Blessing the Threshold

The witch's home is a sacred space; this is where most witches weave their magic, shed their outermost protective layers, and lay their heads to rest at night. The witch's home is a spelled place, a living place—a sort of wilderness. The threshold of the home is an even more potent space, then—a between place, neither within or outside the house. The threshold exist perfectly between energies, acting as a barrier for one whilst beckoning another through.

The threshold of your home is a gateway into your inner world—by protecting the threshold, we can begin to align our inner and outer worlds, and create firm boundaries between the two.

Blessing the threshold of a home is beautiful, tender magic. Physical spaces are just as alive as we are—they have their own needs, and their own quirks. When we set out to bless the threshold of our home, we're not only protecting ourselves, we're protecting the space itself, and all the spirits it contains. In all likelihood, you probably already share your home with a variety of energies and spirits, including the spirit of the house. Before you bless the threshold of your home, take some time to consider these energies you share space with. What sort of energy would you like to cultivate inside your home? What sorts of spirits are you willing to share space with, and which energies will you deny entry?

Blessing the Threshold: A Spell for Preserving Softness

This ritual is a gentle way to introduce yourself to your home, and to recruit your house spirits in the shared cause of cultivating a restful, energetically clear living space. This spell is perfect if you've just moved, or if you're setting up house protections for the very first time. This spell should be performed at the main threshold of your home (usually the front door), but if you have multiple doors leading to the outside, perform this spell at each one.

You will need:

• A bell

• 1 cup of water

• 1/2 cup of vinegar

• 1-2 tbsp. of salt

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• Washcloth

• Bowl

• Incense (optional)

Begin by mixing together the water, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl. Using your washcloth, wipe down the outside of your door, starting at the top and working your way down. If you have a protective mantra you'd like to state aloud during this process, now is the time. When the door is thoroughly wiped down and clear of literal (and energetic) debris, ring your bell four times, invoking each of the elements in turn. If you feel called to, and if you have some on hand, light some incense before beginning the next part of the spell.

In another bowl, add a tablespoon of salt to your olive oil. When you're ready, trace the phrase, "This threshold is sacred and protected," at the top and bottom of the door. When both phrases have been traced, draw a connecting line along the left and right edges of the door, so that the oil forms a solid boundary.

Refresh this boundary regularly—ideally, one every six months, or whenever your home feels energetically depleted.