This is one of the basic meditations that should be practiced regularly. During periods of high anxiety or depression or when undertaking heavy responsibilities, it is helpful to practice this daily. You can find the solitary practitioner exercise here.

Coveners assemble in a circle, with incense and point candle lit. The Priestess goes to the altar, grounds and centers herself. She takes the cup of water in her right hand, saying, “Blessed be, thou creature of water.” She takes the dish of salt in her left hand, and says, “Blessed be, thou creature of earth.” She holds them both up to the sky with arms outstretched, and lets power flow in them saying,

Salt and water,

Inner and outer,

Soul and body,

Be cleansed!

Cast out all that is harmful!

Take in all that is good and healing!

By the powers of life, death, and rebirth

So mote it be!

She sets them down on the altar, and takes her athame in her strongest hand, saying, “Blessed be, thou creature of art.” She spills three mounts of salt into the water and stirs it counterclockwise, saying,

May the athame be purified,

And may these tools and this altar be purified,

as she takes a few drops over the altar, then salutes sky and earth:

In the names of Life and Death, so mote it be!

She then holds the cup to her heart and charges the water with power. When she can feel it glowing, she returns to the circle. The cup is sent around, and each person performs her or his private purification. Others may sing softly as the cup goes around. In a large group, three or four cups of water are charged at the same time; otherwise the cup may take hours to go around the circle.

When the cup returns to the Priestess, she sends a kiss around the circle. Then she begins the casting of the circle.

If the meeting space is felt to need special cleaning, try the banishing exercise.

– Alfrún

Exercise courtesy of The Spiral Dance by Starhawk