House blessings

[JanMichael]

has anyone here had their house blessed by a clergy member before moving in? Thoughts?

[MorningGlow]

1. No, but

I've had my high priestess and my covenmates come by to help me clean the houses we've bought before or shortly after we've moved in, and I've smudged my own places frequently.

I'm a little biased against clergy (I was raised Catholic); I don't think they really teach the proper meditation techniques or methods to connect with the divine in seminary. Every once in a while you get a priest who's a natural, but IMO there are too many who go through the motions (like mass, blessings, etc.) but don't have that spark of the divine.

If you have a clergy member that you know and trust, go ahead--it can't hurt. Or you could just smudge your own place with a sage bundle and some seawater or sea salt.

[JanMichael]

2. well, actually...I wrote "clergy" but I should probably mention

that she's a Pagan ;) and is a non-denominational minister light worker who is part of a large group of like minded folks in NC--

In this group, anyone who participates in leading a spiritual ritual of any stripe is referred to as "clergy." I like that because it shows respect.

[MorningGlow]

4. Ah! I see!

:)

Well, I'd still advise the same--if you know the minister, trust her, and believe she's truly a spiritual individual, then go for it. (And again, I'm biased, but I think Pagans and others learn how to connect with the divine better than your average garden-variety Christian clergy members.)

[crikkett]

6. I was not raised Catholic

but isn't the Hail Mary a meditation?

I heard a priest call it a meditation.

[MorningGlow]

7. Oh yes all prayers are meditations

But whether the person doing the prayer/meditation actually opens up his/her chakras and establishes that link with the divine (Universe, higher self, whatever) depends on the individual's ability to manage it. I just think that Pagans and followers of other faiths are better trained in that--they know the mechanics behind it, the method, the "science" (eek!) of altering one's brainwaves to achieve the meditative state (alpha at the very least, delta and theta for deeper work). So many traditional church-goers (and clergy) I have encountered remain very much in the beta brainwave state, and that doesn't accomplish as much.

[northernlights]

3. no, but I smudged

my house. I should have smudged the entire property because there were problems. Once I smudged the perimeter, the problems ceased. (It was the most dramatic smudging I've ever experienced, with 3 bowls in a row that burst into flames. Recounted elsewhere on this board, lol).

I don't have a comfortable relationship with the clergy.

[JanMichael]

5. I read that

where the bowl burst into flames-- that was pretty dramatic! Read above post; the "clergy" is a Pagan ;)

[northernlights]

8. ah, I see

well I guess a blessing from that kind of clergy would be ok ;)

And I still recommend smudging, whether within a ceremony with the clergy or by yourself.

[Oak2004]

9. Anyone mind if I ask a (related) question?

I know that a bell is an acceptable substitute for incense when smoke is not okay for whatever reason (in my case, I'm asthmatic, and I have a parrot, which precludes the use of any sort of smoke).

The parrot also precludes the use of candles or other open flames (yes, they are that sensitive to smoke. Many birds have been killed by the soot emitted from candles, and others have survived, but with lung damage. In my book, life takes precedence over tradition, hands down). Right now I'm using electric "candles" as substitutes, but are there any other/better accepted substitutes?

The electric candles do seem to work, but not quite as well as candle flames. My gut tells me it is, oddly, not because they are electric, but because they pretend to be what they are not (they are electric lights, not candles). I've thought that perhaps if I make electric lamps of various colors which do not pretend to be anything but ritual electric lamps -- i.e., which retain their own integrity -- I'll get better results.

[JanMichael]

10. Oh, I have a really neat solution for you that does not involve flames!

I use sage, rosemary and white sage hydrosols for my "smudging" when I cannot light real herbs:

http://www.prairielandherbs.com/hydrosols.htm

I LOVE this company-- two women who own and run a small herb farm in Iowa (we also use their shampoo bars, which are unreal)--

When they send a note telling you that your stuff has been shipped, they also send personal notes about the weather, etc. Just wonderful, down to earth folks.

The hydrosols really last too-- I am on a small bottle of sage that I bought a year and a half ago-

[Why Syzygy]

11. That is an excellent suggestion! nt