New household rituals?

[volcaniclastic]

Hey all, I'm moving house in a week, and I thought this might make an interesting discussion. When you acquire a new space, do you clean it? Cleanse it? Are there any special rituals that you do to make yourself feel at home?

For myself, I don't feel comfortable until I've cleaned all the surfaces. There's gotta be no dust from the previous tenants, and it doesn't feel right until it's completely sanitary.

I also walk around with incense and blast the whole place.

[Corvus]

Re: New household rituals?

Physical cleaning is a big one for me because it's the only time I'll be able to get under all the furniture and such and clean the furniture itself. I like to cleanse before I move my stuff in, then ward after so I can get in the mental space that this is mine. It's part of settling in for me.

[Eleanor]

Re: New household rituals?

When I move to a new place (hopefully I'll find one myself soon) I first take care of all the mundane stuff that has to be done like painting. Then I clean everything before I move my stuff in and then I clean it again with my stuff in it where necessary. Then I cleanse every room and the garden as well if there is one. To make the home truly mine I just meditate in the 'heart' of the home, which is usually the living and visualize my energy getting in tune with the home's energy if that makes sense. If I feel like it's necessary I introduce myself to any local house spirits, but I only felt that once in my previous house. Not in my current home. I don't know why, maybe there aren't any house spirits present here :P

[CottonIchor]

Re: New household rituals?

at least for me - after a cleansing (sage) a recharging (dragons blood) is always necessary - and then an invocation/incantation to invite friendly spirits and deities back....

[volcaniclastic]

Re: New household rituals?

at least for me - after a cleansing (sage) a recharging (dragons blood) is always necessary - and then an invocation/incantation to invite friendly spirits and deities back....

I don't actually feel that non-indigenous peoples should be using sage as a spiritual tool, but I see the sentiment. I think I don't truly believe in house spirits, though I do leave out little offerings outside periodically, which I'm pretty sure squirrels eat. Maybe I'm making offerings to the squirrels at this point.

When I move to a new place (hopefully I'll find one myself soon) I first take care of all the mundane stuff that has to be done like painting. Then I clean everything before I move my stuff in and then I clean it again with my stuff in it where necessary. Then I cleanse every room and the garden as well if there is one. To make the home truly mine I just meditate in the 'heart' of the home, which is usually the living and visualize my energy getting in tune with the home's energy if that makes sense. If I feel like it's necessary I introduce myself to any local house spirits, but I only felt that once in my previous house. Not in my current home. I don't know why, maybe there aren't any house spirits present here :P

A clean place is so important! We move in a few days, and our current place is getting pretty messy, and it just doesn't even feel like our house anymore. The new place smells like my grandmother's apartment hallway, so my roomie and I are going to have to air it out, and clean all the surfaces.

Both my roommate and I are pagan of some flavour (for the first time ever, and accidently so! we found out after we moved in with each other), so I'm pretty excited by the concept of a shared space shrine. I've always had to hide them in my room.