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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in besom
Sweeping Meditation: A Broom Blessing

After I graduated from college, I had one of those experiences we all must endure in our twenties: a bad breakup. I was somewhat of a zombie but my best friend was of a more practical bent and was studying Zen Buddhism. She placed a broom in my hand and suggested I “stop thinking about anything but doing the best possible job sweeping the floor.” I took her advice and even swept the sidewalks once I was done with the small cottage we lived in. Sweeping did bring about a stillness inside me, which was a relief after all the turmoil, I was still hurting but simplicity of the chores engendered quietude. I have a few brooms, including symbolic besoms,  and one is always right outside the back door and ready for the simple ritual of sweeping. Grab your broom and say aloud as you get started:

 No storm outside, no storm within,

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Peace-of-Mind Serenity Spell

After I graduated from college, I had one of those experiences we all must endure in our twenties: a bad breakup. I was somewhat of a zombie but my best friend was of a more practical bent and was studying Zen Buddhism. She placed a broom in my hand and suggested I “stop thinking about anything but doing the best possible job sweeping the floor.” I took her advice and even swept the sidewalks once I was done with the small cottage we lived in. Sweeping did bring about a stillness inside me, which was a relief after all the turmoil, I was still hurting but simplicity of the chores engendered quietude. I have a few brooms, including symbolic besoms,  and one is always right outside the back door and ready for the simple ritual of sweeping. Grab your broom and say aloud as you get started:

 

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Last modified on
The Right Broom At the Rite Time: Sweeping Spell

My mom and I had an unfortunate phone conversation ending with her hanging up on me. Of course, after that, her line was busy for hours so I could not call back and smooth things over. Life, right? I felt so awful the whole weekend about it, I had to turn to my trusty broom and sweet the sad, bad energy away. Here's how: to purify your home, you need a special broom. A home purification is handy for clearing away bad energy after a squabble with your loved one, a bout of the blues, or just about any upset you need to get out of your personal space. I would go so far as to suggest that you sweep the negative energy outside every morning in your life. Bear in mind, this is not white glove-type cleaning; it is a symbolic act that is quite effective in maintaining your home as a personal sanctuary.

 You can make your own purification broom from straw bound together and attached to a fallen tree branch, or you can add mojo to a store-bought broom. Wrap copper wire around your broom or use it to bind the straw to the stick, as Venus-ruled copper lends an aura of beauty and keeps negativity at bay. Attach crystals to the handle with glue to boost your broom. Recommend crystals for space clearing and purification are:

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Posted by on in Culture Blogs
The Witch’s Broom

The Witches’ Broom, or Besom is an important and largely misunderstood tool of the Witch.

Gaining its notoriety from the witch hunters’ manuals of mediaeval Europe, it is a tool of a far more ancient origin. As we know, the writings of those who “documented” the traditions, rituals and practices of early witches did not do so in an inimical fashion. This largely explains the negative associations related to many customs, tools and traditions of ancient Witches.

It is believed that the practice and use of the Besom can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt. While typical or traditional Besoms are made of a specific plant called Broom (from which the broom gains its name); it would also appear that many traditions and cultures have their own version of a Besom.

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Posted by on in Culture Blogs
The Broom-Rider's Dilemma

Heads or tails?

It's the classic broom-rider's dilemma: bristles in front or in back?

I'd always assumed this to be—as so often in the Craft—a matter of personal preference, or possibly denominational affiliation. But a recent conversation with Paganistan's premier Purveyor of Fine Besoms (since 1273) has convinced me otherwise.

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