CLEANSE AND CONSECRATE

By Fullmoon Cat

The first step a person should take before using an object in magical or ritual practice is to cleanse and consecrate it. This will remove any residual negative energy on or within the object as well as aligning the energy of the object to its intended purpose. The following is a quick and basic cleansing and consecration instruction:

Before creating your sacred space for the cleansing/consecration ritual, gather the following items together:

-A pentacle (of any sort, even drawn on paper, preferably large enough to set things on)
-A candle, preferably white
-Salt, rock or table
-A basin or bowl of water
-Incense
-Items needing cleansed and consecrated
-A small cloth or towel, used to dry items
-A lighter or matches, keep on your person

For beginning practitioners, this may be your very first ritual ever, since all ritual tools should be cleansed and consecrated before using them in a ritual. In this case, you will not be using any of your tools in the ritual.

Once you have gathered your items together, arrange them in a circle in the following manner:

-Container with salt in the north
-Incense in the east
-Candle in the south
-Basin of water in the west
-Pentacle in the middle
-Items needing cleansed, and your cloth, near the pentacle

Now it is time to create your sacred space. If you have a cleansed and consecrated athame, use it. Otherwise, use the index finger of your dominant hand. Standing just north of your container of salt, point at the ground and visualize a bright blue line of energy coming from your athame or finger to the ground. This energy will be set out for the purpose of creating a bubble or shield around your working space that will not allow outside energy in or inside energy out unless you specifically direct it. The inside of this circle is sacred space, completely separate and protected from the outside world. Keep this in mind while you walk around your circle clockwise, directing the energy at the ground as you walk. Walk along the outside of the items you have placed around your circle so that all of them are contained within your sacred space. Once you have walked all the way around the circle, directing your energy at the floor as you go, complete the circle in the north. Visualize this bright, blue energy that is now in a circle all around the space you have created, how this energy sets your space apart from the rest of the world, pure and protected. This circle is actually a sphere around, above, and below you.

Now it is time to call the quarters. "The quarters" are embodiments of the four elements, sometimes referred to as "elementals." They bring with them the pure power of the element they represent. It is crucial to have this support, as all magic works with natural energy comprised of the four elements. The elements are associated with the four directions, so after you have called them they will stand at the four points of your circle lending their power to you at the appropriate times. It should already be obvious at this point which element is associated with which direction, based upon the object laid out around your circle, but I will mention it anyway:

-East = Air
-South = Fire
-West = Water
-North = Earth

To call the quarters, begin at the east. Walk to the eastern point of your circle and say "I call upon you, guardians of the east, guardians of air. Come and lend your power and protection to my ritual." Imagine the embodiment of the element of air. What would that look like? Visualize this air guardian completely, and feel it rushing in from the east into your ritual space to stand just beyond your Incense.

Repeat this at each of the 4 points of your circle with the appropriate element. Air, then fire, then water, then earth. After calling air, light your Incense. After calling fire, light your candle. Finally, stand in the middle of your circle by your pentacle, facing north, and call upon Divine energy. For me, this is the Lord and Lady. For you, it may be different. This is a personal relationship to the Divine, so you should say something that is personal to you. Call upon Divine energy to come into your ritual space and lend its energy as well.

Now you are ready to cleanse and consecrate your items. The first step, which you will only have to do one time regardless of the number of items you have to cleanse, is combining salt with water to create "holy water" or "the water of life." This is a combination of the water and earth element, symbolic of creation and cleansing. Take a pinch of your salt and put into your basin of water. Mix this salt into the water with the index finger of your dominant hand, visualizing the energies of earth and water combining to become cleansing and pure.

Take the first item you wish to cleanse in your hand. Take a small amount of your holy water on your fingers and place it on your item. say the following:

"I cleanse and consecrate this item with the elements of earth and water"

Next, pass the item above the flame of your candle. Say:

"I cleanse and consecrate this item with the element of fire"

Pass the item through the smoke of your Incense. Say:

"I cleanse and consecrate this item with the element of air"

Finally, set the item on your pentacle. Say:

"I cleanse and consecrate this item with the element of spirit"

Place your dominant hand upon the item and feel the energy pass from all 4 points and the center of your circle, into your body, and then into the item. Visualize this energy as a pure, white light bathing the item. Feel the negative energies burning away from the item, being replaced with only pure energy. Visualize the purpose of this item, what it will be used for by you in your ritual workings. That is now the only purpose of this item. It is sacred.

Dry off all holy water from the item (you may actually wish to do this immediately with some items, if salt corrosion is a risk). Set the first item aside and repeat this process with all other items.

Now it is time to close your circle. First, dismiss the quarters and the divine. To do this, begin in the north point this time. Say "Thank you, guardian of the north, guardian of earth, for lending your power to my ritual. Merry part, until we meet again." Go counterclockwise, repeating this process. First earth, then water, then fire, then air. After you dismiss fire, snuff the candle. After you dismiss air, snuff your Incense. Finally, stand in the middle of the circle and thank The Divine, using your personal judgment.

Go back to the northern point of the circle. Now you will be removing the circle from around your sacred space, turning it back into mundane space. Using your athame or finger again, point at the ground. This time, visualize the blue energy you sent out in the beginning coming back into you. Walk around your circle counterclockwise, taking this energy back. End at the northern point again, your circle is gone. Say "This circle is open, but not broken. So mote it be."

You're done!