| In my previous two articles in this series, I highlighted | | | | a Fire color, like sun yellow or bright red. |
| the importance of writing clear Directors and Limiters | | | | Cleansing Your Tools Magically |
| for your spell and choosing the right symbols for your | | | | To cast a strong magic spells, your magic tools need |
| spell. Paying attention to both of these will help you | | | | to be clean of junky energies. Consider what tools you |
| cast stronger magic spells. In this article, the third in the | | | | will need to launch your spell. Will you need a scrying |
| series, I cover the basics of cleansing yourself, your | | | | bowl, an Athame, a Wand, a firebowl, or a crystal? |
| tools, and your space when it comes down to casting | | | | Then consider how you will cleanse your tools. For |
| your spell. | | | | instance, some magicians store their crystals in pewter |
| The Importance of Magical Cleansing | | | | boxes to keep them clean. Others dunk their crystals |
| Casting a well-written spell in an area filled with junky | | | | in consecrated water or bury them in a garden for a |
| energy is like dining on a fine meal in the middle of a | | | | moon cycle to cleanse them. If you are going to use a |
| dog pound. It's totally incongruous and starts the spell | | | | Wand, decide whether you need to cleanse it by |
| off on the wrong foot. Don't do this! | | | | pulling it through the smoke of burning pine resin and |
| Magical cleansing is important for every aspect of | | | | sage. However you cleanse your magical tools, make |
| your spell, including yourself, your tools, and your space. | | | | sure they are clean and laid out before casting your |
| Most magical practitioners develop, over time, some | | | | spell. |
| kind of cleansing ritual that helps them prepare to | | | | Cleansing Your Space Magically |
| launch a spell. The bigger the spell (or the more you | | | | Creating sacred space is one of the most important |
| want the spell to accomplish) the more important it is | | | | factors in casting a strong spell. If you are going to be |
| to do a cleansing ritual. | | | | using one room in your house to launch your spell, such |
| Cleansing Yourself Magically | | | | as your altar-room, be sure to four-element cleanse it |
| As a being, you are a Spirit with a body and a mind. | | | | before launching your spell. This includes smoking it |
| Before launching a spell it is important that you cleanse | | | | with burning pine resin and sage, as well as flicking |
| all of these three parts of yourself. Personal cleansing | | | | consecrated water on the walls. In addition, some |
| is, well, a very personal matter, and you should give | | | | practitioners like to cleanse the space energetically |
| some thought to how you want to do this. | | | | with their athame, sweeping the area clean of any |
| Your personal cleansing might include a meditation to | | | | junky psychic residue. |
| settle the mind, an invocation to your personal guides | | | | As with all magical acts, take your time and be sure to |
| and totems to support your Spirit, and a lovely scented | | | | cleanse yourself, your tools, and your space thoroughly |
| bath to cleanse your body. Some people also like to | | | | and carefully before launching your spell. A spell cast in |
| cleanse themselves with the smoke of burning sage | | | | a clean environment will encounter far less resistance |
| and pine resin, plus consecrated water. Other people | | | | and produce better results. |
| like to use essential oils and candles. Once you have | | | | Learning how to use, cleanse, and maintain magical |
| cleansed yourself, consider clothing yourself in special | | | | tools like the Wand, Athame, Chalice, Place, and |
| ritual garb for launching your spell. Choosing clothing in | | | | Firebowl are important to proper spell work. I suggest |
| colors relevant to the purpose of your spell always | | | | you learn more about these tools and how to use |
| helps. For instance, if you want a lot of power, choose | | | | them before doing heavy spell work. |