New Home Blessings
Regardless of their specific type and origin, home blessing rituals are meant to ward off evil and summon positive energy to your new life.
1) Lighting a candle
Lighting a candle on the first night in a new home is a powerful house blessing ritual, performed in various cultures around the world since the very dawn of civilization. The burning candle brings light and casts out the darkness – both literally and symbolically – bestowing a blessing upon the occupants of the home and chasing away the shadows of evil, sorrow and pain. In many religions it’s common to light a candle when saying a prayer or reciting sacred texts, so that the flame can amplify the power of your words and sanctify your home.
Lighting a fire in the new home fireplace has a similar allegorical meaning – fire is a powerful symbol of strength, purity, and stability. The flame is believed to absorb all the malignant energy from the home, purify it and protect it from evil.
2) Burning sage
Burning or smudging sage is another similar house blessing ritual, widely practiced in the US. Derived from Native American traditions, the burning of dried sage is a popular method for clearing out negative energy and protecting a home from evil spirits.
To perform the ritual, you need a bundle of white sage, wrapped with thread and accompanied by lavender or other fragrant herbs. Light the sage in a fire resistant bowl and let it smokeon its own. Then, walk around the house clockwise (starting at the front door) and wave the smoke in the air, making sure it gets to every corner of every room (corners are where negative energy tends to accumulate).
According to the old tradition, it is advisable to cover up mirrors and windows and turn off electronics when performing a sage smudging ceremony.
3) Ringing a bell
The sound of bells is said to scatter atrophic energies and summon good fortune. So, ringing a bell in your new house or apartment is another sure way to purify your living space and bring a blessing upon your home.
4) Bringing bread and salt
Bread and salt are the most important symbols of hospitality, wealth, and prosperity all around the world. Therefore, to make sure your family will never know hunger and will have a life full of flavor, you need to bring a loaf of bread (the most essential food) and some salt (the most essential spice) with you the very first time you enter your new home.
5) Boiling milk and rice
Boiling milk and rice in an open pot until it boils over the sides symbolizes purity and long life. The overflowing pot also represents the abundance of prosperity and wealth which will bless the new home. You should offer some of the milk and rice to the household spirits and serve the rest (lightly sweetened) to dear guests of your home.
Good to remember: There is a blessing for a new home in almost any religion, so instead of performing any house blessing ceremonies yourself, you can ask the community priest to bless your new house or apartment. Doing so will not only ensure your good fortune, but will also help you create social contacts with other people from the neighborhood.
Bringing Good Luck To Your New Home And Warding Off Evil Spirits
Whether you take them seriously or scoff at them, most superstitions about moving into a new home have as much of a practical aspect as a magical one. Here are some interesting examples of how to bring good luck into your new home and ensure a smooth and trouble-free transition to your new life:
SEE ALSO: 21 things to do after moving into a new home
1) Leave your old broom behind
To be able to start afresh, you need to get rid of all your past troubles first, don’t you?
The old brooms (mops/sweepers/vacuum cleaners) you have used in your old home are believed to carry not only the physical dirt and dust of the place, but all the negative aspects of your life there, as well. So, if all the negativity you have experienced so far is embodied in such a simple item – your old broom – it makes perfect sense to throw it away when moving into a new home in an attempt to get rid of everything bad in your life. Go ahead and try the trick next time you move house – even if it doesn’t work, it won’t do any harm (vacuums and sweepers may be somewhat expensive to replace, but it will be really nice to get new cleaning utensils for your new place anyway). Besides, you won’t bring any dirt and bacteria from your old home to your new one.
The new broom should be carried in the first time you enter your new home. This particular moving house superstition is especially practical – it will be easier to give your new home a thorough cleaning when you have brand new cleaning equipment with you, right?
2) Paint the porch blue
It’s quite common in the US to see homes (or parts of homes) painted blue – porch ceilings, fences and shutters, doors and windows, etc. The reason is to be found in an old American new home superstition – tradition holds that spirits cannot cross water, so painting a home blue is a symbolic way to keep evil spirits away. Besides, the blue color is supposed to trick mosquitos and other insects into leaving, as it looks like the sky. This is no co*ck-and-bull story either –the blue paint was originally created by mixing pigment withlime. The lime in the paint did indeed deter insects, leading to the belief that the color blue can magically save you from annoying pests.
3) Sprinkle salt and scatter coins or rice on the floor
Spread some salt over the threshold of the front door, as well as on every door and window sill throughout your home. Even if you don’t believe that salt has the power to repel evil spirits and keep your home safe against black magic (as the superstition goes), you can at least rest assured that no vermin will dare enter your salty dwelling.
You may also want to consider scattering some coins or rice grains on the floor – another ritual that symbolizes a wish for prosperity and wealth.
4) Plant a pomegranate tree in the yard
The tradition for a new family to plant a pomegranate tree when they move into their new home has to do with reproduction and longevity. The fruit has many seeds and symbolizes fertility, many years of sweet life, and home full of laughter and happiness. So, if you want babies or wish for a happy long life, don’t forget to plant a pomegranate sapling in the yard as soon as you move in. You will certainly enjoy the delicious fruit later on.
5) Prepare a housewarming meal and throw a housewarming party
Many popular moving into new home superstitions claim that the best way to start your new life is to fill your space with love and joy. If you surround yourself with positive emotions and laughter during the first days in your new place, they will stay at your home forever.
So, you are strongly recommended to organize a housewarming party as soon as you settle in and invite all your new neighbors and colleagues over. Not only will the merriment scare any evil spirits away, but you will have the chance to get to know your new acquaintances better and lay the foundations of many future friendships.
SEE ALSO: Best ways to befriend your new neighbors after a move
Tradition demands that you prepare a home-made meal to offer your guests and thank those who helped you settle in. The preparation of a housewarming meal signifies the beginning of your new daily routine, while the act of offering it to kind, helpful and well-meaning people represents your wish for loyal friendship and harmonious life.
6) Invite a guardian spirit to protect your home
Asking the spirits to protect you and your new property is a common tradition when moving into a new home. Whether it’s a guardian angel or a protective spirit, having a superpower to watch over your home and your family is certain to bring you confidence and ease of mind.
Benebell Wen, author of The Tao of Craft and Holistic Tarot, advises you to invite a spirit protector to safeguard your home. “Seek out a small outdoor statue or figurine of a guardian angel, animal totem, or mythical beast that resonates with you and anoint it with sacred oil, such as frankincense, myrrh, or sandalwood. As you do so, utilize the power of vision and invoke Spirit, the Divine, your deity or deities of choice and, in a way, by transubstantiation, empower that figurine to protect your home. Place that figurine in a cleared or prominent area in the front yard or by the front entrance. From time to time, be sure to acknowledge the figurine’s presence and give thanks to Spirit.”, says Wen.
Samuel Wheeler, a communications manager for SD Equity Partners, recommends building a Spirit House to appease the domestic spirits and gain their benevolence. This ritual comes from Asia where new homeowners who have disturbed the original home of the spirits construct a mini house for them to live in. Offerings such as fruit and drinks are also very common.
Good to remember: You should be very careful not to invoke the wrath of the household spirits or make another critical mistake when moving into your new home.
All superstitions and rituals for moving into a new house have one single purpose – to ensure your auspicious move and successful new life. After all, it is your own set of mind and willpower that define the future to quite a large extent. So, if you truly believe that a holy thread or a gnome figurine will bring you good luck or keep evil away, it may indeed do so.
