| Strega Diana's Kitchen |
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| Written by Diana Grayfox | |
| Tuesday, 27 February 2007 | |
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With the advent of February comes a time of purification. The ancient Romans originally followed a lunar calendar which began in March. The month of February was the final month of the year and therefore associated with cleansing, purification, and Dii Inferi, the Infernal Gods below. February is a good month to consider spring cleaning. Our ancestors used Februa, tools for purification, to cleanse their homes. We do something similar today. To purify and cleanse your home, sprinkle salt about and then sweep up with a vacuum or broom. If you are using a broom, never sweep debris over the threshold, else youÕll sweep out good fortune as well. Use a dustpan. You can also make an infusion of vervain by boiling two tablespoons of vervain in two quarts of water. Sprinkle the infusion about the house, making sure to get into the corners. You might also respectfully harvest a small pine bough to distribute the vervain infusion. The pine bough itself serves as an instrument of purification and should be swept through the air several times along the perimeter of each room. As you do that say, ÒAll things dark that would do me harm, I cast you away! I call only those things with good intentions to stay.Ó Be sure to sweep around all windows, doorways, and other opening to the outside such as fireplaces. Finally, burn some sweet-smelling incense at your household altar, and leave offerings of chocolates or something sweet such as cakes to invite good faeries and benevolent spirits into your home. For those mundane spring cleaning chores, here is a nice natural recipe for a cleaner from my family to yours: Boil a quart of water with a tablespoon of Borax and a handful of dried soapwort. You can optionally add a handful of lemon balm, a handful of lavender, and fifteen drops of lemon oil when cooled. Happy Cleaning, Diana Grayfox Diana Grayfox is a Strega teacher and healer. She is an elder of the Clarian Temple of the Religio Terranova, the high priestess of the Order of the Evening Star, and a loving wife and mother. Diana can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .             |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 February 2007 ) |
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