Dear Friends,
I’ve referred to consecrating ritual items several times in this blog and I’m sure some of you are wondering just what the heck I’m talking about. Consecrating is the dual act of blessing and object and removing old energies from it. When we use items in rituals we want them to be energetically clean and imbued with our energy, and not the energy of the previous handler. When we touch things and live among them, our personal energy becomes imbued in the items. This is why our homes feel so comfortable to us. And why you can’t get a good night’s sleep when you are away from your own bed. Babies and young children are especially sensitive to these energies and that’s why many of them have favorite blankets, toys or stuffed animals that they need at all times. They are taking with them a bit of their own energy for comfort.Many items we use in ritual are filled with magickal energy that is then released. This released energy must be clean and pure in order to be effective. For example, if you didn’t thoroughly wash out a pan until it was clear of soap, the next time you used it, you would end up with soapy and inedible eggs! (This has happened to me before, and trust me’soapy eggs are not fun! That’s what I get for trying to make dish washing a chore for my kids.)
The same is true with magickal energy. We want the vessel (whether it be an actual vessel, wand, herb etc) to be empty until we fill it. Consecration is important no matter where you get the item, but it is especially important when you purchase an item second-hand. Sometimes I find neat bells and jewelry at thrift stores, and I pay special care to their consecration. Even if I’m not using them for magickal purposes, these personal items carry with them energy imprints from their previous owners.
When you consecrate you are also charging the items with the sacredness of the God and Goddess. This will assist you in all ritual and spellwork you do with the items.
To get started with consecrating, you are going to first cleanse your item with water that has sea salt in it. Sprinkle the water on all sides of item. Of course, if your item cannot be wet (such as paper or a feather) do just a small area of the item. The same goes for the following steps. If a certain practice does not make sense with the reality of your item, then adjust as need be.
After consecrating with water, pass the item over a candle flame. You can use a white candle, or a color that is specific to the items purpose. For example, if you are consecrating a pentacle you might want to use green, or if you are consecrating a chalice you would use blue.
Next, pass the item through the smoke of incense, or ‘smudge’ it. I generally use sage for consecration, but the choice is up to you. I also use loose incense for this purpose, rather than stick incense. I find that loose incense provides a thicker smoke that can be used for consecration.
Finally, anoint the item with oil and repeat 3 times
“I hereby consecrate thee with the powers of earth, water, fire and air. This ______ shall only be used for good and according the my will and the divine law of the universe. May it serve me well in this world, between worlds and in all worlds. So Mote it Be.”
You can also use your own similar words to consecrate your items. In fact, writing your own consecration is great way to connect more with the process. Remember to use this process on any ritual item that will be placed on your altar.
Brightest Blessing,
Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”
Hi Rose,
I wanted to lend some food for thought to those skeptical about protective amulets. I personally carry an amulet of snowflake obsidian, which I thoroughly cleansed with salt in purified water…I blessed it with sage oil and charged it with protecting me wherever I go.
Here’s the grabber…I got complacent (shame on me) and got to the point where I thought, “This is just a rock”. So I did the crime of abandoning it and leaving it at home. Well, things started to happen not long after…I was late for work, I would lose things, my wife and I got into vicious arguments over anything…I could feel this irritating, very uncomfortable air around me…I couldn’t put my finger on it. I would do sage cleanses, ground and center myself but it wouldn’t be long before that “gray drifting cloud” would creep back in.
I found my amulet sitting atop my desk…gave it a thorough cleansing…blessed it…and pleaded with it to not let me go again. And low and behold, the calm has returned. It took a couple of days for me to regain my composure but the dust has settled and things flow smoothly once again.
Now mind you, this isn’t a “click” or “BOOM!” everything is instantly bliss type of effect…it’s a natural…assured feeling that nothing is going to happen to you as long as you carry that amulet with you. I clean it at least once a week in the pure salt water…bless it with sage oil…and even give it a little kiss and thank it for being my friend and charge it with watching over me. I kid you not, there was a time that I did a cleansing
and the water took on a strange tint…kind of like watered down Cola. I
will not leave my amulet alone again.
Like Rose said, it could be anything close to you…like your childhood favorite marble…your favorite earring. Visualize all the harmful effects, the negativity and evil in your life getting sucked into it…a visual aid would be lighting a stick of incense…watch the smoke drift as it approaches the back of a fan…and see it get sucked it. I see my stone and feel it hanging around my neck and I picture this “smoke” getting sucked into it…sometimes I’ll add like painful shrills to it as it is being destroyed from my life. This may sound silly but it’s an example of how your imagination works to make it as real as possible.
Imagine wandering through an open meadow and somewhere in the open distance your eyes fall upon a lion stalking you. Your first thoughts may be, “I’m
screwed” or “God, I wish I had my rifle with me”. That trust, that
power… that you lend to the Divine or that rifle to stop that lion… put in that stone…the power of your will and the forces around you. I don’t
know how else to put…it works for me…it will work for you. Many
blessings to all.
Art
Fresno, California