Every spring, I feel a real "pull" towards my broom, when I am bitten, not by the urge to fly, but to clean house. Before anyone asks "what's so strange about that?" Let me explain: In my home, sometimes the "lived in look" goes on to the "no survivors" stage and I am liable to wait for an auspicious sign from Hestia before I disturb the dust bunnies that slumber beneath my couch. According to legend, brownies, in exchange for gifts of food, perform useful chores around the house. I have tried, without success to entice them into my home. In short, I am a less than meticulous housekeeper, and washing walls is not one of my favoured pastimes.
None the less, there are times when even I harken to the call of the Spring Cleaner. Perhaps it's the need to purge the house of sluggish winter energies, or an unconscious stir to action with reawakening earth. But Spring is the time to houseclean, and rework or refresh protective magicks in the home.
It is a good idea to make a conscious effort to "monitor" the energies within the home at any time. Look around; are normally flourishing houseplants starting to droop? Are occupants of your home snapping at each other more than usual, and for no apparent reason? Do you get unexpected fetid odours from no perceivable source? Any of these, or just a general feeling of sluggish or oppressive air, is a sign that some energy house cleaning is in order.
The easist way to do this is to incorporate a drop or two of the appropriate oil into the washbucket: lavender, lemon, clove, sandalwood, cinnamon and rose geranium are all good. Each of these will act as a purification, protector to the home. Use this water to wash walls and floors not only in the spring, but when ever one needs a magickal "boost". However, it is important to remember to add only about 2 - 4 drops of any of these oils to the wash water. In the first place, good oils are expensive, and a little goes a long, long way.
Also, high concentrations of these oils could cause damage to wood or painted surfaces. It is also a good idea to burn a black candle right down to the socket to absorb negativity. Bury the melted candlewax in the earth to "ground" it. If you are not comfortable with a black candle, as some people are not, then a white one may be used instead. The above techniques are very useful in clearing away any general "malaise" that may linger in the home.
If you use herbal amulets for protection, now is the time to renew them. Discard the old herbs by scattering or burying them in the earth, with appropriate thanks for their help. Make new ones from herbs and flowers gathered (or bought if necessary) for the purpose. A protective herbal amulet may incorporate one or more of the following herbs: rose, lilac, dill, basil, lavendar, pine needles, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orris root, or calamus. For more information on the magickal properties of herbs, I highly recommend the late Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs as one of the best books of it's kind.
If gem and crystal magick is your preference, it might be a good time to cleanse them as well. Give them a bath in salt water (sea salt is best), then "charge" them by leaving them one day in the sunlight and one night in the moonlight to clear and restore their energies. Sometimes, though, there is not time to clear and restore them properly, and a quick "bandaid" solution is just to immerse your stones in running water - even the bathroom faucet will do - to take most of the "ick" away. However, it is a good idea to treat them to a complete cleanse and charge a couple of times a year.
Finally, when all is said and done, take a few quiet moments to meditate and "commune" with the spirit of your home. Allow yourself to revel in a sense of a job well done, and immerse yourself in the sensation of peace, tranquility and joy and allow these feelings to permeate throughout you and your home. Then treat yourself to a hot bath and a cup of tea! You've earned it!
