ritual 02: a salt cleanse

one of my GO TO remedies when energy gets wonky is salt.

it’s simple and served to us straight from mama nature. better yet, it connects to the salt in our sweat, tears, and blood – making it an organic influencer of our chi. i LOVE to encourage everyone around simple shui to get salty as much as possible, which is why i recently gave the listeners of Kristina Hollinger’s podcast the same loving shove.

(if you missed the podcast or want to listen again, you can catch it here!)
 
thanks to the many Qs our conversation sparked, i’m dedicating today’s letter to the original crystal (and one of my favorite resources EVER) – SALT!
 
first things first…the ritual:
 
when the energy in your surroundings feels a little (or a lot) sideways, you can cleanse on the quick with a bowl of salt. 

you’ll need to buy a box of sea or rock salt. rock salt specifically holds EARTH energy, and EARTH energy is grounding, stabilizing, and supportive. sea salt brings in WATER energy, and WATER energy is cleansing, healing, and restores our sense of will. 

once you have your salt, you’ll…

(1) fill up a bowl about 70% with the salt.
(2) place it in the middle of your space, and leave it out for 24 hours. additionally, you might also sprinkle some salt along the threshold of your front (and back) door. leave the salt there for 24 hours and it will soak up any unwelcome energy in your home and keep it contained.
(3) at 24 hours, dispose of the salt in an outside trash (or bury it in the ground). and whether you sweep up the threshold salt or vacuum it, dispose of it, too, outside your home. otherwise, all that *toxic* energy will get loose back into your space.

and now, let’s dive into your curiosities and Qs:

Q: how much salt is ideal?/ is it filled to the brim?
you want to fill 70% of a bowl with salt, so the actual amount depends on the size of the bowl. 

Q: where is the best place to dispose of salt?
outside your house – either dumped / buried in the dirt (if you have dogs, don’t do this!), or disposed of in the trash. 

Q: any kind of salt? should it be table salt?
my preference is rock or sea salt. i’ve also used Epsom salt in the past. in a real pinch, i’ve had a few clients work with table salt.

Q: what about a salt water cure?
for ease and efficiency, the bowl of salt works best. you simply place it out and at the 24-hour mark, you toss it out.

however.

if you want to cleanse with salt water, i recommend a salty wipe down to extract or eliminate lingering chi in your space. all you need is a damp cloth, rock salt, and a little elbow grease. dip your damp cloth into the salt, and wipe down everything – countertops, cupboards, doors, and floors.

BONUS TIP: i use this cleanse after any home repair / improvement happens here!

Q: do i use it in every room or just one for the whole house?
i use one bowl per story, so in a single-level home, one bowl for the whole house is enough (unless we’re talking about a lot of square footage – and then, i would employ two or three bowls). 

Q: do i say anything before leaving the bowl of salt out?
if it feels natural or necessary to you, you absolutely can! but in full transparency, i often do this without much prep or thought other than the salt will be energetically mopping up unwanted chi.

Q: big bowl? small? coffee cup?
i LOVE this Q. the size doesn’t matter, so don’t feel inclined to think BIGGER IS BETTER. i often work with a small dessert to normal size cereal bowl.

one caveat: if you plan on working with this cleanse regularly (and i highly recommend it for any home repertoire!), dedicate a bowl to it. that way, you’re not mixing your “cleaning supplies” with the everyday dishes!

Q: if it’s in one bedroom, does it absorb for the whole house?
one bowl in any room will do the trick, but let’s talk about why the center of the house is “best.”

the center of the home is associated with the HEALTH area of the Feng Shui map (bagua). and that center spot is no wildflower – it is the VIP, the influencer, the one space with mighty persuasion because it “touches” all other 8 life areas. by placing it here, you are effectually extending that cleanse into all the areas of your home and life. 

Q: does a salt lamp work?
the loose salt is absorbing the unwanted / unwelcome / undesirable chi and “holding onto it” so you can easily transport it out of your home. so, try the salt lamp as a fabulous maintenance plan afterwards.

Q: do i add anything to the salt?
the salt is a powerhouse of its own – no additional flex needed! 

Q: how often can we repeat this salt trick?
ahhh, that’s the best part — as often as you like!