1. Clean house
Don't overlook the impact a clean home has on the psyche and the manifestations you're wanting to bring in.
A lot of people run to their ancestors, buying liquor and cigars to make things right when their ancestors would love it if you cleaned up the room that houses the altar.
People love remembering their favorite uncle's generosity but neglect to remember that he was a stickler for a clean home! The chaos you've been experiencing isn't from a ‘monitoring spirit”, it’s from the collective energies you have kept in your home. Get rid of it!
To do list:
- Clean off surfaces
- Sweep floor (front to back)
- Wash clothes
- Pick up random papers, ashes, lashes, lipgloss whatever random thing you've left out to make it “easier for the next time” and put it away in its home
- Wash your front door
Do things, big or small, that give you the feeling of a fresh start. You don't have to wait til new years to get rid of people and habits that don’t align with the future you see for yourself.
This is even more vital if you have a home that often has guests coming in and out. Whether it's your kids coming home from school, allowing people to sleep over or throwing parties, energy lingers and it needs to be dispersed or redirected.
Common places we tend to overlook are the surfaces and counters that we use as a drop of station and the closet!
If you need to create room for your next manifestations, mop that floor and reorganize one of your messiest closets and take note of what happens next.
2. Smoke Cleanse
Choose some herbs that you feel will work with you. Examples:
- Rosemary
- Rue
- Lemongrass
- Lavender
Mix them together and light on top of charcoal disk in a heat safe container, and carry that container around home to cleanse each room.
Could also make a trip to local apothecary or metaphysical shop in order to pick up a premade cleansing bundle
Go around the home to open a few windows and begin.
Start from back of home and work your way to the front, allowing the smoke to permeate every corner.
Don't rush this process because you want to pay attention to the burn pattern of the smoke. Any place you notice the smoke getting darker and dense, either spend more time there or make plans to create a second herbal blend to get a deeper cleanse.
- Altar Prep
In my practice, at the bare minimum, I like to wash my altars and everything on it once a month. On a 3-7 day basis, I like to refresh the water or any perishable offerings laid on the table.
So at the start of every month, i create a mixture of:
- Rose of Jericho water
- Florida water
- A few drops Camphor oil
- Protection oil
To cleanse my altars, window seals and doorways. This practice creates space for a fresh start every month.
It’s especially important to keep your altars cleansed and protected because that is the portal where you meet your Spirits. Meaning, it’s technically a space where all spirits could have access to. This is also why prayer, consecration and naming your spirits is important when laying offerings to ensure its essence gets connected to the correct Spirit.
After cleansing, I pray to call my Spirits back in and lay out new offerings.
Could be as simple as:
- Glass of water
- Dedicated candle
- Flowers
- Coffee and some of my own breakfast
I light the candle and sit with them, enjoying their energy and the connection I feel with them. Oftentimes, I'll use this period to give myself readings and see about the month ahead.
4. Practice gratitude
If you haven't picked it up already, I love journaling because of the self reflection it inspires.
I like to write about the month that has ended and see if I accomplished any of the goals I set for myself.
I then go on to set my intentions for the month ahead and loosely plan any rituals I'd like to start along with the desired results.
I also take time to look at previous entries to see how far I've come. Sometimes we get so caught up in self improvement and hitting goals that we don’t give ourselves the chance to see how much we have already transformed.
I thank the Divine for the blessing of living another day and I give thanks to the angelic assistance I've received in the past, that allows me to be where i am today.
There's a saying “A witches work is never done” and if you're ambitious like me, then you know that to be true. I like to not only focus on the work I have yet to do, but the work I've already accomplished alongside my spirits.
What are some things you like to do at the start of each month? What rituals will you be integrating next?
Lastly, I want to say that any of the rituals above could be practiced during any phase of the moon or day of the week. At times, I will do the routine on a weekly basis if I feel it’s necessary. My practices changes shape depending on what season of life I'm in and what’s spiritually required of me at that time.