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“You have to find that place that brings out the human in you. The soul in you. The love in you.”

r.m drake

In my recent article for WITCH I discussed how important self-care is to any practitioner of Magick, and/or energy worker; I think it’s because we get so caught up in our work that we often get lost in the mix of things, and forget to take care of “home” which in turn can have monumental, if not negative effects on us—mind, body and Soul.

I left out of the article one of the most important aspects of self-care which is: cleansing and cord cutting.

Now, I am not discussing cords or hooks that have be placed in our aura by another person with intention (Magick attack, Vamp, and/or Hex, etc.—though some of these methods will work in those cases).

I am focusing on the day to day debris we pick up just from going about our daily lives, and practicing Magick and energy work.

Admittedly this essay was partially inspired by Aidan Wachter’s video where he discusses his own simple, yet effective means of cord cutting; describing the energy as “luminous fibers” it really resonated and reminded me how important it is to remove negative energy *daily*.

I have discussed some of these forthcoming methods in my previous blogs about Protection and Grounding; apologies now if anything sounds repetitive but this is important stuff!

As always, my rule of thumb when it comes to Magick is keep it simple; cleansing and cord cutting are no different.

What do I mean when I say cleansing and cord cutting?

Well, I mean just that—cleansing our auric field, chakras, physical and Spiritual bodies of psychic debris that is not serving our Higher Self.

The cords are not usually malice in nature, and are formed without intention but for the Magickally inclined it can really hinder our work, focus and life force (power).

Especially because most of us are Empaths and/or Clairsentients.

I say the cords are not usually malice in nature because I want to reinforce the idea that Magickal attacks are not common—they are not unheard of but they are not common because it takes a lot of energy out of the Practitioner.

Not to mention that with experience comes wisdom and as we grow with Magick we learn there are ways to affect (dare I say harm) someone other than going all out for a hex, curse, crossing or jinx.

To be crystal clear, I am *not above* doing any of those things, and have no shame admitting that I hex and heal equally.

As I believe all Witches should.

Now that all the disclaimers and explanations are out of the way, let’s get to it.

Before putting these methods into practice be sure to set intentions on what you want to accomplish.

For example, “I cut away and remove all negative energy and intentions that are no longer serving me and my Higher Self; I remove all blockages, and unhealthy thought patterns. I am grounded, and protected; I am strong, and I am fierce.”

I have learned that by setting intentions, and ending with affirmations it helps me feel more focused and empowered; as with everything you may tweak this, and all suggestions given by myself to your liking, and situation.

Another thing, I am all about ambiance when it comes to ritual but you do not have to set up a Sacred Space for any of the methods I am giving to work; the point of them is that they are meant to be quick, and simple so that they can be accomplished daily by the average person who, like me, runs around like a chicken with their head cut off trying to “get shit done”.

Is it just me or does the to-do list once started never stop growing?

Anyways…

I like to set up my space with ambient music, or nature sounds; rain sounds are perfect because they not only have a calming but cleansing effect on us—the same as if we were walking outside in the rain, or next to a moving stream.

I also like to have a candle or two lit, maybe an incense burning, or essential oils in my diffuser.

Remember, this is all about self-care and that requires pampering yourself; so give yourself the permission to do that. Please.

Crystal Cleansing: When I am talking about cord cutting my go to crystal is Obsidian, particularly an Obsidian blade. Not only is this crystal (volcanic glass) associated with our Root Chakra, which automatically grounds and protects, because it is a glass formation it is perfect for slicing through cords, and attachments. This is one of the crystals I suggest to people after a break-up as well.

To cut cords using an Obsidian Blade (or any blade for that matter) I like to stand in Mountain Pose (feet hip width apart, arms at your side, knees locked and strong—body relaxed) because this pose is all about stability, and standing in your power.

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I set my intentions, and starting at my Crown Chakra on the right side I glide the blade around my body—about an inch or so away from my skin, working all the way down to my feet, and back up the left side of my body.

Don’t forget to lift your feet and cleanse the soles, and don’t forget the palms of your hands, and your back (people always forget their back)!

Other good crystals for cleansing and cord cutting are Selenite, Black Tourmaline, Quartz Crystals (including but not limited to Smoky Quartz, Amethyst, and Citrine), Kyanite, Fluorite, Calcite, and Garnet.

Herbal Smoke Baths: This method was mentioned in my WITCH article but I can’t stress this enough.

What I have grown to love about plants is not just that they have their own personality, and Spirit’s but they all seem to have the ability to harm, or hurt—I understand and relate to this aspect of duality the most.

Even the most benign plant ally, if taken in the wrong dose can hurt us; goes back to the adage, everything in moderation.

Luckily for us, smoke baths do not require ingestion.

I like to use combination herbs, and for that I use my cast iron mini caldron; White Sage, Red Rose petals, Lavender, Red Sandalwood and Solomon Seal Root are currently being burned for calming, cleansing, and Spirit Conjure.

You may use a traditional Smudge Stick, or Spirit Stick, light it, and set it inside an abalone shell (adding an element of water to the cleansing) and doing meditation (active or still) while allowing the smoke to cleanse your aura.

There are plenty of ways to make this method your own—let the plant do the work, and you guide its energy.

Spiritual Baths and/or Showers: This is super important and super easy. When people think of Spiritual Baths they think of Vodou, and/or Hoodoo, because both traditions are heavily influenced by the power of water and have essentially conjured (pun totally intended) some of the best washes for the Modern Witch to use!

Florida Water Soap, for example, is perfect before, or after ritual to help cleanse you of any leftover debris, or residual energy. One of the good things about the homemade soap market being so vast now is that you can pretty much find a soap infused with any herb, oil, crystal and intention (most being vegan and organic, too).

One of my methods for cleansing and cord cutting is simple and done by adding salt to my shower or bath; Epsom salts or Pink Himalayan salt, preferably.

Another method is to pour Moon Water, or Rose Water over my head with the intent to cleanse my Chakras of negativity starting at the Crown, washing off my body and down the drain.

Afterwards, I cleanse my shower with Florida Water, or another batch or Moon Water.

A mixture of equal parts Hydrogen Peroxide and Water with 20 drops of Peppermint oil is another great effective cleaner because it adds the properties of Peppermint; mint in the home is protective.

Other associations include: cleansing, consecration, dreams, happiness, healing, love, money, passion, prosperity, psychic development, purification, release, renewal, rest, and sleep.

My home smells like a candy cane all the time because of this.

Spring Cleaning ALL YEAR ROUND: I can hear it now, “what did she just say?!”

I know, I know, nobody likes Spring cleaning but it’s part of life.

It should be part of our Magick, too.

It seems though, that when cleansing or clearing negative energy people often forget to deep clean their home; I don’t mean just a smudging, I mean *cleaning* your home.

I take down, clean, move, and re-assemble my altars every other month, though recently it has become monthly.

I also cleanse doorways, and windowsills with Florida Water or the Peppermint mixture mentioned above as part of my regular cleaning routine.

Spraying Moon Water, or Florida Water in corners will help disperse any stagnant energy; Florida Water on its own is a master cleaner, great for floors, cabinets, countertops, tiles, and bathtubs. Plus, it smells AMAZING.

Our homes are an extension of ourselves, and we should be mindful that they are kept in the best working condition; just as we take care of our body, and what we allow inside—we, too should be aware of what we allow into our homes.

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We must take care of our Temples.

These simple but effective methods should be part of any Modern Mystic’s daily regime.

We are not only energy workers, we are energy sources, and we need to be cognizant of the energy we put out and take in.

No one is suggesting that we must be all love and light, but we should free ourselves of toxic psychic debris so that we can be the best version of ourselves;

So, we can be the best Magickian we can be.