Modern Witchcraft: Beginners Guide

Exercises 301

Here are some additional cleansing, charging, and protection rituals to add to your toolbox. Additionally, I have provided instructions for a simple consecration ritual to bless your tools with.

Simple Smoke Cleansing Ritual

Perform this ritual for each new object that enters your craft e.g. a new tool like a wand, or a new spell ingredient like a jar or candle. It is also a good idea to perform this ritual on a regular basis for tools you use a lot (like a crystal necklace your wear a lot) or tools you haven't used in a while (like a tarot deck you haven't used for months). Heavy-duty cleansing rituals are best performed on a waning moon or full moon, but any moon phase should work just fine.

You will need:
> The object you want to cleanse
> Something to physically clean the object with (cloth, soapy water, etc)
> Incense, herb bundle, or essential oil diffuser
> Visualisation
> (Optional) moonlight, salt, or earth

1. Physically clean the object with an appropriate method. Make sure it is free of dust, dirt, and grime.
2. Choose an appropriate method with which to cleanse the object. Smoke or essential oil mist works in most cases, so that is what I will describe here. Light your incense or herb bundle, or set up your essential oil diffuser.
3. Hold the object over the smoke/mist, and bathe the object in it. Let the smoke/mist envelope the object.
4. As the object is bathed in smoke/mist, visualise the smoke/mist working to lift away any negative or stale energy. Imagine it diffusing through the object itself, picking up negativity and carrying it away.
5. (Optional) If you have more time on your hands, you can leave the object out in moonlight overnight. Alternatively (and if safe to do so) leave the object on a bed of salt, or bury it in earth for up to 3 days (or until it feels cleansed).

Tool Consecration Ritual

After a tool has been cleansed, you may choose to consecrate (bless) it. Consecrating is recommended when:
> you are a beginner witch
> the tool has been used by someone else
> the tool has been used for mundane purposes
> you've used the tool in a severe banishing or curse
> you've neglected the tool for a while

Whenever you feel it needs re-consecrating, perform the following ritual. Consecration rituals are best performed on the next new or full moon after cleansing the object.

You will need:
> Candle
> Incense, herb bundle, or oil diffuser
> Salt
> Small bowl of water

Instructions:
1. Set up the ritual space, then cast a psychic shield, sacred circle(1), or meditate for a few minutes.
2. Invoke the quarters (the four elements). Point in a cardinal direction and say, "Element of [earth/air/fire/water], please assist me during this ritual to consecrate [tool]." Repeat this for all directions.
3. Invoke preferred deities, saying: "[Deity] I ask you to join me as I consecrate this [tool] for magickal work." (Secular witches may skip this step, or invoke universal energies).
4. Light the candle and incense, and combine some salt with the water. Then place your hands on the tool and say: "I consecrate this [tool] for magickal purposes. It is released from all worldly energy and carries the energy of the elements."
5. Pass it over the candle flame, saying: "By the fire, it is blessed."
Pass it through the incense smoke, saying: "By the air, it is blessed."
Sprinkle saltwater on it, saying: "By the earth and the water, it is blessed."
Visualise each element filling the tool with its respective power.
6. Place your hands on the tool again and say: "This [tool] is consecrated by all the elements and by the will of the universe. May it bring me transformation, health, and wisdom. An' it harm none, so mote it be."
7. Thank the deities for joining you and then release them, saying: "Farewell and blessed be." (Secular witches may skip this step). Release the quarters in the same way, pointing in the cardinal direction of each element as you do so.
8. Lower your shield or open the sacred circle. Let the candle and incense burn down.
9. Grab a snack and drink some water - consecration rituals can be tiring for beginner witches.

Pentacle Protection Ritual

A quick and easy ritual to invoke protection onto yourself and your home using a pentacle. This involves standing in the centre of your home or sacred space and holding your pentacle with the pentagram facing outward for a few minutes in each direction (north, east, south and west) as you visualise and meditate on shielding and protecting with each element.

You will need:
> A moderately large pentacle made from wood, stone, clay, metal, or drawn on a piece of paper
> A place to stand and turn freely
> Basic meditation & visualisation skills
> About 5 - 10 minutes

Instructions:
1. Stand in the centre of the room, holding the pentacle out with both hands in front of you. Visualise the shielding and grounding powers of the earth element and say something like "Powers of Earth, shield this place and ground any negativity which approaches here".
2. Turn to the east and hold the pentacle out while meditating on the clearing energies of air. Say something like "Powers of Air, bring clarity of thought and deed to this place."
3. Turn to the south and hold the pentacle out while visualising the transforming and protective energies of fire, saying something like "Powers of Fire, burn away any negative energy and transform it into positive energy which can be used for good."
4. Turn to the West and hold the pentacle out while meditating on the calming qualities of water, say something like, "Powers of Water, bring emotional balance, compassion and serenity to this place."
5. Hold the pentacle down, facing the earth, and then bring it up in an arc to face the sky. Meditate on the balance and merging of physical and spiritual energies, and say something like, "As above, so below – all is within balance and cleansed. So Mote It Be."

Pentacle Cleansing Ritual

A no-fuss exercise to cleanse objects without smoke, water, sound, or moonlight. Ideal for beginners.

You will need:
> A moderately large pentacle made from wood, stone, clay, metal, or drawn on a piece of paper
> An object to cleanse
> Visualisation skills
> An entire night

Instructions:
1. Place the pentacle flat on your altar, pentagram side down.
2. Place the object in the centre of the pentacle and concentrate on the pentacle drawing down and out of the object any imbalance or negativity.
3. Leave the object on the upturned pentacle overnight.

Pentacle Charging Ritual

A simple exercise using a pentacle to aid with charging your magickal objects. Ideal for beginner witches developing energy work skills.

You will need:
> A moderately large pentacle made from wood, stone, clay, metal, or drawn on a piece of paper
> An object to charge
> Basic energy work & visualisation skills
> (Optional) crystals
> (Optional) an entire night

Instructions:
1. Place the pentacle flat on your altar, pentagram side up. If you want to, place some crystals on the pentacle to enhance your intent.
2. Set the object in the centre of your pentacle and concentrate on the energy with which you wish to fill the object (e.g. love, protection). Focus and place your hands a few inches over the object, while directing the energy into the object.
3. Let the object sit on the pentacle overnight or, if you feel satisfied that it is charged immediately, you can begin to use it at once.

Footnotes

(1) A sacred circle is a ritual employed by most Wiccans and many witches. It involves casting a magickal protective circle before beginning a ritual. It serves to protect the witch, separate the witch from the mundane world, and keep the magickal energy in until it is ready to be released. When a sacred circle is removed, this is known as "opening" the circle. The sacred circle will be expanded upon in a future chapter.