stones with cleansing properties?

[Sage Witch]

I'm in the process of making a ritual broom, and I'd like to decorate it with some stones. Any suggestions?

[Myst]

Amethyst is the best for cleansing.

It's even good for placing other stones on to cleanse them. You might also try quartz for purity :)

I got a broom from the store then decided to decorate it so I wrapped flower arranging tape around the staff and wound a length of fake sunflowers where the bush meets the staff. Didn't think of the gemstone thing tho :)

[Lavender]

What are you making your broom out of? Traditionally, witches' brooms are made with an ash staff and birch twigs with willow bindings. :D Just a bit of folklore trivia! :D

[Sage Witch]

I'm not sure exactly what the piece I'm using for the staff is, but it's something I found last year that's a bit too long to be a wand and not long enough to be a staff, so we decided it's a broom. ;) It has some interesting raised patterns on it (just the way it rotted I suppose) and they almost look like someone carved them. It's quite beautiful. I'm going walking today to see what I can find for the broom part, and I have some dried flowers I'll probably attach for some color. Thanks for the folklore lesson.:D

[Silver Venus]

for your broom! I decorate mine according to the season ~ changing it four times a year and cleanse with Amethyst and a sage smudge stick while I am binding the ribbon :D

Did you find a piece of ash while walking? Hope so!

[Reeny]

what is sage smudge stick? And what can you use it for and

where can I purchase it?


Reeny!

[Socharis]

i agree that Amethyst is great for cleansing, you may also want to use smoke to smudge it.

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by Reeny
what is sage smudge stick? And what can you use it for and

where can I purchase it?
Reeny!

Hiya Reeny! :D
A sage smudge stick is an old native cleansing incense tool ~ Its a buddle of sage (herb) wrapped up with cord. You light one end of it and let it burn to cleanse and deperse of any negative energy. You can probally get them in your local pagan shop or on the net ;)

[Socharis]

Originally posted by Silver Venus


Hiya Reeny! :D
A sage smudge stick is an old native cleansing incense tool ~ Its a buddle of sage (herb) wrapped up with cord. You light one end of it and let it burn to cleanse and deperse of any negative energy. You can probally get them in your local pagan shop or on the net ;)

i strongly recomend smudging, you can get the smudge sticks from online pagan shops at a resonable price.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Sage Witch
I'm in the process of making a ritual broom, and I'd like to decorate it with some stones. Any suggestions?

Dunno if it's been mentioned, but hematite is one of the best!!

[Socharis]

Originally posted by Mairwen


Dunno if it's been mentioned, but hematite is one of the best!!

Oh yes i forgot Heamatite.

[Reeny]

Thank You U guys for the information on the smudge stick.

Think I'll try it.



Reeny!

[Socharis]

Originally posted by Reeny
Thank You U guys for the information on the smudge stick.

Think I'll try it.



Reeny!

"Strongly suggests smudge sticks as he is a Shaman"

[Wyrdsister]

Originally posted by Wildchild
What are you making your broom out of? Traditionally, witches' brooms are made with an ash staff and birch twigs with willow bindings. :D Just a bit of folklore trivia! :D Neat trivia, Wildchild! Where did you learn about this?

My very first pagan gathering was on Beltaine several years ago. The people who put in on were so creative! The afternoon before the rit we had the "Pagan Olympics". :) One of the events was "broom racing" and we had to make our own brooms out of matterial we found around the campsite we were at. No human-made materials could be used: no string, no glue, no duct tape 8O !!

My friend and I came up with the greatest broom! I don't know what types of wood we used, but the staff was almost 6 feet long (it had to seat 2, you know! :)) with the brush part adding at least 3 feet to that! I was so impressed that we managed to do a great and solid job with binding the bristles to the staff - I don't think we lost a single twig! :)

We would have loooooved to take it home with us but it simply did not fit in the car. We mused about how hilarious it would look to fellow travellers if we bound it to the roof and set off on the highway!! :D :D So we left the broom to the Goddess at the edge of the forest. (we have some great pictures of us "flying" the broom off across a big field towards the forest!) I guess She liked it as 6 months later at Samhain the broom was gone.

:sunny:

Wyrdsister

[Socharis]

Originally posted by Wyrdsister
Neat trivia, Wildchild! Where did you learn about this?

My very first pagan gathering was on Beltaine several years ago. The people who put in on were so creative! The afternoon before the rit we had the "Pagan Olympics". :) One of the events was "broom racing" and we had to make our own brooms out of matterial we found around the campsite we were at. No human-made materials could be used: no string, no glue, no duct tape 8O !!

My friend and I came up with the greatest broom! I don't know what types of wood we used, but the staff was almost 6 feet long (it had to seat 2, you know! :)) with the brush part adding at least 3 feet to that! I was so impressed that we managed to do a great and solid job with binding the bristles to the staff - I don't think we lost a single twig! :)

We would have loooooved to take it home with us but it simply did not fit in the car. We mused about how hilarious it would look to fellow travellers if we bound it to the roof and set off on the highway!! :D :D So we left the broom to the Goddess at the edge of the forest. (we have some great pictures of us "flying" the broom off across a big field towards the forest!) I guess She liked it as 6 months later at Samhain the broom was gone.

:sunny:

Wyrdsister

Cool sounds great.

[Lavender]

Originally posted by Wyrdsister
Neat trivia, Wildchild! Where did you learn about this?

It was one of those things where you read it in a book somewhere & it sticks in your mind when not much else does. :D I think it's in one of my tree books. I'll see if I can find it again. I'm just a sponge for weird little trivia like that.

Wyrd, your broom sounds so good! Heh! I think you should have tied it to the roof of your car. I can just picture that! :p

[Lavender]

Hi Reeny,

You can make your own smudge sticks with dried rosemary or sage or both. If you have any of these herbs growing in a garden or if you can get some from a friend. Just cut a couple of branches about 8 inches long. Hang them upside down in a warm place to dry. Use a cotton string in a colour that's symbolic for you. Example, blue for the Goddess, or purple for divination, green for Earth or growing things, etc. Tie the ends of the branches together in the middle of the string. Wrap the ends around the branches so they crisscross until you get to the end. as you're doing that, visualize the purpose of the stick I like to tie off the ends by wrapping the ends three times around and then tying a knot. I found a knot that I really like. It's called "a wish fullfilled". I use it on any magical workings that I have to tie a knot...sort of a "mote it be" kinda thing.

[SageMoon]

www.azuregreen.com This online store is wonderful I have gotten Sage and Cedar and Sage smudge sticks here.
Sage Moon

I love just burning it in the house it smells awesome;)

[Socharis]

Originally posted by SageMoon
www.azuregreen.com This online store is wonderful I have gotten Sage and Cedar and Sage smudge sticks here.
Sage Moon

I love just burning it in the house it smells awesome;)

Yup thats a great website, and i agree with you on the smell, its beautiful.