The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2018

Blessing the Hearth
Your Spiritual Hearth

Once you have determined or chosen the heart of your home and designated it as the physical location to represent the spiritual hearth, you can perform a purification and blessing (see Chapter 7) or the ritual to recognize the sanctity of the hearth that is found later in this chapter.

This physical representation of the spiritual hearth can be used as a location to focus your spiritual activity. You may wish to create an altar or a shrine there, or use it as a place to meditate or pray. You may want to stand there when you wish to draw strength or energy from the spiritual hearth. You may choose to designate it in a different way, such as hanging a particular piece of artwork there or positioning a small wall shelf with an oil lamp on it, or any other method you feel appropriate to you and your home. You may simply use it as the place where you begin your cleaning or tidying activities. (For more information on altars and shrines, see Chapter 6.)

Ritual for Recognizing the Sanctity of the Hearth

As previously mentioned there is no need to consecrate the hearth because it is innately sacred. However, many people like to perform some kind of ritual formally recognizing an existing sanctity, and so this ritual has been included. It can be used on a regular basis as you wish or performed when you feel your focal hearth area has become cluttered with other energies that may not be negative but may occlude your personal connection to the hearth. As the hearth is your source of power and energy, keeping the connection to it clear also means that the energy flowing from it moves more freely.

The items you will need are representations of the four elements. You don’t need a lot of each item; a teaspoon is enough. You may place the items in bowls before you on the floor or on a table nearby. They should be within arm’s reach so that you do not need to move. The candle may be any candle at all—an emergency candle, a tea light, a birthday candle stuck into a small ball of dough or even a crumpled-up bit of tinfoil. Choose a color that resonates with the concept of hearth and home to you. The mixed herbs and spices can be drawn from your spice rack, a pinch of at least two different ones and as many as you like.

Although the directions indicate standing, you may kneel before the hearth if you are more comfortable doing the ritual that way.

You will need:

✵ Small bowl of salt

✵ Small bowl of water

✵ Small bowl of mixed herbs and spices from your kitchen

✵ Matches

✵ Candle in candleholder (color of your choice)

✵ Heatproof dish

✵ Small bowl of olive or vegetable oil

1. Stand before your hearth. Close your eyes and take three deep, cleansing breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly, with the intent of calming your body and mind. Be in the moment.

2. Open your eyes and hold your hands out to the hearth. Say:

Heart of my home,

I recognize you.

My spirit feels your warmth.

My soul feels your wisdom.

Sacred hearth, I recognize you.

3. Bow to the hearth.

4. Press your fingers into the bowl of salt, then say, Sacred hearth, the earth of my home recognizes your sanctity. Flick your fingers so that the grains of salt clinging to them scatter toward and over the hearth area.

5. Dip your fingers into the water, then say, Sacred hearth, the water of my home recognizes your sanctity. Flick your fingers so that the droplets of water on them scatter over the hearth area.

6. Dip your fingers into the bowl of spices and stir them so that the scent is released, then say, Sacred hearth, the air of my home recognizes your sanctity. Waft your hand over the bowl, moving the scented air toward the hearth.

7. Strike a match and light the candle. Extinguish the match, laying it in a heatproof dish. Pick up the candle and hold it toward the hearth, saying, Sacred hearth, the fire of my home recognizes your sanctity.

8. Place the candle on the hearth itself, saying, Sacred hearth, I honor the sacred fire that burns within you. I thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, and power that you bring to this home. May your sacred flame burn forever, and may my home be ever blessed by it.

9. Dip a finger into the oil, saying, Sacred hearth, with this oil I mark you as a symbol of our recognition of your sanctity and our gratitude for your many gifts and blessings. Touch your oil-damp fingertip to the hearth. As your hearth may indeed be a symbolic space, make sure to not smear too much oil; a light touch will suffice.

10. Bow to the hearth one last time. Leave the candle burning if you will be working in the room; otherwise, snuff it out.