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The very best way to prepare for this brand new year is an energetic decluttering. In order to do any ritual work, you must clear the clutter that can create blocks. Banish the old, bad energy from your house by following this spell. Make a tea from one part dried lavender and one part dried mint. Draw fresh water and boil, and then steep a teaspoon of each herb for five minutes. Once it cools, dip your finger in the tea and sprinkle it throughout your home. If you feel the need to clear out any remaining cloud of psychic clutter, add diluted lavender mint tea water to your cleanser when you wash floors or surfaces. Make your energy-clearing tea by bringing 4 cups of water to a full rolling boil; remove from heat and add in 4 sprigs of fresh lavender and 4 sprigs of fresh mint. If it is winter and there is no access to the fresh herbs, one tablespoon each of dried lavender and dried mint will do nicely. Steep the herbal tea for at least 4 minutes and as long as ten minutes if there is a lot of energetic clutter. The scent of calm and clarity will lift the spirits of all who enter your space. The purpose of incense is to release energy into the ritual space, not to create billows of smoke that can cause respiratory problems in the circle. If you or someone else finds incense smoke irritating or worrisome, consider using another symbol of air instead, such as potpourri, fresh flowers, feathers, or a fan.

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:

Many herbal enthusiasts swear by infusions. Here is a wonderfully simply method for brewing up an infusion. I recommend placing one cup of the dried herb into a quart canning jar and filling it with freshly boiled water. After the steeping for up to four hours, then, strain with a non-metallic method such as cheesecloth or bamboo. . Many of the favorite kitchen garden herbs contain minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals including the list herein. What do you need to attend in your life now? This list of herbs and associations can be your guide; one of the smartest ways to approach this methodology is to brew right before bedtime and you will awaken to a freshly infused herb. Some of the most popular herbs and fruits used to create infusions are as follows:

Anise Seeds & Leaves: soothes cramps and aches
Caraway Seeds:  aids in romantic issues, helps with colic
Catnip Leaves:  makes women even more attractive
Chamomile Flowers: helps with sleep, good for abundance

If you love everything about lavender, you may well want to create your own lavender vinegar. Many herbs make for excellent vinegars so pay attention to which ones are especially appealing with you as you go about your gardening. The more herbs you pack into the jar, the higher the mineral content in your vinegar which makes it more flavorful and healthful. Once you have your own apple cider vinegar or a premade organic kind you and your family love, pick an herb you know works for you and pack a quart canning jar as full as you can. Pour room temperature apple cider vinegar to cover and seal with paper and bands and pop back on the dark corner shelf for six weeks, giving a shake once a week. At the end of the infusion period, strain out any remaining compostable twigs or stems that remain, if any and store in colored bottle and add a pretty label. These make wonderful gifts so I recommend you get a set of labels for all your herbal brews. Nearly any plant or herb can used in homemade vinegars. Check this list for your next batch of brew:

Anise Seeds & Leaves: soothes cramps and aches
Caraway Seeds:  aids in romantic issues, helps with colic
Catnip Leaves:  makes women even more attractive
Chamomile Flowers: helps with sleep, good for abundance

Call your soul tribe together when a loved one is ailing and needs a circle of support It can be at your home or any place that feels safe and secure. I highly recommend creating healing energy at the home of the person who is unwell, as it will create an aura of restoration. Ask each person to bring something to comfort, reassure, and cure the celebrant: soup, healthy snacks, a soothing eye pillow, sleep balm, a hand-knitted scarf for warmth, yummy body lotion with uplifting essential oils, herbal teas, books, or lavender-infused slippers are all wonderful gifts.

Form a circle of care around the celebrant and light candles. Unscented soy candles are probably best for health reasons. As you go around the circle, ask each person to give his or her gift of caring to the celebrant and say what it represents. Here is an example from a recent rite:

Aligned with the planet and the god Mercury, silver is about communication. Silver has been associated with the moon for thousands of years. As such, it is a stabilizer of any crystal or gem. Rather than adding to the energy of a stone, it secures the energy and supports the gem. Silver is a healing metal that should not be worn all the time; let your body tell you when it feels right. Silver offers a mirror of your inner spirit, and this should be given very special attention. Silver is a detoxifying agent and communicates with the body to alert you to raised levels of hormones and other chemical imbalances. The metal is good to wear as a necklace, as it is very beneficial to the throat and lungs. Your synapses even fire more efficiently because silver acts as an energy conductor. Consequently, silver is good for people encountering memory reduction, psychological issues, and diseases affecting the brain.

We live in the age of anxiety. There is so much stress, bad news and soul-crushing chaos; it is hard to know how to get through each day. But here’s the thing; ancient wisdom is the best way to approach to deal with modern troubles. Try the following tried and true rite. Take a piece of plain white paper, palo santo incense blue candles, paper and a blue pen and have it at the ready. Palo santo literally means “holy wood” and it is a tree that grows in South America and is similar to cedar and copal. It is wonderfully grounding and also clears energy, including tension and disquiet.