While cleansing isn’t as fun as money magic or sex magic, it’s an essential element of being a brujx and and espiritista. So I want to share a few of my favorite methods.

There are a variety of ways to cleanse, and the more you get in the habit of doing it, the more you’ll find the cleansing methods that work for you. I also think it’s important to note that the more you cleanse in your magical practice, the more you’ll begin to notice when you need a specific type of cleansing. If you’re new to your magical practice or new to spirit work, cleansing should be an active part of your practice.

I’m not sure where the belief started that we shouldn’t be cleansing as practitioners, or when people started believing that the only thing that mattered was your belief in your protection, but it’s now a very common idea that I see shared across the witchy web. I know it’s easier to believe that you don’t need to cleanse, but it is my belief, that if you are actively calling yourself a witch, you’ve turned on a sort of neon light that shows the spirit world you’re taking your magical practice seriously. Beyond this, I also think there are active parts of being a witch that cannot be ignored simply because we believe it isn’t a necessary thing FOR US. Like, if you’re a witch, regardless of if you’re doing active spirit work, you’re actively engaging with spirits. It’s also important to note that there are things we don’t actively “deem” spirit work early on that actually is a form of spirit work: such as revering or working with deities.

So, this is all to say, that if you believe in spirits and you’re a witch, you’re actively engaging with the spirit world and are, regardless of your skill level, going to need to cleanse from time to time. The more you expand in your practice, the more you can rely on protective practices vs cleansing practices, but I still think it’s important to regularly cleanse. So I thought I’d today to share 5 of my favorite cleansing practices with you.

baño rituals and baths

I don’t know if it’s my cancer rising, or the fact that I’m a bruja, that makes baños so soothing for me. I like to remind people that even if you’re new to ritual baths, you can begin with a simple salt bath (so long as it’s alright for your health) or support spirit workers and purchase baths from people you admire or want to support. Essential oils are great and can be substituted, I also think it’s important to work with and learn from fresh herbs and pant allies.

If you don’t have a shower, you can still actively prepare and use spiritual baths and just pour it over your body in the shower. This is what I turn to sometimes when I don’t have to do a whole 5-day series of soaking in the tub. You can also use spiritual soap bars. There are many amazing brujxs who create spiritual bath bars. I enjoy the protection bath bar from The Bronx Witch, and I’m in love with the bars from Spirit of the Ram with a personal favorite being the Frank’s siete machos one.

Now, keep in mind, the bars are typically not used only for physical cleansing, rather, you’ll usually use them after your standard bath and shower cleansing.

If you’d like to learn more about using and creating ritual baños, you can sign up for my Patreon as well. The first tier is $4.44 and includes access to weekly transits and all other folk magic-related guidance.

Selenite wand

For a long while, I had selenite around me but I never actively used it as a cleansing crystal. Then Hija del Sol showed us how she used it in a class and it finally clicked. I talk often about the importance in activating and speaking to your crystals, much like I say the same about plants. While I think many people do know which crystals are great for cleansing and such, I think few people actively speak to their crystals and ask them to work in specific ways. This is something I did with my selenite wand before I started using it to cleanse my energetic body.

Once you’ve activated it, you can use it by waving it around your body and tracing where your energetic field might extend. I find this especially helpful if I’m lacking clarity, or if I feel generally weighed down. I also actively use this on my pets because it’s so easy and on my altar. I currently have selenite towers in the shop if you’d like to have a small selenite tower to actively cleanse denser energies from your altar or home space.

candle spells

I love using tealight and chime candles for deep cleansing especially alongside baño rituals. If you haven’t subscribed to my newsletter, I send out weekly newsletters with Astro talk, magical tips, and tricks, and I’ve sent out a few cleansing rituals before. I’m also in the process of creating something special just for cleansing candle magic. But, in the meantime, use your knowledge of herbs to help you craft a powerful cleansing spell candle. I always begin by anointing the candle in oil, then I add the herbs depending on my needs: hyssop is usually included as is chamomile for it’ general cleansing but also for its ability to cut through workings or psychic attacks. Once I’ve done that, I burn the candle while I soak in the bath, take a shower, or do a cord-cutting and cleansing meditation. I usually recommend white and/or black candles for this work but go with what your soul calls for and what your spirit team encourages you to do.

This is an easy type of magic that I always suggest getting skilled in before moving on to other big workings. There are many times that people simply need a good candle cleansing to help them achieve the things they desire.

Spiritual waters

THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING SPIRITUAL WATERS. Take the time getting to know them. For so many years I only used Florida Water and sometimes it helped, sometimes it felt a bit off but worked. Now, I know it’s because some spiritual waters just work better for specific situations. Florida Water packs a punch and can be super strong in a very clear start. It also has the energy of all the flowers and citrus included in it, so it’s very much about cutting through blocks as well. One of my personal favorites is Gardenia water. I love it because it is a bit lighter and brings a more uplifting kind of cleanse. I use this to cleanse and prepare for any “Happy home” type of workings or any type of magic for my ancestors. Rose Water and Agua de Violetas are much more gentle in their cleanse but they also provide clarity for psychic and spirit work.

There are so many others that are powerful too: Vetiver water, Siete Machos, Holy Water, and on and on. You can find awesome ones at your local botanica. I also really enjoy sprays (I’m launching one next month!) and love the ones made by Hija de la Agua.

Burning herbs and incense

While I do enjoy using stick incense from time to time, I rely more on charcoal and herbs and resins for deep smoke cleansing. I do use herb bundles like the one in the image (Cedar and Rosemary are my favorites). The thing that I most like about charcoal is that you can light a small piece of it and create a custom blend each time you do it. I usually use this type of cleansing about once a month. I’ll prepare a mix specific to the energy we need and I’ll carry the cauldron around the house, beginning in the back of the house, and then slowly move to the front of the house. When you do this, make sure you have your windows and as many doors open as you can. This is good for a hard reset. I love using copal incense and rosemary and lavender but you can totally create your own and go with what you feel you need.

One final note

While I do mention some cleansing methods as “hard resets” please know that your spirit team will always come back or be able to linger. These hard resets are about clearing out energies that don’t belong in your space, moving stagnant energy caught in the home from fights, or cleansing in order to consecrate your space. I hope this helps.