Home Sweet Home
As I've noted recently, we've relocated. I wanted to post a house blessing to do with loved ones, and can easily be done with children. This could be done for a new location, or adapted to do any time you would like a change in energy in the house to
welcome in new adventures and blessings.
(Post Edit: I'd like to apologize ahead of time. The formatting of this post got a bit discombobulated and refuses to allow me to correct it!)
Items: Incense sticks or dried sage smudge bundles
Small bowl of water
Bowl of salt
Candles (preferably in glass candle holders rather than
free-floating flames)
Food and drink to share afterwards
1. Begin by having the family stand in a circle holding hands. You may light candles and place them in the 4 cardinal directions if you like, invoking the energy of the elements associated with those directions (as well as one in the center, if that is your choice) .
It can be very simple, such as "I now light the candle of the North. May the spirit of the land be with us." and so on, according to your own associations with the directions. Each person can have a candle they light, or just one person could be assigned to do them all. It is totally up to you!
2. One person can then announce:
"We gather today to bless this home, this land, and all who dwell within. Our intentions today are to help bring positive and loving energy to our home to increase abundance, joy, health, prosperity, love and blessings of every good kind."
3. Each member of the family then is given an incense stick of their own. As the sticks are being passed out, the passer-outer could say something like "And a stick for Jenny. What would you like to wish for, Jenny?" Jenny could then say either just 1 word or a simple sentence, such as "Friendship" or "I hope we all enjoy our new home". Each person could also have the choice of stating their wishes silently to themselves, nodding their heads gently to the passer-outer so that they know they may then move on to the next person. The rest of the circle can say "So mote it be" after the person has stated their hopes (or after they have nodded silently).
a) After they have their sticks, someone can go around with a lit incense stick and swirl it around each member in order to cleanse them. Then another family member can go around with the water being sure to spritz a tiny bit of water toward each family member.
4. After each person has been given an incense stick, then someone should go around and light each stick. I suggest a candle in a glass container for this job - that way everyone is sharing the same flame. The person handling the source of flame should be old enough to handle that responsibility, as well as capable of helping each person ensure that the incense is fully lit and the flame snuffed out to allow the smoke to begin to rise.When done, ALL candles should be snuffed out by all members at the same time before you all head off to bless the home. The candles can be exterminated while stating aloud "We blow these out for safety sake, but they still symbolically burn."
No flame should be left unattended!
5. Then it can be announced: "Now we will go and bless this house, cleansing it of old energy that no longer serves, and clearing the way for only Love, Light and Blessings to enter herein."
6. Each person then heads to the first room of their choice. Each person should plan to visit every room in the house, moving in order of their own preferences. They should hold their incense sticks and wave them along the perimeter of each wall, swirling their sticks in whatever way works for them. They should be saying aloud (or in their heads) "Only Love, Light and Blessings Herein", repeating the mantra as often as they desire (but I would suggest at least once per room). Don't forget a quick swish in the direction of the floors, ceilings, walls and windows!
7. When all of the rooms have been visited by all members, gather around and announce that you will all now go do the outside of the home. Each person should circle the home 3 times with their incense sticks, stating the Love, Light and Blessings mantra again. If you so choose, you may all then do a quick sweep of the general property - just be sure that little ones accompany an adult so that no one gets lost or wanders off.
8. Each family member can then stick their incense stick in a bowl of sand or in an incense holder While they perform the next task. The family can stand in a line in front of the salt bowl. Each person can grab a small handful of salt and then they will go stand at the outside corners of the home (or along an outside wall together...up to you). Then someone yells (so everyone can hear) "Now we sprinkle salt, to protect the home!". Each person then lightly sprinkles a line of salt along the outside of the home. This doesn't need to be an exact science. Every few steps or so the person can take a pinch of salt from their hand and sort of toss it gently along the ground at the base of the home. The idea is to have salt all along the outside of the home, so if they need to go grab more salt, so be it.
9. When all of this is done, the family can return to a circle, holding hands. A family member can then state "We have blessed this home, this land, and all within. We now end this ceremony, but the love and joy we have shared with this home will remain with us for always."
10. Now go and enjoy a small feast (or just a snack of cookies and milk if desired). It is always good luck to break bread with loved ones after blessing your home.
Remember, this can be adapted if you just want to change the energy in your home. Have people been a bit grumpy lately? Have there been some abundance concerns? Do a cleansing and blessing similar to this one in order to help clear the old, unwanted patterns and open the home to new energies.
All ages should be able to participate in some way. Even children unable to walk may be held by an adult and may be able to wave an incense stick. Many young ones can memorize the 'lines' as well, and if they mess up the words - that's part of the fun sometimes!
Enjoy, and Happy New Beginnings to All!
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