6 Signs Your Shadow Work Practice Is Working

We’re often encouraged to ignore our darkness. To pretend that we don’t have inner demons, that we can be all love and light, that we can be “healed” without diving into our wounds.

The truth is that we can’t, and that’s where shadow work comes in.

Shadow work is the conscious practice of exploring your dark feelings, often ignored in your subconscious, that you feel ashamed and afraid of.

The aim of shadow work is to bring that darkness to the light and integrate it into your whole self. So that you can heal and become whole.

Click to learn more about what shadow work is and 4 simple steps to get started with it.

But once you start working with your shadow, how do you know that it’s really working?

This post will share 6 signs that your shadow work practice is working, moving you towards being a more healed, whole human being.

1. Other people’s behaviors don’t trigger you like they used to. They no longer create intense emotional responses or cause you to go into your head. You notice their behaviors, of course, but no longer feel a need to react or respond.

2. You drop blame and denial. When a shadow aspect of yourself shows up, you don’t deny it and you no longer blame yourself or the person who may have triggered you. You’re learning to acknowledge and accept your shadow, so you may even feel grateful to those who have helped shine a light on it so that it can be transformed and healed.

3. You judge other people (and yourself) less. When you’ve gone into the depths of your own darkness and learned to offer yourself complete acceptance and forgiveness, it’s so much easier to offer that to other people, as well.

You’re able to be much more accepting and compassionate towards others because you realize that your judgments of others stem from your own unhealed places. Once you heal those wounds, other people’s behaviors don’t phase you.

4. You recognize that you have become part of someone’s shadow. According to shadow work expert Jessi Huntenberg, the shadow work journey starts as what was done to you— all the conditioning and fear and wounds you have from your family, your childhood, from society— and slowly you get to a point where you realize that you are someone else’s shadow, too.

When you can realize this and offer yourself forgiveness for the people that you hurt when you were operating from a place of your own wounds, you know that your shadow work is working.

5. You’re no longer afraid to be seen. So many of us have wounds around visibility. We’re afraid to be seen. We feel like if people knew this or that about us, they wouldn’t love us. They would see how “unworthy” we really are.

When your shadow work is really working, that shame around the darkest parts of you begins to dissipate. It gets transformed into acceptance and love. And so you’re no longer afraid to be seen as you really are because you accept and love yourself fully and wholly.

6. Your life has become more peaceful. This is what we all want, right? Shadow work can get you there. Your life becomes more peaceful when you fully embrace and love ALL parts of yourself— the parts that are easy to love and the parts that are really difficult. Your interactions with others, your relationships with others, and your relationship with yourself all become a lot more positive.

What is your relationship with shadow work? Which of these signs are you experiencing?

DIY Herb Sticks + Herb Meanings and Uses

You can trace the ceremonial burning of herbs back to a variety of cultures. Though white sage is common and quite popular at the moment, there are far more herbs at your fingertips that can be just as powerful, more environmentally friendly, and related to your cultural heritage.

Every herb has a variety of meanings, uses, and correspondences. Herb sticks can be tailored to your every need. Even better, they’re easy to make, which I’ll outline below.

Before we go any further, I’d like to share a quick word on cultural appropriation. Notice I’m not using the term “smudge.” For many indigenous Americans smudging is a sacred practice, and many feel that the use of the word by non-indigenous Americans is not only misused but hurtful.

It’s easy to use other terms, so why not, if the alternative is causing harm? I try to stick to terms like “smoke cleansing,” “ceremonial herb burning,”  and “herb stick.” They make my point without the harm, it’s a win-win!

Before we jump into the steps for making DIY herb sticks, let’s take a quick look at what the benefits are of making and using your own herb sticks.

Why burn herbs and make your own herb sticks?

Most herb sticks that you buy at the store are made using white sage. Though white sage isn’t endangered (yet) it is being overharvested and due to a variety of reasons space for it to grow is being limited.

Beyond the environmental effects and cultural appropriation, using other herbs will give you more uses and scents. You may find that you like the smell of other herbs even more than sage!

The benefits of burning herbs are many but here are a few:

• Cleanse negative energy

• Add protection to your space

• Cleanse your aura

• Bring positive energy

• Balance the elements of your space

• Bring more masculine or feminine energy into your space

• Consecrate items or your space

• Simply for the delicious aroma!

How to make a DIY herb stick

1. Select your herbs. Reference the list below for different herb meanings and uses.

2. Dry your herbs before or after making your stick; it will take longer for them to dry if you dry them after you make them because they’re all smooshed together. If you opt to dry before, don’t let them dry out all the way. Otherwise, it’ll be too crumbly. I like to give my herbs a few days to dry out before I make the sticks, then let them dry the rest of the way for another few days.

3. Arrange all of your items nearby.

• Cotton or hemp string

• Scissors

• Your herbs and flowers, if you’re using them

• A mat or bag to put everything on to make clean-up easier (optional).

4. Cut your herbs to a similar length or tapered, depending on your desired end design.

5. Bundle all of the herbs together. If you’re using bigger leaves or flowers, you can wrap them around the bundle or place them in different areas. You may have to replace them as you tie.

6. Tie a knot at the bottom of your bundle.

7. Wrap string up and around your bundle so anything sticking out is held in place.

8. Tie a knot at the top.

9. Let the herbs dry the rest of the way, about two weeks.

Herb meanings and uses

• Sagebrush: Clear negative energy, soothe headaches, brings air element and feminine energy.

• Lavender: Soothing, calming, balancing, brings air element and masculine energy.

• Basil: Balancing, joyful, positive energy, brings fire element and masculine energy.

• Rosemary: Purify, seal or bond relationships, brings fire element and masculine energy.

• Rose: Love, affection, brings water element and feminine energy.

• Lemongrass: Clears obstacles, brings air element and masculine energy.

• Mugwort: Enlightenment, magic, intuition, brings air and earth element and feminine energy.

• Mint: Awareness, concentration, brings fire element and masculine energy.

• Spruce: Grounding, clarity, calmness, brings earth element and feminine energy.

How to use your new herb stick

Safety first! Before you light anything, ensure that you have a safe place to put your burning herb stick in between wafting and so you have a place to put it when you finish up. You can use an ethically sourced abalone shell for this or any right-sized fireproof dish.

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Decide what your purpose is for burning your herbs before you start, so you have the appropriate mindset. Carefully light your herb stick and either place it in your fireproof dish or hold it over the dish while you smoke your space. A large feather can be helpful for wafting the smoke, but your hand will work too.

You can let your stick burn out in the fireproof dish in its own time if you are near it the entire time. If you need to step away from the burning herb stick, extinguish it in water to make sure there are no burning pieces left.

You may find that some herbs burn faster than others as you experiment with them, you can keep this in mind for how you construct them and where you light them in the future.

These DIY herb sticks have become a new obsession for me. I love having the smells of the herbs in the house and seeing them out while drying. I think you’ll find that this is a fun alternative to purchasing white sage!

What is the Earth Star Chakra & How to Connect to It

I know, throwing a new chakra into the mix of the familiar seven may be pretty surprising! Now, to fully blow your mind, you actually have three celestial chakras in your etheric body as well, and a slew of minor chakras throughout your body.

Today, I’ll share tips for connecting to your earth star chakra. Don’t worry, I’ll dig into all of the others in a future blog post.

What is the Earth Star Chakra?

Your earth star chakra is not a part of your physical body like the other seven chakras. It’s actually located below your feet and makes up part of your etheric body. It connects directly to the core of the earth and to Gaia.

The earth star chakra is sometimes referred to as one of the “new chakras” or “subpersonal chakras.” Think of your earth star chakra as a high-performance root chakra! Learn more about the root chakra here.

The earth star chakra differentiates from your root chakra in a few ways:

• It is the grounding point for your entire chakra system and etheric body.

• It connects you to not only the earth but the whole of humanity as well.

• Some believe it is connected to our past lives too.

Why should you connect with your earth star chakra?

How much time do you spend inside using technology? If you’re like most humans today much of your time is spent doing these very things.If you’re anxiety-prone or lean on the airy side of the four elements, the earth star chakra is your new bestie. Developing a strong connection to this chakra can give you an unshakable feeling of being grounded. Here are a few benefits of deepening your connection to this chakra:

• A greater awareness of nature and a stronger connection to mother earth.

• Intuitively know how to help heal the earth.

• A strong feeling of being grounded and safe.

• A healthier root chakra.

• Easily dispel negative energy you may pick up throughout your day. The earth star chakra is especially great for healers.

• Because this chakra is connected to the energy of the earth you can easily pull energy from this chakra on days you need a boost.

Sounds nice, right? Keep reading for some tips on how to connect more deeply with your earth star chakra.

Ways to Connect to Your Earth Star Chakra

Meditation

The best way to connect with this chakra is through meditation. The next time you sit down to meditate try this visualization: imagine a cord coming from the sky, going through your body, connecting to each of your seven chakras, finally connecting to your earth star chakra about 8 to 12 inches below you, and then imagine the cord going through each layer of the earth until it reaches the core of the earth. Imagine this cord anchoring into the core of the earth so you have an unshakable grounding effect.

You can also try visualizing the color of this chakra creating a bubble around you. There’s some debate over what the color of the earth star chakra is. Many say it’s brown or black (representing the core of the earth), while others say it’s aqua (representing all the water on the earth’s surface). Personally, I feel that my earth star chakra radiates a very dark reddish-brown hue, but I suggest meditating and deciding what feels true to you.

Earthing

Earthing is direct skin contact with the earth. Of course, doing this with a conscious effort in mind of connecting with your earth star chakra will be best! Try meditating while sitting outside, or simply spending some extra time walking in nature (preferably barefoot), thinking about your connection to your earth star chakra.

Crystals

Black kyanite is the most highly recommended stone to use for connecting with your earth star chakra. Any dark earthy stones like onyx, black tourmaline, black or snowflake obsidian, and red or green jasper can assist you. If you fall into the category of having an aqua-colored earth star chakra, some recommend an aqua aura quartz.

Ask

If you’re just learning about this chakra now it’s likely that it’s been a bit neglected. No worries though, it’s never too late to start and you’re certainly not alone! The simple act of asking to be connected to this newly found chakra can go a long way. Try asking during meditation or while spending time in nature.

Tapping into this chakra can have a powerful effect on your own well-being and our world. Imagine the world we’d live in if everyone was more in tune with mother earth!

Yoga for the 4 Elements

Fire, water, earth, and air are the four elements of the Universe. They make up all that is, everything we see around us, and everything we are.

None of them are either good or bad, and they each have specific, different properties.

Fire, associated with your solar plexus chakra, is connected with passion and inspiration. Water, associated with your sacral chakra, is all about emotion and intuition. Air, associated with your heart and throat chakras, is about communication. Earth, associated with your root chakra, is connected with grounding and stability.

There are many different ways to connect with and balance the four elements in your body and life: eating certain foods, meditation, visualization, spending time with the elements in nature, such as the ocean, connecting with crystals associated with each element, and more.

But one of my favorite ways to connect with the elements is through using yoga.

There are two ways to use yoga for the elements:

1. To create more of an element you desire.

• For example, if you want to feel more grounded you’ll want to connect with the Earth. If you want to stimulate your creativity or get out of your comfort zone, you’ll want to connect with fire.

2. To balance an element you feel you have too much of.

• For example, if you’re feeling overly emotional, you may want to balance the water element by working with its opposite, fire. If you’re feeling materialistic or too stuck in your ways you’ll want to balance the Earth element by working with its opposite, air.

Scroll down to get ideas for different styles of yoga, poses, and some breathwork to connect with each of the four elements of the universe.

Yoga for Fire

To connect with the element of fire, you’ll want to do a power or vinyasa-style yoga flow focused on stimulating your core, where your solar plexus resides.

Suraya Namaskar. For a fire practice, you’ll want to start off with a series of sun salutations. There are several different variations, but I recommend this one:

• Mountain pose at the top of your mat

• Arms lifted over head

• Hand to foot pose

• High lunge on your left side

• Plank pose

• Chaturanga

• Upward-facing dog

• Downward-facing dog

• High lunge on your right side

• Hand to foot pose

• Arms lifted over head

• Mountain pose

That’s one sequence. Do as many as you’d like! And remember that you can always modify your high lunge by lowering your back knee for a less intense version.

Plank pose. Nothing lights a fire in your belly like a plank pose. Try keeping a slight micro bend in your elbow and lifting from the back of your heart space so you really get into your belly.

Boat pose. There are two variations you can take: knees bent (gentler) or legs straight. Try starting with your knees bent and then straighten your legs after a few breaths if you feel strong and steady.

Chair pose. In this pose, tuck your tailbone and really focus on your core. Bring your awareness to those muscles, and see how the posture changes for you. If you feel like adding a little detoxifying in, take a twisted chair variation.

Agni Sara pranayama. You’ll look weird, but you’ll literally feel yourself getting hot. Start in a standing position with your knees gently bent and your hands on your knees. As you inhale, fill your belly with breath. As you exhale, draw in your lower and upper core muscles, hollowing out your stomach.

Yoga for Water

A hip-opening slow-flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of water. As you move through each pose, imagine that you are moving through water. What would that feel like? What would that look like?

Low crescent lunge. Keep your back knee lowered to keep this pose a little more gentle, and work on finding a little more balance in your hips. If you’re lunging on the left side, try pulling your left hip back and right hip forward to get you there.

Incorporating a mudra into this pose can be really nice, too. Try flowing through Padma, or Lotus, mudra by bringing your hands to lotus mudra at the heart center, inhaling to lift your hands overhead, and exhaling to cascade your arms down and back to your heart center.

Lizard pose. Time to really get into the hips. Be gentle with your body here and use props like blocks or a bolster as needed! Ask yourself: what do I need to feel good in this pose? And listen to your body’s wisdom.

Child’s pose into cobra flow. Start in child’s pose with your legs parallel instead of knees wide. As you inhale, shift all the way forward onto your belly and into cobra pose. Your exhale brings you back to the child’s pose. Keep flowing with your breath, trying to move as slowly and mindfully as possible.

Wide-legged forward fold. Start standing with your legs wide and hangs to your hips. Inhale to open your chest, and exhale to fold, releasing your palms to your mat, ankles, or to a yogi toe hold. After a few breaths here, you might like to add in a side body stretch by walking both hands to the left side of your mat, and then to the right side.

Reclining cobbler’s pose. Bring one palm to the heart and one palm to the belly, and visualize your breath flowing up and down your spine like water with each inhale and exhale. Connect with your heart space and notice any places that your breath feels shallow or stuck. See if you can make your breath deep, smooth, and fluid.

Yoga for Earth

A grounding yin yoga practice will connect you with the Earth. As you settle in each pose, notice the Earth below you. Notice how it grounds you, supports you, and nurtures you. Spend at least five minutes in each of these poses, connecting with your breath.

Malasana seated on a block. As you sit in a yogi squat with your palms at the heart center, visualize your breath running all the way down your spine and out your tailbone, grounding you and rooting you to the Earth a little bit deeper with each inhale.

Caterpillar pose. Place a block on your thighs at whatever height you need to allow your body to completely relax and round forward over your legs. Instead of trying to stretch your hands to meet your feet, let them fall to your sides wherever they naturally do.

Half frog variation on belly. This is one of my favorite poses. Lying on your belly, turn onto your right cheek and stretch your arms out to a T. Bend your left knee and open your hip out to your left side. Take five minutes on this side, and then switch to your right side.

Thread the needle. Try to completely relax through the hips, spine, and shoulders here as you rest on your shoulder and head. For the gentlest variation, walk your other arm out in front of you and release it completely to your mat. You also have the option to wrap that arm around the lower back for a gentle bind. Just find what feels good for you, and return to your breath.

Seated straddle. Sit up on a block for extra support as you take your legs wide. First turn your torso to your left leg and round your spine over that leg, bringing your forehead to a block or to your knee. Then turn to your right leg, and then walk your palms out in front of you and round in the center.

Yoga for Air

A heart-opening, throat-opening Hatha flow style yoga practice will connect you with the element of Air. As you move through these poses, visualize green light beaming out of your heart chakra, opening you up to a flow of unconditional love, and blue light beaming out of your throat chakra, opening you up to speak your truth freely.

Camel pose. Camel pose opens up both of these chakras beautifully when you allow your neck to drop back. Focus on pressing your pelvis forward and opening the front side of your body rather than bending your back body. Breathe into your heart space, and see that green wheel of energy softening, opening, and expanding.

Bow pose. Bow pose opens both your throat and your heart chakras as well. Notice how your breath sinks you lower onto your mat with each inhale and takes you deeper into the pose with each exhale.

Upward-facing dog. Open your throat chakra with the upward-facing dog. You can try it as part of a flow from plank to chaturanga to upward-facing dog to downward-facing dog to really connect with the element of air.

Heart bench. Set up your blocks on whatever setting feels best for you, and make the block supporting your head lower than the block running along your spine for extra throat chakra opening.

Plow pose. Skip this one if you have any back or neck problems. But if not, it’s a beautiful opener for your throat, heart, and solar plexus (bonus!) chakras. Start with the legs straight behind you (and if you can’t reach your toes to the floor, try reaching them to a chair or another piece of furniture behind you), and feel free to bend your legs around your head as you get deeper into the pose.

Which element do you need to balance or call in more of right now?

What is the Wheel of the Year?

Learning more about the Wheel of the year will not only help you feel more in-tune with nature, but it will give you rituals to use year-round to connect with yourself and Mother Earth. This topic can seem a little overwhelming when getting started, so I will provide you with a quick overview with this post. I'll cover what the Wheel of the Year is, who uses it, how to use it, and some resources, including a free printable of a wheel that I created. Keep scrolling to read more and find a link to your free copy.

What is the Wheel of the year?

The Wheel of the year is comprised of eight Sabbats or festivals that occur on or around the same day each year. The eight Sabbats include four solar events, i.e., the Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Fall Equinox. The remaining four festivals are based on seasonal changes and farming. Here's a rundown of the eight Sabbats, what they align with, and their dates:

Samhain: October 31st - November 1st // Samhain is considered the witch's New Year. It is the third and final harvest season and ends the seasonal Wheel.

The Winter Solstice & Yule: December 21st or 22nd // Winter Solstice

Imbolc: February 1st // Holiday is known as Candlemas, which signifies the first signs of Spring

The Spring Equinox & Ostara: March 20th // Spring Equinox (first day of Spring)

Beltane: April 30th - May 1st // A fire ceremony that signifies the midpoint between Spring and Summer

The Summer Solstice & Litha: June 21st or 22nd // Summer Solstice

Lughnasadh: July 31st - August 1st // Marks the first harvest of the year

The Autumn Equinox & Mabon: September 21st - September 23rd // Fall Equinox

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Who Celebrates the Wheel of the Year?

You don't have to subscribe to a specific religion or label to use or observe the Wheel of the year. Most notably, Wiccans, Pagans, Neo-Pagans, and practicing witches reference the Wheel of the Year for festivals and rituals. If you don't identify with any of these labels, but like to dabble in ritual or spellwork, that's perfectly fine! You'll still be able to find many uses for this powerful tool.

Where did the Wheel originate?

The Wheel of the year is rooted in several cultures and combines festivals from Romans, ancient Greeks, Germanic cultures of northern Europe, and the Celts. It's for this reason that you'll see a variety of names for some of the festivals and differing dates. For example, Lughnasadh also goes by Lammas or Lughnasa, and Litha also goes by Midsummer.

The full Wheel of eight festivals is a relatively new creation that came about in the 1950s. The groups listed above each celebrated some of the eight Sabbats, but the evidence is lacking that any of them celebrated all eight. Combining all eight into a wheel was a way to honor and streamline all of the celebrations that many Pagans and Wiccans hold dear.

How to Celebrate The Wheel of The Year

Learning to implement the Wheel of the Year can feel overwhelming, but the way that you work with it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. There are countless ways to celebrate each celebration on the Wheel of the Year. Check out the list below for a general list of ways you can enjoy the Wheel of the Year. For specific rituals and celebration suggestions, check out The Goddess Discovery Book V2 or search our blog for the Sabbat you'd like to learn more about.

• Spend time outside in nature.

• Attend a local celebration or create your own for some or all festivals.

• Conduct a ritual for each Sabbat. You can find several ritual examples for each Sabbat by searching the Sabbat on our blog.

• Add decor and scents to your house based on the Wheel of the Year.

• Cleanse and update your altar or sacred space for each Sabbat.

• Cook specific foods for each of the Sabbats.

• Enjoy crafts with your Goddess circle or kiddos based around the Sabbats.

• Go within and try journaling for each Sabbat.

• Perform a unique tarot or oracle card spread.

Here's an example of how I often perform my altar update for a new Sabbat.

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Additional Resources

Want to dig deeper into using the Wheel of the Year in your practice? Here are three ways to learn more:

1. Click here for my wheel of the year graphic in my magical printables bundle.

2. Click here to purchase Understanding The Wheel of The Year, which goes into detail about the Wheel of the Year and contains wheel images for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, rituals, card spreads and journal prompts for each Sabbat.

3. Find links to blog posts specifically for each Sabbat below.

• Samhain

• Yule

• Imbolc

• Ostara

• Beltane

• Litha

• Lughnasadh

• Mabon

Here are other books that I love about the Wheel of the Year: The Magical Year by Danu Forest, The Great Work by Tiffany Lizac, and The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year by Judy Ann Nock.

I hope you find the Wheel of the year as special and magical as I do! It has so many positive and powerful applications to bring life to your sacred practices.

DIY Essential Oil Cleansing Blends

If you’re reading this blog, you probably already know that essential oils are amazing plant-based magic from this beautiful planet.

They have so many incredible magickal and practical uses, and today we’re talking mainly about their practical uses! To read a previous blog post with some rollerball blends for daily use click here.

You’re probably conscious of the foods you put in the body and the products you use on your skin. But do you ever think about the products you use to clean your clothes and home? These products can be laden with chemicals and toxins that you would never want in or on your body, but many of us use them on our clothing and in our sacred living spaces without even thinking about it.

It’s almost spring, so now is the perfect time to start brewing and mixing up some natural, essential-oil-based cleansing products to make your space as fresh and magical as you are.

Best Essential Oils for Cleansing

In general, some great essential oils for cleansing are:

• Lemon

• Lime

• Wild orange

• Thyme

• Pine

• Peppermint

• Lavender

• Eucalyptus

• Tea tree

• Rosemary

• Cinnamon

• Clove

• Lavender

• Sandalwood

• Oregano

These oils have natural antibacterial, antiviral, and/or antiseptic properties— and they smell amazing, too!

RECIPES & USES

All-purpose cleaning spray

This is your new go-to, all-purpose cleaner. You’ll need:

• 2 cups of white vinegar

• 1 teaspoon of natural dish soap (not castile soap!)

• 2 cups of water

• 15 drops lemon essential oil

• 15 drops peppermint essential oil

• 20 drops tea tree oil

Mix all the ingredients, pour into a glass spray bottle, and use everywhere, like your tables and kitchen counters!

You’ll want to use glass bottles for all of these recipes, because although they are highly diluted, it’s always recommended to store oils only in glass (plus, let’s save the environment!).

Trash can freshener

Three days until trash day and your trash is smelling up your kitchen? Put 2 drops of lemon oil and 2 drops of tea tree oil on 2 or 3 cotton balls and place them in the bottom of your trash can under your trash bag to freshen it up.

Air freshener

There are so many options for air fresheners! Choose from the combinations below or make your own, and spray throughout your space (or car, if you have one) whenever it needs a fresh boost.

Simple peppermint spray

• 1 cup of water

• 10-15 drops of peppermint oil

Tea tree, eucalyptus & lemon spray

• 1 cup of water

• 7 drops of tea tree oil

• 7 drops of eucalyptus oil

• 7 drops of lemon oil

Wild orange, sandalwood & cinnamon spray

• 1 cup of water

• 7 drops of wild orange oil

• 7 drops of sandalwood oil

• 7 drops of cinnamon oil

The combinations are endless! Get creative and try mixing and matching from the list of cleansing oils above to hit on a combination you love.

Dish soap

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of water

• 1/2 cup of liquid Castile soap, like Dr. Bronner’s

• 2 teaspoons of baking soda

• 10 drops of lemon essential oil

• 5 drops of rosemary essential oil

• 5 drops of thyme essential oil

If you’re dealing with more grease, use extra lemon oil or add some wild orange oil.

Furniture polish

Polish your chairs, bookcases, desks, and any other wooden furniture with this super easy furniture polish.You’ll need:

• 6-8 drops lemon essential oil

• 1 cup olive oil

Add to a spray bottle, and spray on any wooden surfaces to clean, polish, and protect them.

Carpet cleaner

Use this cleaner to freshen up carpet, couches, and rugs in your home. Combine:

• 1 cup of baking soda

• 30 drops of lemon essential oil

and cover in a container with a lid. Shake well and sprinkle on your carpet, couches, or rugs. Let it sit overnight and vacuum it up in the morning!

Laundry detergent

This will get your clothes clean and make them smell amazing. If you’re new to essential oils, I would recommend trying one of the easier recipes above before you give this one a go.

• 2 cups washing soda (a simple, natural detergent booster you should be able to find in your health food store or online— it looks like this)

• 1 cup simple Castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s

• 1 cup of baking soda

• 15 drops lavender essential oil

• 8 drops eucalyptus essential oil

• 8 drops peppermint oil

Use about 1/4th of a cup for a large load, and as little as 1/8th of a cup for a smaller load.

Natural linen spray

This linen spray works perfectly for sheets, curtains, pillowcases, pillows, and any other fabric things you can think of. You’ll need:

• 1/4th cup of water

• 3 tablespoons vodka, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel

• 15 drops of lavender essential oil

• 10 drops of frankincense essential oil

• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Clear negative energy

Of course, no cleansing is complete without an energetic cleansing. To clear negative energy from your space, diffuse 1 drop of frankincense oil, 2 drops of yarrow oil, 1 drop of juniper oil, and 1 drop of clary sage oil.

Frankincense raises the vibration of your space, yarrow provides psychic protection, juniper brings in positive energy, and of course, clary sage cleanses and purifies.

After you clean your space physically and energetically, it’s always great to place a few crystals around your home to bring in the energy you do want.