House Blessing

by Pirate Jenny (c)

Reproduced without permission

Assemble: Salt & Water Incense (fire and air) Milk & Honey Oil (for anointing) Wine (for offering) Bells, Pots, Pans, Whistles, etc.

Cast a circle in the main room (livingroom) and after casting, visualize the circle expanding to include the entire house.

Call upon the spirits and energies living in the house (or apartment). Invite those who will be harmonious with the new household and its energies to remain. Invite/ask those who will be happier elsewhere to depart. Release all "energies" not compatible with the new household. (This may be expressed as a "release" in order to unbind anything that may be stuck.) Then call upon, greet, and invite ancestors, patron deities, and all harmonious spirits and energies to dwell in the house as they please.

Gather up the pots, pans, and all the noise-makers. Go to each door and window, not forgetting the fire-place and dog-door, making as much racket as humanly possible-to shoo out anything unwanted. (This is hysterical fun, and also raises lots of energy for the next important step.)

Go again throughout the house and at each portal (door, window, etc.) sprinkle salt-water and cense, saying: "By the Elements I purify and charge this portal." Then anoint the portal with milk and honey, saying: "By Milk and Honey I ensure prosperity and peace within this place." Finally, anoint the portal with oil, saying: "With Oil I seal this portal and protect all within."

At the front door a special prayer is said, asking the guardian deities (God & Goddess) to freely grant entry to all friends and loved ones, and to prevent passage (turn aside) to any who would do harm."

Then, if it's a house-pour wine across the width of the threshold; if it's an apartment anoint the threshold with light touches of wine. The house-holders then each take a sip of wine, leaving some as an offering to the Gods, and the Circle should be closed. The remaining wine, milk, and honey should be offered to the Gods. (In our case to the fruit tree and the oak tree in our yard.)

Addenda: This is very effective if done as part of a house-warming party, followed by much feasting. It has also been done very effectively by two people. It only takes about 30 minutes to do a large house. You can take the time. Do make certain to "ground" afterward, by closing the circle and by eating. This ritual can "stir" up everybody and make the house feel full of "buzzy" energy.

House Blessing Notes In the spirit of house blessings, and because I'm basically a kitchen witch at heart, and like little projects over serious ritual, I offer some selections gleaned from Cunningham's The Magical Household. I'm typing these without permission but with the hope that they'll inspire you to pick up the Cunningham book, because it's wonderful stuff... For the doorway: Suspend over the door a fresh sprig of dill, tied with a blue cord (or red, if you prefer), to prevent those who mean you harm from entering Cross two needles, and stick into or tie onto a corner of your doormat, to prevent evil from entering. Grind Dragon's Blood herb into a powder and sprinkle it on door and window sills, to protect your house from harm.