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View Full Version : Lesson 9 Home and Space Blessings



~Elise~
August 29th, 2006, 06:26 AM
The hearth and home are often safe, sacred spaces in pagan traditions. The home can be a private retreat, a place to recharge, and a blessed spot to gather. A house can be just a shelter, but the concept of “home” implies nourishment, abundance, strength, community, and more. Energizing and tending to one’s home can enrich daily life and lay a foundation from which greater magickal workings can flow.

The greatest attention to house energies often comes when moving to a new residence. This is often a special focus of apartment dwellers, where the tenants not only turn over more often, but the previous residents are rarely met and are assumed to not have the same respect for the space as an actual owner might show. Many new homeowners would like to not only honor their accomplishment at purchasing a home but bless their new space and having a small ritual often brings that essential feeling of “mine.”

It doesn't need to be a new, recently purchased house or apartment for it to warrant a home blessing ceremony.... You may love your place, have no reason to move, but you just ended a relationship and want to clear the space....
Maybe you threw a big party and people were smoking, or perhaps some of the guests weren't welcome....
This can also be done on your office space--you just have to be a little more discreet, (or sometimes a LOT discreet)

No matter the reason, whether to clean up, shake things up, open up new possibilities, or close yourself off from unwanted energies, a home-blessing ceremony will make it easier for you to connect with your space, and to help transform it into your special sanctuary.
To create a joyful and loving environment; to infuse your home with feelings that evoke peace, refuge, comfort and harmony; to bring in new energy, a home-blessing — performed alone or with friends — is all you need!




Try This...
Fill a plate with freshly picked red rose petals, which serve to generate warm, joyful, abundant vibrations in the home. Place a white candle in the center to invite clarity, spiritual guidance, and the brilliant light of God into your household. Set it on the altar in a spot of your choice and light the candle.

Many people like to set up a few blessed objects or a small altar when they first start moving into a new space. Making a small focused area with a spiritual focus is much like carrying an ember to start a new fire. Moving into a new residence is also a good time to honor any new changes you are attempting to manifest along with other new beginnings (starting a new family, a new job, living in a new city, etc.)
Tradition in my household for moving into a new space is to have all members of the new household cross the threshold first. We bring in three items: a container of salt, a loaf of bread (or its equivalent), a bottle of wine. (PS…you need have something to open the wine with and glasses to drink out of…voice of experience here)
The salt is for protection--I keep this container of salt on a high shelf and it is never opened. I have moved this container through three households now. We break the bread saying May we never hunger. We drink the wine (or sparkling grape juice) saying May we never thirst.
The house is then smudged opening all cabinets, drawers, etc making sure that smoke gets into every corner. The chant/spell that is used is one I got from Francesca DeGrandis in Be A Goddess:

Goddess within,
Goddess without
Make a circle all about
Bring love in; keep evil out

Here is another blessing/ritual that I’ve not tried, but looks decent:


First, mix equal parts of
Thyme
powdered garlic
rosemary
sage
cloves
After you have mixed the above well sprinkle it around your home while chanting:
Magic wheel twist magic wheel turn
round this house this spells begun
all fights against evil my battle be won
mother goddess shine your light on this place
this (day) night protect the occupants protect this home
with harm to none this me will be done.
The following two were taught by Selena Fox:

A home blessing meditation for charging a room:

Sit Straight with palms on lap, take deep breaths, relax, and move into a mental space where you activate your intuitive senses,
Imagine a cord of energy from your spine connecting you to the Earth, and channel energy from the Earth through it,
Silently ask for divine protection, guidance, and blessing,
Direct your psychic sensing outward, and feel lines of force coming out of your aura,
Note where the strongest energy is (check out the floor, ceiling, directions, etc.), Note spots that feel empty or dead, note places that feel full alive, focus on where you are sitting and how you feel at that particular spot,
Imagine a sphere of light and love energy at your heart, feel it pulsing outward with every breath.
Feel the radiance increase with every breath, feel your self as a star, continue to breathe deeply and send out the energy, letting it pulsate in the room,
When ready, start making power sounds representing the love and light you are channeling; use it to amplify the light you are weaving; and fill the room with the energy,
Then shift focus to sending a probe out into the room, and note the differences in the quality of energy and how you feel about it,
Repeat if necessary,
When done, feel the completeness of the work. A room blessing involving elemental quarter invocations:

Face each direction (with arms out in appropriate elemental invoking gesture), and say, while channeling and visualizing elemental power: Powers of (say direction),
Powers of (say corresponding element),
We great you, we honor you, we welcome you here!
Watch over and bless and protect this place.

After each invocation, shape the energy into columns of light by sweeping ones arms together until they are parallel and sweeping them up and down while channeling and shaping the energy,
When the energy is properly shaped, say so "mote it be."
After you have done all four quarters, channel in spirit energy. To return the energy to a more mellow state while energizing yourself, put your hands out and take in a bit of the energy into your self from each direction, going widdershins, hold hands to your heart and take in the energy (techniques also exist for bringing it into a stone and retrieving it when needed).

Here is another one:
Take white rags, natural brooms, or anything else that you feel drawn to as a symbolic cleansing "tool," and walk all through the house, chanting or singing about how you are clearing away the old. Visualize this old energy returning to the earth or to the sun to be recycled. You can prepare something to read in advance about this, or you can simply allow everyone to contribute as they feel moved. It might sound something like this:

"We clear this home of all that has gone before..."
"We clear away the old, we wash away all that lingers here..."
"It is blank, and clear, and rich with potential..." etc...

You can have one person drumming a beat as you go along, and everyone singing or chanting or talking out loud to get the team focused on the same intention in a powerful way. Move through the house, pretending to "clean" the energy, and then after you've gone all through the house, go to a door and pretend to sweep out all you've collected, and to shake out your rags and otherwise "cleanse" your tools. Wipe your hands, and affirm that now the space is clear and clean, it is done.
Walk through the house a second time celebrating the clean energy, appreciating how clear your home now is. Feel the difference, and affirm it. Imagine this clarity and pure potential expanding out past the four walls, into the yard, and to the edges of the property. Imagine bright white or iridescent light filling the property, and breathe deep of this pure potential with gratitude and satisfaction.
Now walk through the home a third time singing a song of love, joy and appreciation. You can make up your own song as you go along, or sing a song such as "Amazing Grace" or any other uplifting and inspiring song. Sing or chant of all the things you wish in your home: of abundance, love, good friends, good health, warmth, and comfort. Do not focus on protecting your home or on anything you don't want. Simply establish that this is a safe, warm, secure home, and only those people or influences in harmony with this love and joy will enter, and they will enter abundantly. Sing, dance, and celebrate this overflowing positive energy as it swells and fills the dwelling. You can tone, dance or drum to raise more energy to feed this fire. The point is to get everyone powerfully focused upon and feeling this joyful energy.
When this part of the ritual naturally dies down, gives thanks, celebrate, break bread, drink wine or pure water, and smile with the knowing that your home is newly invigorated with beautiful and joyful energy!


http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34628.asp (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34628.asp)
www.spellsandmagic.com/Home_blessing.html (http://www.spellsandmagic.com/Home_blessing.html)
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Space_Clearing/id/35197 (http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Space_Clearing/id/35197)

~Elise~
August 29th, 2006, 06:27 AM
Perform a home and/or space blessing. Tell us what you did and what you feel the results were.

All homework from this and ALL previous lessons needs to be complete and posted here in the appropriate threads by Sept 26, 2006 to graduate with honors from this class.

It has been a pleasure teaching you!

Elise

Sobeq
September 4th, 2006, 08:17 AM
I modified the house blessing using the herb recipe for use in my dorm. I didn't sprinkle the herbs around -- instead I carried them around in a bottle of water, in a circle counterclockwise three times, saying all evil, hate and bad be removed from the room. I then went to both the front door and the bathroom door (I'm in a suite) and moved the bottle in the shape of a rune for protection. I briefly reinforced the working with a visualisation excercise of the room being shielded. Then I tucked the bottle of herbs and water under my bed, next to my witches' bottle.

I'll get back to you in a few days to let you know how it worked!

~Elise~
September 17th, 2006, 02:52 PM
It's been AWFULLY quiet in here--are y'all still alive?

Elise

Brightshores
September 17th, 2006, 03:49 PM
Still alive here anyway... :wave:

Sorry for the delay on my part - I was having trouble formulating what I wanted to do - none of the examples were really inspiring me.

What I think I'm going to do..

-Smudge my house once again
-Mix essential oils (cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, and lemon), salt, and water, and draw protective symbols on all my windowsills and doors
-Ask for blessings with a verse I just found/edited this morning at
http://www.brigids-haven.com/bos/food/blessing.html (http://www.brigids-haven.com/bos/food/blessing.html)

Brighid’s Blessing (edited a bit by me)

May Brighid bless the house wherein we dwell
Bless every fireside, every wall and door.
Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof.
Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy.
Bless every soul within with peace and health and love.
May Brighid bless the house that shelters us.


I'm planning on doing this tomorrow morning, and will post the results after that, if that's OK.

Sobeq
September 17th, 2006, 08:25 PM
Just an update -- I also mixed a similar mixture to what I put in the original bottle, strained it, put it in a spray bottle, and spritzed it in my room at home, where I've been having way too many nightmares to be healthy. I'm not sure what's going on... I'll check back in tomorrow to let you know if anything worked.

Brightshores
September 19th, 2006, 02:52 PM
I just completed my House Blessing ritual... I meant to do it yesterday but got called into work unexpectedly.

I basically followed the structure I posted earlier, except I changed the end a bit due to an unexpected spiritual experience yesterday. Anyway - I spoke the Brighid prayer, but then I raised my arms and welcomed all gods and spirits of good will and positive energy into my home. I closed it by saying "So may it be" three times. I then grounded myself - I don't know how to put it exactly, but I was feeling lightheaded and "up in the air" somehow. (Sorry for being a bit vague - I'm still quite new at this whole ritual thing.)

It feels really lovely in here now - the whole house smells softly of cinnamon and cedar. I feel a sense of love and purity in the house. I'm really glad to have done this. I'm curious to see if my husband will sense a difference when he gets home!

Anyway - Elise, I wanted to thank you for this class. I really feel that I've learned a lot and will be able to use this information every day as I walk my spiritual path. Thank you very much - it's been wonderful to have you as a teacher! And thank you everybody else - I've learned a lot from all of you as well!
:colorful:

~Elise~
September 19th, 2006, 06:40 PM
Awesome--glad the house feels great to you.

As for using in your spiritual practice everyday--THAT is why I teach the class! Even though I always start with 30 or so--I only have 10 or so that usually stick it out and actually do the work, but those people are why I keep teaching.

Elise

Sobeq
September 19th, 2006, 11:12 PM
Well, my nightmares at home went away. And I sprayed my dorm, too, and everyone's been commenting on how very nice my dorm smells :) how nice!

I really have enjoyed this class. There's alot here that I know I will use very often. I'm glad I decided to take it, and I'm glad you decided to offer it! Lots of this stuff is going to come in handy allll through my life. I'm glad I took it now as I'm just starting college!

slntmom
September 22nd, 2006, 06:58 AM
i did a house blessing using sage before i began i cleaned every inch of the house than i opened every window and door and walked through each and every part of the house with the sage after i walked through every room with the sage i left the windows and doors opened for another ten minutes to allow any negative energy to leave

Skylah
September 24th, 2006, 09:40 AM
First I charged an herbal sachet (equal amounts of yarrow, hawthorn berries, elder, mint, dracaena).

Next, I carried four lodestones through my appartment widdershins, while chanting "Lodestones absorb all that is bane, That no harmful energies remain". I then burried the lodestones outside.

I then carried a sweetgrass smudge stick, deosil, waving the smoke into every nook and cranny, chanting "Sweetgrass draw in, invite, Good energies of love and light, Safe for all within; as this my rite, Protection through each day and night".

I then took my herbal sachet and hung it above our appartment door.



It feels lighter in here now, and I actually feel better even though I felt good before.... It's hard to express.

Thank you for all you've taught me, especially for the confidence you've given me to be able to help myself and family.

Sage WindMoon
September 24th, 2006, 02:26 PM
Here is what I did:

First I opened up the windows in my house, and then I carried incense through each room in a counter-clockwise direction. As I went through each room wafting the smoke, I stated my intent to push out any harmful energy and invite in beneficial energy.

After this was complete, I made a mixture of the following herbs/spices:

sage
rosemary
cloves
thyme

and put them in a small pan of water. I put the pan on the stove to let it simmer so the fragrances of the herbs would travel throughout the house. Now my house is not only protected and blessed, but is smells pretty good too!

Philosophia
September 25th, 2006, 10:41 PM
I performed a space blessing around my altar and desk.
To begin, I cleaned the whole area and removed any “rubbish”, dust and anything left piled up that I no longer need. I then did every nook and space, books, paper, and objects left lying around. After each clean, I would blow on it and pass it through sage incense. This added the extra boast of protection and cleansing energy.
Following this, I meditated and ask the Goddess for guidance in my work. I began my cleansing the areas around my desk and altar surface with incense. I picked up my besom and started sweeping the surfaces, while chanting “Vesta light, flames a bright, elements abound, homeward sound.”
As soon as I had done this, I then wiped down the surfaces with water blessed by the moon. After this, I then started replacing the objects on my desk and altar.
I then put on a drum beating CD and begin to raise energy, simply chanting “Oya”. It’s an easy way for me to create the atmosphere needed. Afterwards I open the windows and move the energy outside into the open air. It helps to lift the stagnate energy that gets stuck.
When I finished this, I began to cleanse the areas with Myrrh, lavender and sage. My desk got an extra dose of sandlewood for concentration and studying.
Following this, I felt the room become a lot more brighter and uplifting. It felt like a renewal of energy had occurred and I knew that I wanted to be in my bedroom a lot more because of this.
Strangely enough, it began affecting the rest of the house and I sensed that a lot of tension was gone.

~Elise~
October 1st, 2006, 07:01 PM
Banners have gone out via PMs to both Graduates with Honors and Graduates.

You can still finish the class and get a banner for graduating... just finish up your work and post in the threads.

You might PM me when you post in the threads just so I know to look for your posts. I'm deleting subscriptions to the threads, but not the forum.

Thanks for participating in the class... hope you learned what you needed. I know I learned some new stuff from y'all.

Next round will start in November probably.

Elise

Kmartin60
October 2nd, 2006, 04:07 PM
:boing: Finally did the last piece! (Although will probably redo it!) frowns at self....:yayah: I went and cleaned all around my altar, then took time to make sure I was grounded and shielded well...then lit a candle, and bowed and called to each direction and basicly cant even remember what all I chanted but basicly along the lines of any guardians, powers, or ?, that found favor with me or found me worthy and honorable enough that they would come in and be welcome and guard this home...and It went on for a while! Cant remember all but felt rather euphoric when done! (Got impression that dragon, fey, and maybe a ancestrial power also answered me) Just an impression, but? maybe!

Once was done went back around the circle thannking them, and finally taking any energy left and sending it into the ground. About once a week I plan on leaving a small treat on my altar for whoever is here as a thank you.

Now, wonder if I should re do my smudging and do all over? hmmmm :lol:

It just feels so good to be finally all cleaned out both physically and spirtually, and knowing all the wards and protections are up...been sleeping better than I have in years! :cheers: hahahahaa Like all the others have said, THANK YOU TEACH! You are awesome! :yikess: grins...will gladly take another class with you any day! :fpraise: 8O