The New Year is the perfect time to clear away the negativity of the past year and set forth a clean slate for the upcoming year. Take some time to reflect and prepare for the upcoming year.

Removing Negativity From Your Home

We spend much of our time praying and meditating in our homes. It is natural for our negative energy to be spread and absorbed throughout the spaces in which we live. This is why it is so important to go through the necessary steps to remove these impurities.

Camphor is widely used to cleanse negativity. As it burns, it purifies the air and leaves no residue behind. Grate a camphor block and place the shavings on top of a charcoal roll that has been set on a cast iron plate. Burn the camphor in the morning and again in the evening, making sure that it reaches all corners of your home. Any black residue that collects is said to be the negativity being cleansed out of the air. Repeat this cleansing process for 7 consecutive days.

Camphor can also be used by placing a camphor block in a bowl of water under your bed or in the four corners of a room to offer protection and ward off evil.

Smudging is another excellent way to rid your living space of negative energy. White sage has been used by Native Americans for centuries to purify their surroundings. A smudge stick is used by burning the tip and walking throughout the space you wish to cleanse. The smoke is said to remove negative influences and create a boundary that cannot be penetrated by negative energy.

To perform a cleanse using a smudge stick, open all windows (be careful not to set off smoke detectors). Use a New Year’s candle to light the tip of your smudge stick. Walk through your house, from room to room, wafting the smoke into the air. Repeat the following chant as you walk:

I banish all negative influences from my home. I will not allow it to wreak havoc within the hearts minds and spirits of those who live here.

Once you have cleansed each room, anoint a white candle with holy oil. Say the following prayer:

Cleanse this space, and remove the past. I’ve found my happiness at long last. Fill this space with joy and love, and send your blessings from above.

After you have completed the smudging ritual you should feel a noticeable change in the aura of your home.

Selecting and Using Incense and Herbs

Understanding the significance of the herbs and incense you use can deepen your cleansing rituals. For example, white sage, known for its purifying properties, has been used in Native American rituals for centuries. Similarly, camphor, a powerful cleanser in many Asian traditions, is believed to absorb negativity. When choosing these materials, opt for sustainably sourced and natural options to ensure the purity and potency of their energies.

Cultural Acknowledgment and Respect

It's crucial to approach these cleansing practices with respect for their cultural origins. Understand that smudging with white sage is a sacred practice in Native American cultures. When engaging in such practices, do so with reverence, acknowledging the traditions from which these rituals are borrowed, and avoid commercializing or trivializing these sacred practices.

Cleansing and Purifying Your Body For the New Year

Once your home has been purified from negativity, it is time to focus on yourself. Our bodies carry all of our stress and negativity. There are simple steps that each of us can take to release those negative vibes and keep any evil from harming us.

Spiritual baths are powerful ways to clear negative energy. Start by creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere in your bathroom. Light some 3 kings, myrrh, or New Year’s incense to purify the air around you. Draw a warm bath and add 16 ounces of fresh bitter herb bath or New Year’s bath to your bath water. Say the following prayer before you enter your ritual bath.

Let the vibrant light of the divine bless this water.
Fill it with energy to heal and cleanse my spiritual body.
This water will wash away the weight and stresses of the day.
I will emerge lighter, brighter, and refreshed.
The essence of the spirits infuses this water to uplift my soul.

Submerge yourself completely in the bath and focus your intention on ridding your mind, heart, and soul of negative thoughts and feelings. Make sure to completely cleanse your body with herb-infused water. When you feel at peace, step out of the tub but do not dry off. Dress in light-colored (preferably white) clothing.

Light a New Year’s candle and reflect on the positive changes you are hopeful for in the year to come. Dab some New Year’s perfume or Ruda cologne onto your wrists and neck and contemplate ways that you can affect your destiny as the New Year approaches.

Incorporating Mindfulness and Meditation

Incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your cleansing rituals to enhance their effectiveness. As you perform these rituals, engage in deep breathing or mindfulness meditation, focusing your mind on the present moment and the intention behind your actions. This mindful approach amplifies the spiritual cleansing, making it more profound and personal.

Post-Cleansing Practices

After the rituals, it’s important to sustain the positive energy. Regular practices like morning affirmations, keeping healing crystals in your living space, or a weekly mini-ritual of lighting a candle and reflecting on gratitude can help maintain a cleansed and positive atmosphere in your home and within yourself.

As we step into the New Year, embracing the rituals of cleansing and purification outlined in this guide, we set a powerful intention for renewal and positivity. From the ritualistic burning of camphor and smudging with white sage to the deeply personal acts of spiritual baths and mindful meditation, each step serves as a cornerstone in building a year filled with clarity, peace, and progress.

Remembering to approach these practices with cultural respect and continuing them with regular mindfulness and affirmations, we not only cleanse our spaces and selves from past negativities but also open doors to a future brimming with potential and light. May this New Year bring a transformed sense of well-being, grounding us in the present and guiding us towards a luminous future.