Cleansing is a type of magic that beginners should be well aware of before doing any craftwork. It is a method of cleaning out any negative energy, negative entities, or unwanted energy from an object, crystal, ect. While it is important to use your intuition in every method of your own practice, a few points where you should cleanse an object is roughly every few weeks, or even after every time you use said items (I cleanse my crystals after being bought,
'Smoke Cleansing' is the method of using the smoke from burning relevant herbs or incense to cleanse something of either all energy, any negative energy, or basically anything unwanted. While intention is absolutely needed in every method, this is one of the easiest cleansing methods and the first method I actively used before deciding to become a witch.
Tools used in smoke cleansing can be varied, however research is heavily needed. herbs like Palo Santo, White Sage, and the use of 'Smudging' are all closed practices, meaning they are sacred to a specific form of spirituality or race, and as such should not be used without permission or extensive research, in some cases. I have a list of closed practices and items Here.
This is also possible by boiling herbs and fruits in a Simmer Pot, then allowing the smell and steam to cleanse the spaces you are cleansing.
'The act of smudging (especially with Sage), is considered sacred to Native Americans and Indigenous groups, so if you would like to purify your space this way it is important to be respectful of cultural appropriation and fully understand the history and significance of this practice before performing a sacred smudging ritual.' - World of Magic article.
'Noise Cleansing' is the usage of noise to clear a space of negative energies, by using the soundwaves to disrupt the energies in the room. This method can be as complex (rituals, chants, etc), or as simple as you want.
Tools you can use also vary, as you can go from using music on Spotify or Youtube that invokes good energy in you, and playing that out loud, to clapping loudly or ringing bells to clear a space, or even using Tibetan Noise Bowls (depicted to the right). I personally am attracted to rock and metal music, the sounds of rain or water running over and through rocks, and of fire crackling, though I will use clapping if necessary.
This is one of the most accessible ways to cleanse, and as such is great for hidden practices, and people who aren't allowed to, or don't feel safe to practice in their home
'Sharp, sudden sounds—often metallic ones—vibrate on a frequency beyond what our ears can detect, compelling the objects and atmosphere to resonate in harmony and neutralizing the space. These frequencies even penetrate resistant energy blocks that smudging alone can’t always get rid of. It’s an all-encompassing ~cleanse~' Cosmopolitan Article on Sound Cleansing
Water Cleansing is one of the most accessible methods of cleansing that I have found, and I use it almost daily, by running my runes, crystals, altar items, items with bad energy under the tap, or bringing them in the shower with me (Cleansing both myself and them was a very quick way to get everything cleaned fast), then allowing them to dry before filling with my own energy again, or invoking my deities' energy in the case of altar items.
You can also use any form of running water, such as streams, rivers, the sea, etc., however be careful that you don't lose the item if the body of water is a wild one.
If you are mainly a Crystal Witch or Green Witch, you can also infuse water with herbs, or certain crystals (be careful the crystal is not toxic, dissolvent, or in general not safe to use in water), and use that in a spray bottle to cleanse your home. Examples of this are rue water being used to cleanse the home by washing doorframes and floors, as well as Clear Quartz water being safe to drink, and energises the person drinking said water.
You can also use Moon, Sun, Celestial, and Weather water to cleanse items or the self once energised. These are elaborated on in Ingredients, and I myself use Rainwater (once cleansed under the tap, and energised by being placed on my altar), as an offering to Rhiannon, and my friend CosmicJinx uses rainwater (once boiled, energised, and cleansed), to cleanse herself by drinking.
Please remember to be careful with what you are ingesting, however, and always do your research.
While this is more of a space-cleansing method, 'Nature/ Natural' cleansing can come in many different forms, and is the act of allowing yourself to connect with nature, and allowing it to cleanse you or your space. Whether this be done by opening a window to allow fresh air in, or by going for a meditative walk, allowing yourself to connect with nature is a fantastic way to cleanse yourself of negative energy.
When I warded my flat, I opened every single window in the house to allow air in, and when it rains I open the windows to allow the sound to both cleanse and calm my space (I have a specific connection with the elements of water and fire). When I was younger, myself and my mother went on regular 'nature walks' for hours on the hills near our flat.
Nowadays I require an 'objective' to my walks, as I am still ingrained in productivity culture, however I try to find the most long-winded way to get there, and take note of interesting places I find along the way.
Visualisation is a finicky method of cleansing yourself, as it requires a strong ability to 'see' your method of cleansing, where people who do not have a visual mind may not be able to practice this method.
Visualisation requires you to invision yourself covered in a glowing white or golden light that is warm, and protects you, then push it out, or into things.
I have only used this method to protect myself once, and visually saw a white light flash up a hill in front of me. My friend then later noted that there was 'something' up that hill, scared, in the direction I had seen the light, without me speaking to her, and while I had opened my eyes at the initial flash, I had noted there was no way for anything to have flashed in my eyes.
Besides this one event, I myself use Visualisation when 'Programming' items for their intended use. I envision my aura as a blue-white glow in my chest, allow it to grow stronger and stronger, then push it into whatever item I am filling (Crystals, Runes, and certain candles, ect) and tell it what I want it to do.
Certain crystals can be used to cleanse items by soaking up the negative energy and 'nuetralising' it. While these crystals will eventually need to be cleansed themselves (Though some like selenite have debate on whether they are self-cleansing or not).
Crystals like Selenite and Clear Quartz have the ability to charge and cleanse other crystals without losing their own energy, so all you need to do is program the crystals with your intention. Selenite bowls, or plates are excellent places to leave a collection of crystals that need charging or cleansing, and a lot of practitioners will have them.