Once you and the altar are physically clean, it is important to make sure you are spiritually cleansed. We cleanse to clear ourselves of any energies we may have picked up, to make the space clear of unwanted spirits who may impede our communication and to perfume the space for our spirits. Whatever way you choose to cleanse the altar and yourself is up to you, but it is important that you pray through the whole ritual. I personally like to pray things like Psalm 23, Psalm 7, Alan Kardec’s Books of Selected Prayers, and La Fe en Oracion. You can also pray from your heart or pray pagan prayers if you choose, but I do recommend researching the role Christianity plays in modern folk practices.
If you are just starting out, try using a spiritual cologne like Florida Water or 1800. It is important to cleanse every object that is part of the table. You may also choose to smoke cleanse with Tobacco, Incense, herbs, and resins like frankincense and myrrh. When using Tobacco, you usually will light the end, flip it around and blow, as if the altar is taking the puff. Blow this smoke all over the entire altar once it is complete and the candle is lit and fill the cups with smoke. Don’t burn yourself! Traditionally, a preparation would be made called an Omiero to wipe down the altar. If you want to put some more energy into it, you can choose to do a series of spiritual baths for yourself. These baths won’t just be cute roses and lavender in a milk tub. It will be consecutive days of blessed and charged baths, using 3, 5, 7, 9 or more herbs as well as things like oils, waters, dirts, resins and colognes. Spiritual baths are a great tool to add to a routine if you can figure out a way to incorporate it. Though, as someone with ADHD I know how hard it can be so don’t feel pressured to if other methods suffice for you.
[My Go-To Quick Spiritual Cleanses for Bóveda work. From Left to Right: Rue Water, Blessed Florida Water, water from where the river meets the ocean, and blessed Kolonia 1800]
There are many different types of spiritual baths. It should be noted that working with certain materia is dangerous and should be supplied by a professional or elder. Also, some herbs can harm you spiritually if they are poured on your head, like espanta muerte. Also, most baths will need to be “illuminated” with a candle burned in them. I usually use white tapers or novena candles. The baños used for espiritismo include some called bitter baths and sweet baths. Bitter baths use herbs like espanta muerte, agrimony, pepper, wormwood, and garlic. These baths are designed to clear you of any crossed conditions or evil eye, remove obstacles and steer you on course to your path. After that, a sweet bath using honey, romerillo (shepherd’s nettle), basil (albahaca), abrecamino (road-opener), Hibiscus (marpacifico), and Orange. This is to draw in the correct opportunities for your path as well as to increase your personal ‘magnetism’ in a way. This basically makes you more appealing in all ways, even for money and opportunities. But also for negative entities, so remember to wear protective amulets at this point in the process. Finally, a white bath will be prepared using things like coconut water, goats milk, cascarilla, white rum, florida water, kolonia, and camphor. This serves to enlighten you and make you more sensitive to spirits and energies around you. It also draws your spirits closer to you. You may also choose to fast on occasion during the first three days or the final day of this routine.
It can also be traditional to preform a sweeping, where you take a bundle of fresh herbs or a blessed broom and use them to swat away any energies you don’t want to invade your altar and session. This can be hard to do properly if an altar is already set up, so I would suggest doing this on the days you deep clean the bóveda. It is also important on these days and when doing deeper work and sessions at the altar to cover your head. This closes your energy off, and means to connect to your spirits you have to allow them to tap in.
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