Magical Chores

[Libris]

Reading the "Kitchen Witch's Creed" made me think about the little magical touches we can give to make household chores meaningful. Probably the easiest is to be meditative and contemplative while doing them, i.e. I'm mopping the floor the cleanse my house etc... But still, you can't do this with every chore. Who can be meditative whilst cleaning a toilet?

Anyway here's the question: what ways do you make your housework magick?

I sometimes add alfalfa and cedarwood oil to my mop water to attract money and repel insects (double wammy!).

Also for those of you with young kids, do you do anything special when cleaning their rooms?

Thanks!

[shuvanilu]

Well, of course sweeping is always a magickal thang, right? I also sprikle lavender on carpets before I vacuum them to add positive and protective vibes. I do regular house blessing with inscense and blessed salt water. Sprinkle angelica around beds for happy dreams....sew dream pillows with herbs specific to what the family member needs help with. Draw pentagrams and solar crosses over doorways and windows with essential oils. Add a little to the wash too.---shuvanilu

[Nitefalle]

I sprinkle baking soda on carpet - I think it has a cleansing & purifying effect just like salt, though to a slightly lesser degree. I also chant over my laundry as I pour liquid detergent in anti-clockwise:

"By the powers of Frigga, hearth & home,
I banish negativity from these clothes"

[Zephyrstorm]

I sings certain songs about life and love while I clean house sometimes, something I consider to be a very magical act. My mother taught it to me, and her mother to her. It fills the house with a feeling that's hard to miss.

And Being fully present in the way that some of the laborous cleaning makes me feel can be a magical moment. I do that a lot with cleaning the tub. heh.

[Gemmagic]

One thing that makes housework more magical for me is using environmentally friendly cleaning products. I love knowing that I am keeping a clean house (to make it a nice environment to live in and keep me, my boyfriend and our visitors healthy and happy) without putting anything down the sink and into the waterways that could harm the earth.

Doing chores is definitely very meditative. I haven't really used housework to do any spells (should try that sometime!), but there's nothing like that feeling when the house is clean and tidy and the energy feels soooo good!

Cooking is another big one. I sometimes use different ingredients for their magical properties, but mostly I just focus on honouring the lives of the plants and animals that died so that we can eat, and I also focus on how what I am doing is nurturing the bodies of those who are going to eat it. I put a lot of love into my food! :blowcandl

[Tanya]

since we live on a construction site, and burn wood to keep warm, sweeping better be a magical experience or I would feel like a drudge about it. While I sweep i meditate on the bad feelings, and itrritation in the house and tied them to the dust i'm sweeping out.

As far as making things more magical. we are big and environmentally friendly cleaning. What could be more loving and aware of the Goddess in our daily lives.

When I dust, I sprinkle a few drops of essential oil on the rag. Dusting my daughter's room, I let her pick the oil. She likes spearmint.

I bake a lot and I love comming in the door and smelling spices. It says to me "this is a HOME where love is."

:)

[Libris]

Those are all awesome ideas, thanks! Sometimes I sprinkle baking soda on the carpet when I vacuum, especially if its smelling musty in our basement apartment. I used to sing when I cleaned but since we live in an apartment with thin walls I feel really self conscious about it now. My problem is I just go into robot maid mode when its cleaning time. I really like the idea of being "present" when doing chores. I'll have to force myself to snap out of it next time I clean.

[Xirian]

Before I vacuum I crush dried mint into my hands and sprinkle it on the carpet, it's smells good and it is a protection herb as well.

When I mop the kitchen, or should I say, when my boyfriend mops the kitchen, we use vinegar and a bit of dish soap. It disifects and fairly non-toxic.