Spiritual Cleansing

Spring is the traditional time to spiritually cleanse your home. It seems to be an innate part of human nature to cleanse home and hearth in the spring time. Historically many world cultures have traditions of spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is actually thought to predate recorded history.

Every year I practice spiritual cleansing of my entire home. From the time of Imbolic (February 1-2) until mid-April I clean every nook and cranny of my home from top to bottom. Imbolc marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

From Imbolc until the task is completed, usually by mid-April, I take time to spiritually cleanse my entire home, using certain essential oils and rituals that set the tone for the astrological new year that begins at the spring equinox.

I cross this bridge from the dark days of winter to the days of light in the northern hemisphere with renewed inspiration that my spiritual cleansing practices help to augment.

Some people do their spiritual cleansing and spring cleaning all in one go. I prefer to deep clean one area of my home at a time, usually on one week-end day per week. This way I add only an hour, or so to my usual weekly sprucing up of my home.

You can also have your cleaning crew practice this same routine for you in the spring. Then incorporate your own cleansing rituals to amplify the results.

Tradition of Spring Cleaning

When you perform a thorough spiritual cleansing each year you are in effect clearing and transmuting the energy of your home. This transmutation process entails dusting beneath furniture and under area rugs, as well as removing dust, dirt and grime from those top shelves in your kitchen and closets. Removing spider webs and dust from the corners and ceiling areas frees up and renews while also raising the frequency of energy in your home. Spring time is also the time to declutter your closets and throw away, or recycle things you no longer need or use. Think of it as making way for your new spring wardrobe.

Why Scent Is Spiritual

Religious organizations like the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches have practiced spiritual springtime cleaning rituals since ancient times. Frankincense is a favorite scent used in many religious ceremonies. The burning of incense is used in churches to elevate the senses and remind congregants of heaven.

The Jewish people have a tradition of spiritual cleaning in preparation for the springtime festival of Passover. They believe that, “The soul enjoys the sense of smell and it is spiritual.”

Scent is thought to reach the essence of the soul, which is always conscious and never sleeps. The soul revitalized by scent infuses new life into the body.

For many cultures spring cleaning is practiced annually at the end of the wet cold winter season. It’s a wonderful way to end the enclosed times of winter and prepare for the more open and sunny days of spring and summer.

Spring Cleaning & Energy Clearing Essential Oils

Clean, fresh scent is associated with spring cleaning rituals and essential oils are perfect for the task of clearing old, stagnant and stale energy from your home.

You’ll want to use the most powerful energy clearing oils in aromatherapy when doing your spiritual cleansing and energy clearing at springtime. Those essential oils commonly used by shamans and energy medicine healers to clear energy are the ones proven to be most effective for clearing energy. You can also use essential oils to charge the atmosphere of a room with pure positive energy that uplifts and inspires.

Additionally, freeing up energy through a spiritually cleansing and energy clearing ritual can really boost your prosperity and attraction quotient.

8 Time Tested Gold Standard Spiritual Cleansing  and Energy Clearing Oils

Each of these plant oils is well-known and have been used since ancient times for their powerful properties to clear, cleanse and detoxify. 

Each of these oils have potent astringent properties. The power of an astringent oil lies in its power to rid energy of any negative influence, no matter how sticky.  Nothing can stay around, when exposed to an astringent oil.  Think of lemon oil’s effect on chewing gum.

Astringent oils actively degrade sticky and grimy elements from surfaces and the air. That’s why the oils are so effective for clearing negative or stagnant energy that may be present in areas of your home.

Use these oils in every area of your home where energy can stagnate. Think of storage areas, basements, the garage. Where does energy need to circulate in your home?

Lemon (Citrus limonum) -  The scent is fresh, sweet, citrusy and fruity, Smells like fresh lemon. 

Lemon is an excellent cleanser, detoxifier and bodymind tonic. Its powerful astringent properties help cut through built up grease and grime in your kitchen.

Psycho-emotionally, Lemon also frees you from negative, obsessive, compulsive and repetitive thought patterns. When you want to lift and lighten your thoughts and emotions, inhale the scent of lemon.

Cautions: Skin sensitization if oxidized (recommend refrigeration). Phototoxic (low risk). Maximum dermal use level 2.0%. Citrus oils are considered phototoxic and care should be taken when using them in skin applications. Please avoid exposure to direct sunlight or sunlamps for up to 12 hours after use as pigmentation of the skin may result.⁵

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) - The scent is fresh, minty and sweet. Reminiscent of peppermint candy. 

Another powerful astringent oil, Peppermint rids the atmosphere of stagnant and stale odors. It also has a cooling effect on stressed out emotions like anger and frustration. 

Cautions: Peppermint cools by constricting your blood capillaries therefore please use in extremely weak dilutions. May be a mucous membrane irritant (low risk), choleretic (increases bile production liver), neurotoxic. Maximum dermal use level 5.4%. Research indicates that Peppermint Oil may aggravate GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), a type of heart burn. Due to its strong cooling action Peppermint should not be used by children under 2 1/2 years of age.⁶

Cypress - (Cupressus sempervirens) - Fresh, sweet, spicy and balsamic aroma. 

Another potent astringent oil, Cypress has a decidedly yang effect on the human energy system. It helps to stabilize and give direction during times of confusion. Considered a symbol for life after death, Cypress has been used since ancient times for ritual cleansing and to promote health. It's said the wood of a cypress tree was used to fashion Jesus's cross.

Cautions: Skin sensitization if oxidized (recommend refrigeration).

Juniper berry - (Juniperus communis) - Fresh, spicy and balsamic aroma.

Juniper berry’s astringent action acts fast to clear stale and stagnant energy from surfaces and the atmosphere. It has an excellent reputation as a powerful detoxifier and blood cleanser. It promotes healthy nerve function. Its regulating properties promote balance to conditions of excess.

Psycho-emotionally, if there’s been high drama in your living space, use Juniper berry to cleanse any leftover negative energy. It will free and purify you of negative emotions and is helpful for ridding negative habits.

Cautions: Skin sensitization if oxidized (recommend refrigeration).⁸

Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) - The complex scent is sweet, warm, balsamic, resinous and exotic with spicy notes. 

Used since ancient times for spiritual and emotional cleansing and support, Frankincense oil promotes integrity with your Self. It is helpful for meditative and spiritual practices like spiritually cleanisng your home space of old stagnant and stale energy.

Cautions: Skin sensitization if oxidized (recommend refrigeration).⁹

Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) - The scent is sweet, warm, spicy and radiant. 

To instantly lift the frequency of your home space, use Cinnamon leaf oil. Its warming, aphrodisiac and stimulating properties make it helpful not only for spiritual cleansing and energy clearing, but also for overcoming congested conditions like depression.

Cautions: Drug interaction, may inhibit blood clotting, skin sensitization (moderate risk), mucous membrane irritant (low risk). May contain safrole. Maximum dermal use level 1.0% based on safrole content. Maximum dermal use level 0.6% based on 87% eugenol content.¹º

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) - A warm, soft spicy aroma with slightly woody and dry notes, the aroma is similar to the scent of black pepper used in cooking. 

Black pepper’s potent astringent action makes it one of the best oils for spring cleaning. It helps break associations with the past and one of the best oils for overcoming bad habits like negative self-talk and smoking. Black Pepper promotes strength and stamina to the body, mind and emotions.

Sage (Salvia lavandulaefolia) - has a wonderfully herbal and camphoraceous aroma.

Sage has been used traditionally by many indigenous cultures to clear and cleanse negative energy. It has a very pervasive effect for clearing your emotional, energetic, mental, spiritual, and physical body. It is also one of the first oils to rely upon for removing stagnant stale energy from the atmosphere of your environment at home, in your office, your car and other spaces.

Cautions: Use in low dilutions of less than 1% as Black Pepper can be a skin irritant.¹¹

2 Potent Spiritual Cleansing & Energy Clearing Formulas

Use these spiritual cleansing and energy clearing formulas to raise the frequency of your space, as well as eliminate negative energy and stagnant and stale odors.

Spiritual Cleansing & Energy Clearing Formula #1

These formulas are a potent combination of “ancient holy” oils and oils with highly astringent properties.

To a 15ml (300 drops) euro-dropper bottle add drops of essential oil.

Lemon - 90 drops
Peppermint - 90 drops
Cinnamon leaf - 90 drops
Sage -30 drops

Spiritual Cleansing & Energy Clearing Formula #2

Lemon - 120 drops
Cypress - 90 drops
Frankincense - 60 drops
Black pepper - 15 drops
Juniper berry - 15 drops

Cap bottle tightly and shake vigorously to blend oils thoroughly together. Allow to synergize for 12 hours, or longer before using.

Directions for Making Spiritual Cleansing & Energy Clearing Waters

Here are the general guidelines for making your cleansing waters. 

What you will need:

• 1 quart - bowl or spray bottle
• 15ml (300 drops) EO cleansing formula
• 2 TBSP liquid unscented natural soap
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 TBSP sea salt
• Pure spring or freshly filtered water

Instructions

• Half fill your bowl or spray bottle with pure, fresh water
• Mix EO cleansing formula in unscented natural soap. Blend thoroughly together
• Add EO soap mixture to water and blend ingredients together
• Add vinegar to scented soap and water solution. Blend ingredients thoroughly together
• Add sea salts and mix thoroughly together
• Fill bowl or spray bottle with pure fresh water
• Stir ingredients together in bowl or insert spray top and shake bottle to blend ingredients together
• Use as needed for spiritual cleansing rituals and general household cleaning
  

Spiritual Cleansing & Spring Cleaning Ritual

Use this spiritual cleansing ritual, along with your cleaning waters to detoxify and cleanse your entire home. You may experience additional helpful benefits not only for the clearing of energy in your home, but also for yourself. This ritual can help free up trapped negative mental and emotional patterns.

Of course anytime is a good time to perform a spiritual cleansing and energy clearing ritual, but I recommend starting at the time of Imbolc, or at the first full moon after Imbolc. This is because the electro-magnetic energy of the waning moon that occurs after a full moon will have the effect of draining any psychic toxins from your home.

What you will need:

A white candle
Cleansing waters

Light your white candle before beginning your cleansing ritual. Focus on the flame for a moment to connect with the spark of your inner spirit.

Make a clear decision about what you want to clean in your home before starting each area. Reflect on how you want your home space to feel after you’ve finished cleaning.

If you like you can call upon the healing archangels Jophiel (Angel of Beautiful Thoughts) and Raphiel (God’s Chief Healing Angel) to assist you in cleansing, clearing and elevating the energy of a space.

Ask, “Holy and dear ones, please cleanse and clear this area of stagnant, stale and negative energy and elevate the energy in this space. After finishing your task be sure to thank the angels for their assistance. You can also request that they remain in the area to protect it from intrusion by negative influences.

As you begin to cleanse each area of your home see a radiant white light begin to fill the space. As you clean affirm, “What I cleanse away, stays away.”

Notice if you feel any emotional attachments or negative emotions surfacing while you’re cleaning and release them with your breath.  Sighing frequently is a good sign during your cleansing ritual and may naturally occur as you cleanse and clear energy from your home. The scent of the cleansing waters will also help you release any tension you may feel during cleaning.

As you finish cleansing and cleaning an area, you may feel a shift in energy and feel more open, light, clear and complete. Affirm, “It is done.”

When you’re complete with your spring cleansing be sure to flush any dirty cleaning waters down the toilet to complete the spiritual cleansing and energy clearing of your home.