscapes, fruits and flowers, animals, houses, forests. It need not always be a picture, you might have a table with an ornament, or any other item that corresponds. Never let anyone move these around - if it happens inadvertently, put them back as soon as you notice.
When in trouble or distress, call on your personal guardian who hovers above your bed, and if you feel threatened or depressed, reinforce your protective “orange” around your bed. You will find you sleep much better.
Finally. install any other aids you have read about and believe in. But try to orientate them with the elements - the glass of water in the west, egg and onions in the north.
Procedure and Intention.... The procedure is that, after taking a physical and then a spiritual bath, and preparing your mind so that you are in a state of grace, you will wash the walls of the room (or dwelling) in which you detect negative or malevolent influences. The washing can be both physical and spiritual, if you feel like doing a thorough spring clean, or stripping the room prior to redecorating, or it can be purely spiritual. The procedure depends on you, the result is the same, though if you redecorate at a later date, and strip the walls, you will be removing your protection, and will need to do the ritual again, if you feel it is still needed by that time. The spiritual washing is not intended to remove physical dirt, only spiritual dross, so you do not have to wear yourself out, or soak the walls.
Use a solution of liquid seaweed in water, diluting as recommended on the bottle. Purchase a new sponge or cloth (whichever you prefer) for the work, and ritually burn or bury this afterwards, so that it cannot be used for any other purpose. (Burying in a churchyard, or burning and then burying the ashes in a churchyard, is particularly effective).
Wring out the sponge in the solution, and ritually wipe away the negative influences, while concentrating on the imagery. Make sure you have enough water for the whole job, as you should not leave the room during the course of the work, nor should anyone come in. If this happens, you will have to abandon the work and start again another day.
The Intention is to spiritually cleanse the room, removing all previous influences, impregnating it with good vibrations, and protectively sealing the room from harm. Things to meditate on concerning your intention: I will remove all bad influences in this room, and no evil will be able to enter it from now on. While in this room I will have only healthy, positive thoughts. This is my refuge and I am safe here. Imagery attached to the Ritual Do not try to fix the ritual in your mind at this stage, merely read it so as its associations with imagery come through to you. Ritual is given again in its own “bare bones” format in section 3.
Orientation First it is important to fix the orientation of your room or dwelling. For this you will need a compass. Establish where the compass points are so that you have a N,E,S and W wall. Sometimes the compass point is in a corner. If this is the case, take North to be the wall to the right of the angle.
Why compass points? In wicca, the “old” religion, each compass direction has a series of correspondences. This simply means images or objects associated with it. Each compass point has an element, an angel (sometimes called archangel) and a goddess power associated with it. These are the basic correspondences. There are others.
Although wiccans work in a circle, they still observe the compass directions. The Nature Gods reside in the north, and a witch’s altar is set up in the north, unless s/he wishes to pray to a specific angel for a specific purpose, when another direction might be chosen.
A witch draws up a circle to start work, always beginning in the East, working South, West, then North. This is so that s/he comes to the home of the gods last, and is able to address them properly. This is the why you will also work from East to North.
The correspondences: in the East... the East is full of clear yellow light. The element is Air and the Angel is Raphael (raff-I-ell). You perceive him standing on a hilltop in the early dawn. A wind is blowing. His hair and robes stream out behind him and he holds out his arms to the Sun, which is about to rise. He is offering up a prayer of protection for your mind and thoughts, so that they cannot be invaded by negative entities. As you watch the sky grows lighter, and the yellow light gradually gives way to the clear, rain-washed blue of early morning, the colour of intelligence and spirituality.
The goddess power is the power of mind, of intelligence, of understanding with the spirit, not the brain. She is seated, the book of knowledge in her lap. She wears a gown of misty blue, the colour of early dawn, and her hair is pale gold. She holds out her hand, in which is the gift of true understanding. She smiles at you and invites you to cleanse your mind and thoughts of the darkness that has been put there by negative entities and to let only pure spiritual understanding guide you.
Put the images of Raphael and the goddess of mind-power into your east wall, so that every time you look at it you feel the powerful cleansing of mind and thoughts. Note: if there is any opening, such as a door or window, in the East wall, it is important that you visualise the Angel standing (in the doorway or window), his back to the room, with drawn sword of flashing light, to turn back evil if it approaches.
in the South... the South is full of strong, red-gold light. The element is Fire and the Angel is Michael (mick-I-ell). You perceive him standing before an altar on which burns a sacrificial flame. He bends intently over it as he throws incense into the fire. Behind him is a landscape where a hot, burning sun beats down on a grassy plain. Herds of wildebeest and other animals roam among the grasslands. The sky is a deep, burning blue, but you see Michael through a curtain of flame-coloured light. As you watch, Michael starts to throw all your doubt and unbelieving, and feelings of unworthiness and unloveliness into the flames. He looks up and smiles at you as he does this, and you feel the chill of loneliness melt away as the flames enter you with positive energy.
The goddess is seated some little distance away, atop a small hill. Her gown is flame-coloured and her hair is auburn. Her goddess-power is passion, vigour, warmth, strength and energy. She holds out her hand to you, in which is the gift of loving and being loved as much as you desire, and more. She smiles at you as she invites you to cleanse your soul of the darkness that was put there by negative entities, and to let only power and strength dwell there.
Put the images of Michael and the goddess of love-power into your South wall, so that every time you look at it you feel the positive energy of love, which is your birthright. Note: if there is any opening, such as a door or window, in the South wall, it is important that you visualise the Angel standing (in the doorway or window), his back to the room, with drawn sword of flashing light, to turn back evil if it approaches.
in the West... the West is full of the soft, greenish-blue light of evening. The element is Water and the Angel is Gabriel. You perceive him standing on the shores of a blue lake. He gazes into the depths as he contemplates the sadness that pervades the world. He is cleansing the sadness in the waters of the lake and restoring the world to its former happy state. He looks at you and you feel his healing power removing the cause of your sadness.
The goddess is seated by a small rock-pool, in which are the reflections of sadness that has been, but is no more. She wears a green/blue gown, and her hair is light. Her goddess-power is compassion, sympathy, understanding, forgiveness and forgetfulness of the past. She holds out her hand to you, in which is the gift of compassion, for yourself as well as others. She smiles at you as she invites you to cleanse your mind and thoughts of the darkness of loneliness and despair that has been put there by negative entities, and to let only pure compassion, which includes understanding and acceptance of all things, dwell there.
Put the images of Gabriel and the goddess of compassion into your West wall, so that every time you look at it you feel the power of love and understanding. Note: if there is any opening, such as a door or window, in the West wall, it is important that you visualise the Angel standing (in the doorway or window), his back to the room, with drawn sword of flashing light, to turn back evil if it approaches.
in the North... the North is full of the clear grey light of a windy day, when there is no Sun. The element is Earth and the Angel is Uriel (Oor-i-ell). You perceive him standing in front of the entrance to a cave, in a rocky landscape. He is surrounded by animals, of every size and description, some real, some other-worldly. Look at the crowd of animals closely, to see if you can spot your own totem animal. Move closer, and then walk among them if you can’t, until one of them comes up to you, or seems to be looking at you, or otherwise singles you out, perhaps landing on your shoulder, if a bird, or rubbing against your leg, or butting you from behind.
Uriel is contemplating the animals, true heirs of the Earth, and asking us to learn from them. They have qualities and ways we have lost, and one of them has been assigned to teach you this knowledge. If not now, then in the future when you are ready to receive it. Uriel lifts his head to look at you, and you feel his blessing, which is to know and understand all things, and then make the best practical use of resources.
The goddess is within the cave, where she spins, weaves, and creates beautiful things out of the materials of the earth. She wears a brown gown, and her dark hair has a circlet of flowers in it. Her goddess-power is practicality, rationality, sensibility, steadfastness. She is wise in all things, and knows what to do in any situation. She invites you to call on her whenever you are perplexed, and to meditate until an answer comes. She holds out her hand, in which is an egg, symbol of the miracle of new life. She asks you to respect all life-forms, including yourself, as she promises to keep you free from the torment of negative entities that have so far stopped you achieving your full potential, and to go forward with confidence into a new future.
Put the images of Uriel and the goddess of practical wisdom into your North wall, so that every time you look at it you feel the power of positive energy. Note: if there is any opening, such as a door or window, in the North wall, it is important that you visualise the Angel standing (in the doorway or window), his back to the room, with drawn sword of flashing light, to turn back evil if it approaches.
when you are done cleansing the four walls and putting the imagery of the four elements into them, take time to sit on the bed, which if possible should be in the centre of the room, and centre yourself within the universe you have created.
be aware... that when you were born, each planet was in one of the four quarters of the sky, and identifies with the power and symbolism of its compass direction...
If you can find out, from an astrologer, which quarter of the sky each of the planets was in when you were born, you can include symbols of them in the archangel and goddess areas.
the planets are.... Venus (love, pleasure), Mercury (thought, versatility), Sun (ego), Jupiter (expansion). Mars (energy drives), Saturn (self-limitation), Neptune (visualisation and deception), Pluto (Fate), Moon (emotions), Uranus (individuality)
now that you have centred yourself within your universe, it is time to turn your attention to...
the gods behind the north wall. You will remember that I told you in the beginning that the gods are in the north. It is now time to pay your respects to the Nature God and Goddess. No ritual is complete without this, as without asking their blessing everything you have done up to now is invalid.
face the north point of the compass remember this may be a corner of the room or a whole wall. Visualise a Gateway with tall towers. Perhaps they have ornate decoration, or a stone animal or bird on top. They are as you see them. There is a Guardian of the Gate. His name is Boreas, the North Wind. Ask him for permission to approach. When he lets you through you find yourself in a forest glade, and you know that you are in the presence of Pan, the ancient God of the Woods, and his consort, Gaia, Queen of the Earth. You may not see them, as they are too powerful for mortals to perceive, but they are there and they can hear you. Ask them whatever is in your heart to ask them after performing your ritual. It will be pure and will be answered. Ask them to protect you and bring their spiritual strength into your life and home, and those you love. Ask them for the grace to believe in the cleansing power of love.
when you have said all you wish.. retire from the presence and return to yourself on the bed. Note: if you have moved the bed for the ritual now is the time to return it to its usual place.
now is the time... to name your presiding deity, who will remain at all times floating above the bed near the ceiling. This deity will protect you from all harm, and no evil influence will ever come near you again once s/he is installed. The deity can be any god, or saint, from any tradition. If you don’t have one in mind, do a little study in the library until you find one that suits you. Take a minute or two, look up at the ceiling, and imagine your saint or god floating there. Speak to him/her, ask for their blessing and that they will remain to guide and guard you.
now perform the protection ritual over your sleeping place. Stand in the centre of the bed, and extend your hand fully in front of you. If you have a sword, or a knife that you like, use that. But it should be something you have had about you for a long time, don’t go buying anything for the purpose. If you have nothing, it doesn’t matter, a pointed finger and a visualised sword are all you need.
Now perform the protection ritual by swinging your fully extended arm in a wide arc above, around and below you in all directions, creating a pattern like the segments of an orange, with you in the centre. You will have to imagine the final part of the sweep beneath the bed, as you cannot physically do this. The orange should surround you completely on all sides. This is the psychic protection sphere in which you will be safe from psychic attack whether from this world or another.
as a final act to seal the room.... sprinkle a mixture of salt and water round the perimeters of the room, then walk round with a candle or a stick of incense. Start in the east as before, and finish when the circle is complete. As you process, keep saying “let no evil enter here”.
finish by... thanking the gods, goddesses and archangels for being present. Reminder Check List the bare bones of the working ritual
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