Home Warding

[Morwenna]

This came up in the introductory thread and I felt it deserved a thread of its own. 

 

There are many ways to ward one's home; I've learned a few over the years. The way our apartment was warded by me and three friends before my husband and I moved in, was mainly in the Norse fashion. We went around the perimeter inside the apartment, carrying the four elements, carving runes with our rune staves, and placed over the doors certain items: mistletoe leaves, thistle seeds, and a small nut in its shell. The idea was to have not only the entrances covered, but opposite sides as well, so since our two entrances are on the same side, we placed a third ward over a window on the opposite side of the apartment. I regularly boost the wards with the chant of Mistil, Thistil, Kistil, while carving the runes in air with my fingers, though usually only in my mind if I'm reciting them to myself on the way to the bus stop or something. (Mistil=mistletoe, Thistil=thistle [any bad entities would have to stop to count all those tiny seeds], Kistil=a chest or something tightly locked, hence the nutshell.) The same could be done outdoors. In a yard, not only can the periphery be warded by marking it with sprinkled elements and runes carved in air, but stones or clay with the runes on them can be buried at the corners or the four directions, or if you want to be authentically Norse, place them in three spots: due north (the source of magic) and two other places equidistant. 

 

A common practice is going around the inside and sweeping, first with the intent to sweep out all bad influences (nice to do also when someone has come in and left a lot of unhappy crackling in your atmosphere), and again to sweep in the good influences. 

 

This will give you some ideas; many more can be found in books and online. 

 

Anyone else, chime in, please; I'd love to hear what others do for home wards. 

[Gailmonty]

Definitely salt! I like to sweep, cleanse with smoke or Florida water (I have asthmatic people in my house), and sprinkle salt across doorways/windows. My favorite little chant is : salt from the earth, stone from the ground, keep this home safe and sound 

[Teemu]

I am sorry to intrude here and forgive me if I sound offensive. I have never felt the need to cleanse my home with anything but a mop anda vacuum cleaner. It may sound arrogant, but so far a I am sure my/our presence is strong and self-confident enough to ward of everything by my and my husband's sheer presence. We keep our home reasonably clean (certainly no hospital standard) of course. Several beloved people visited us here shortly after death to have their final say until they went forward, and we have a place that seems sometimes weak - but we have never had an unwelcome visitation. I admit we both are naturally vigilant, having very responsible jobs.

 

Perhaps I am / we are just too insensitive. But still, there is nothing bad.

[Raggydoll]

I think I classify as ‘authentically Norse’ 😁 (I’m Swedish and I am also a hereditary practitioner of folk magic and divination) but my experiences do differ from what you describe. When I grew up, there was a tradition of placing protective items in strategic places, but the main source of protection for the house/family was (and is) the fylgja. Also, being skilled in divination and magic is protective in itself.

 

I personally don’t feel that elaborate rituals are needed in order to protect a home, but to each their own 🙂 And it’s interesting to hear about all these different practices. So thanks for sharing!

[dippingin]

Burning white sage is supposed to be good too. 

[Morwenna]

I like hearing about everyone's methods. And even within the same cultures there are variants. My friend's tradition is country Norwegian, but she says that sometimes things are different the next valley over. 

 

I have friends who use certain Christian methods for this too (in fact my maternal grandmother was one for placing holy water on all the windowsills); many modern esoterically-inclined Christians call on archangels for guarding the quarters, just as in a ritual, and I've done that too.  And there are very many methods among Wiccans and other witchcraft practitioners; I've seen several in books and online but never tried them myself. 

[Guest]

On 6/16/2023 at 5:09 PM, Teemu said:

I am sorry to intrude here and forgive me if I sound offensive. I have never felt the need to cleanse my home with anything but a mop anda vacuum cleaner. It may sound arrogant, but so far a I am sure my/our presence is strong and self-confident enough to ward of everything by my and my husband's sheer presence. We keep our home reasonably clean (certainly no hospital standard) of course. Several beloved people visited us here shortly after death to have their final say until they went forward, and we have a place that seems sometimes weak - but we have never had an unwelcome visitation. I admit we both are naturally vigilant, having very responsible jobs.

 

Perhaps I am / we are just too insensitive. But still, there is nothing bad.

What about when visitors come over? Like if you have a big gathering or birthday party. I always cleanse my home after I've had people over... energy leaks and gets left behind. 

[Teemu]

1 hour ago, Witchy_Witchress said:

What about when visitors come over? Like if you have a big gathering or birthday party. I always cleanse my home after I've had people over... energy leaks and gets left behind. 

No. A good aeration is all we do.

[Misterei]

On 6/16/2023 at 2:09 PM, Teemu said:

I am sorry to intrude here and forgive me if I sound offensive. I have never felt the need to cleanse my home with anything but a mop anda vacuum cleaner. 

@Teemu

OMG I laughed so hard when I read this.🤣

I remember some years ago I went to work at a metaphysical shop. People were having these in-depth discussions about cleansing the reading room. It really did need it. There was stagnant energy. So they're burning candles and sage and making crystal grids and whatnot.

 

I told them they were lazy idiots and took the dirty table cloths and curtains home to WASH them. I vacuumed the filthy rug, wiped down the table with soap and water. Wiped years of grimy fingerprints off the door. Covered-up the stained chairs with clean fabric.

 

Yes. I do energetic cleansing and wards in my home with visualizations, incense, and ritual ... AFTER I vacuum, mop, do laundry, etc.

Edited September 4, 2023 by Misterei

[Guest]

I always clean the house with a new everything than throw them away. I wash the walls and floors with la Bomba mixed with creolina and let it dey. Then mop the floor with Florida water and basil. Afterwards, I sage the house, burn frankense and myrrh throughout the house until I can barely see. I take the mop

[Misterei]

3 minutes ago, Cati said:

I always clean the house with a new everything than throw them away. I wash the walls and floors with la Bomba mixed with creolina and let it dey. Then mop the floor with Florida water and basil. Afterwards, I sage the house, burn frankense and myrrh throughout the house until I can barely see. I take the mop

I used to mop my floor with vanvan in the mop water. Loved the smell. I also like the florida water and basil. I moved and now don't go to that store anymore. Just use regular cleaners. Frank & Myrrh are my go-to. Pure Frank (the resin kind) if I need major purification.

[Guest]

@Misterei I love frankincense and myrrh too. It is hard to find the pure frank resin around me. Periodically, I'll do the long driv to get them from an Indian store. 

 

Yes, since I was a child I was always told Florida water and basil brings peace and prosperity to the home. I love moping with them. The house always feels lighter after.

 

I personally hate the smell of la Bomba and creolina. They are so strong and the smell lingers for a very long time. I do clean with them as well on a weekly bases or when my house is not flowing smoothly. I am not sure if you've ever smelled them but they have a very strong smell that is not pleasant. But they work. 😂

 

You might be able to find it online. I think frankincense and myrrh is prefect by itself though. It might be biased because I love those incense.

[Misterei]

2 minutes ago, Cati said:

I personally hate the smell of la Bomba and creolina. They are so strong and the smell lingers for a very long time. I do clean with them as well on a weekly bases or when my house is not flowing smoothly. I am not sure if you've ever smelled them but they have a very strong smell that is not pleasant. But they work.

LOL I never smelled them but the names scare me.

creolina reminds me of creosote ... NOT a good smell but it will keep wood from rotting haha.

LaBomba reminds me of an old car with bad exhaust ...

I have to use natural cleaners except for bleach. Health problems. I used Bay Rum for many years but the company that made the natural one went out of business. Now they're all fake. The natural cleaners I use sometimes have basil or rosemary or citrus which I like

I think vanvan is just lemon + vanilla ... so I could probably make it at home ... just lazy.

[Guest]

@Misterei I would equate the smell of creolina to a bad exhaust in a car. LoL.

I've never heard of Bay rum before, I have to do more research in it. 

I like your method of cleansing. It probably leaves your house smelling nice, clean and fragrant. 

[Misterei]

Bay rum is trad

4 hours ago, Cati said:

@Misterei I would equate the smell of creolina to a bad exhaust in a car. LoL.

I've never heard of Bay rum before, I have to do more research in it. 

I like your method of cleansing. It probably leaves your house smelling nice, clean and fragrant. 

Bay rum is traditional since the pirate days. It's Jamaican rum with bay leaves, cloves and other spices. It's medicinal for treating wounds, it smells good, and ritually also it purifies your house. Many men used it as aftershave. Now it costs a bomb to get the real one if you can even find it. The fake ones are cheap but of course no good.

[GreatDane]

INTERESTING THREAD.  Morwenna and Raggydoll, like your Norse style.  Am looking at fylgia, Raggydoll.  Not a term I am used to, but understand the meaning.  

 

I tend to cleanse with sound (I loved cleansing with walking around with burning incense, but can set off smoke alarm!).  I use a little gong and walk around the corners in each room, striking the little gong.

 

I like Jet or Turquoise for protection (I have a strand of bits of turquoise wrapped around the inside of my front door knob), I have jet placed around.  I have other stones but these I like for protection.  I LOVE clear quartz crystal clusters.  FAV.

 

SALT.  One can never go wrong with SALT.  I will sprinkle it around the ground in front of the door (only have front door, not back door) and front windows.  

 

These are my main ones. 

[Tanga]

Once in a while I may do an energetic cleanse by ringing my Gong and Tibeten bowl all around the house (when my husband is out so he doesn't complain about noise 😉).

Sometimes I ward the door before I leave with a short chant.

 

I like the ideas shared here for stuff to clean the floor with... I may play with that... thank you.

[GreatDane]

Oh I've done that, Tanga!  Great one.  I say a rhyming chant please watch over this place, please keep it calm and safe (I have animals so the calm part....)

[Eugenie]

On 9/4/2023 at 5:10 AM, Misterei said:

@Teemu

OMG I laughed so hard when I read this.🤣

I remember some years ago I went to work at a metaphysical shop. People were having these in-depth discussions about cleansing the reading room. It really did need it. There was stagnant energy. So they're burning candles and sage and making crystal grids and whatnot.

 

I told them they were lazy idiots and took the dirty table cloths and curtains home to WASH them. I vacuumed the filthy rug, wiped down the table with soap and water. Wiped years of grimy fingerprints off the door. Covered-up the stained chairs with clean fabric.

 

Yes. I do energetic cleansing and wards in my home with visualizations, incense, and ritual ... AFTER I vacuum, mop, do laundry, etc.

 

I cannot help but tell you about the wave of adoration I have just felt! I can just imagine that room and how it changed after your intervention. 

Dusting and airing helps a lot. What's the point in burning incense in a dirty room that smells of old stale furniture? Ugh. 

[Tanga]

On 9/9/2023 at 1:00 AM, Guest said:

I always clean the house with a new everything than throw them away. I wash the walls and floors with la Bomba mixed with creolina and let it dey. Then mop the floor with Florida water and basil. Afterwards, I sage the house, burn frankense and myrrh throughout the house until I can barely see. I take the mop

WOW.    Sounds exhausting.

I was just reading through this thread again.

I don't feel the need to clean up energy after guests have been... or really ward and 'clean' regularly...  just when it takes my fancy.

Perhaps once, after I'd had a particularly disturbed client in - I thought - lemme just ring all my Tibetan bowls here.

But often I ring them because they sound beautiful and are beautiful for the clients to hear.

The act of cleaning and tidying up the room is energetic cleanliness enough.

 

 

On 9/4/2023 at 1:10 AM, Misterei said:

@Teemu

OMG I laughed so hard when I read this.🤣

I remember some years ago I went to work at a metaphysical shop. People were having these in-depth discussions about cleansing the reading room. It really did need it. There was stagnant energy. So they're burning candles and sage and making crystal grids and whatnot.

 

I told them they were lazy idiots and took the dirty table cloths and curtains home to WASH them. I vacuumed the filthy rug, wiped down the table with soap and water. Wiped years of grimy fingerprints off the door. Covered-up the stained chairs with clean fabric.

 

This reminds me of a story a friend was telling me. She met a coven group who were discussing what to do about their leader, who had basically - gone awry. They asked her for advice. Should they do a spell together to try and fix them?  Should they "bind" their leader?  ....What?

My friend looked at them in puzzlement as said  "Why don't you just disband the group? You're obviously not working well together anymore. Start afresh".

 

Now - sprinkling salt.   Hmm.  Then you have to sweep it all up no?  So why sprinkle in the 1st place unless you are going to sweep/vacuum whatever. What a nuisance.  Lol.

 

There are some crystals around my place...

But the really large ones are in my Therapy room - and originally I just bought those crystals because I liked them.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Tanga

[Arania]

I don't sweep up salt I use.. or anything else. Until the next cleaning day.

 

Oh grr that reminds me i need to clean the floor of the main magic room.

[Barleywine]

I do like the idea that having a strong "magical presence" is all the warding we need. But I have used white-sage smudging, and back when I was doing ceremonial magic I did some banishing rituals. I found a perfectly unmarked, square piece of white birch bark that had peeled off a tree and painted sigils on it with black ink. Then, instead of using an athame, I wielded the talisman at the four quadrants of the house and recited the words. When I used to read tarot at a metaphysical shop, the shopkeeper kept large Himalayan salt-lamps in the reading spaces, but I've never done that at home.

I have an interesting story; I had a friend who bought a house that had small, carved, snarling wolf-head figurines nailed over the lintels on both sides of every interior door. He was so spooked he asked me to do a banishing, which I did using the same talisman. It sounds like a somewhat perverse version of warding the doors that Morwenna was talking about.

[Morwenna]

LOL! The wolf head figurines reminds me of Viking ships, which had snarling animal figureheads on the prows, same principle.

 

I also chuckled at the sprinkled salt; my aforementioned friend sprinkled salt around the perimeter as part of the warding, and in one circle we had back when I was her upstairs neighbor, every time the salt went around one woman would shake her head and the salt in it went flying and rattled off the wall and furniture and everyone would crack up! 

[Zolune]

When I moved into my house there were mezuzah nailed to every main entrance. I decided to keep them, because even though I am not Jewish, the intention behind mezuzah was important to me. I feel this way about many religions objects. Having those talisman nailed to my door felt like a built in protection, and I still feel my home is safer than many other places I’ve been. I still do my occasional cleansing if things are feeling off. 

[Morwenna]

On 9/27/2024 at 4:29 PM, Zolune said:

When I moved into my house there were mezuzah nailed to every main entrance. I decided to keep them, because even though I am not Jewish, the intention behind mezuzah was important to me. I feel this way about many religions objects. Having those talisman nailed to my door felt like a built in protection, and I still feel my home is safer than many other places I’ve been. I still do my occasional cleansing if things are feeling off. 

I can only assume that the previous owners put new ones in their new home; but everyone I know who had protections in their homes and then moved, took everything down before they left, not because they would necessarily use the same items again, but so as to leave a clean slate for the next occupant. But it is a nice touch to actually leave some blessings behind for the next comers. 

 

Is it a particular cultural thing, I wonder?