Cleanses - What are they?
At its heart, a cleanse is about using energy to confront what weighs you down..
Emotional burdens, negative cycles, chaos that clings to you. It is not a magic wand that makes problems vanish overnight. Instead, it is about opening your higher self, invoking your gods, and channeling your energy (and that of sacred tools) to release what holds you back.
Energy, after all, is the fabric of existence. Spiritually, it ties us to the earth, to the ancestors, and to Yggdrasil, the World Tree.
Scientifically, energy is what binds atoms and moves matter.
Spiritually, it is what binds fate and fuels transformation.
What are cleanses?
In the Norse pagan spiritual practice, cleanses are acts of purification meant to clear away harmful or stagnant influences before sacred work. They are not only for the body but also for the mind, spirit, and the space in which the work is being done. The ancestors understood that unseen forces could cling to us whether from ill thoughts, wandering spirits, or the residue of daily life and that these had to be washed away before stepping into sacred time.
Cleanses serve several purposes. They prepare the practitioner to stand before the gods, wights, and ancestors in a state of balance and openness. They protect against unwanted influences that might interfere with ritual. They also sharpen focus, allowing the will and voice of the practitioner to move more freely in magical work.
In seiðr, which involves spirit journeying, trance, and communication with the unseen, a cleanse helps the practitioner release distractions and shield themselves from entities that might seek to intrude. By coming into the rite purified, the seiðr worker creates a strong boundary between their inner self and the outer world, making the descent into trance safer and more effective.
In galdr, the practice of spoken and sung magic, cleansing allows the voice to carry more power. Words and tones shaped in a cleansed state resonate with greater clarity and intent, unclouded by lingering doubts or energies. The act of purification ensures that the song is not weighed down with what does not serve the spell.
Cleanses can take many forms -
ritual washing with water or herbs
smudging with smoke
the use of sound or chanting
breathwork and meditation
What matters most is the intent: to remove what does not belong, to center the self, and to stand ready in holiness before the work begins.
Personal cleanses are practices of purifying the self, body, mind, and spirit from negativity and unwanted influences. In Norse paganism (just as a ritual space is prepared before calling upon the gods or spirits) the self too must be made ready. Life naturally exposes us to burdens - ill words from others, troubling thoughts, toxicity, heavy emotions, or even the drain of daily tasks. If left unchecked, these can cling to us like a shadow, dulling our energy and clouding our intent.
A personal cleanse helps release that weight. It is not only about removing what is harmful, but also about restoring harmony within and being able to let go of the troubles, trauma or chaos that takes hold of you. By cleansing the self, the practitioner makes space for new strength, clarity, and connection with the sacred. Negativity & chaos comes in many forms such as fear, anger, doubt, grief, selfishness, ego, jealousy, envy and a cleanse works as a way of loosening their hold.
Cleansing in the Norse Tradition
In Norse practice, cleanses were less about ritual baths of “light and love” and more about confrontation, grounding, and balance.
In Norse terms, a personal cleanse is about forcing growth in your wyrd.. cutting away what no longer serves, even if it hurts, so that your thread in the tapestry of fate becomes stronger.
Here ill listen the different variations of cleanses;
Cleansing your workspace or sacred area -
Blóts (Offerings): These often acted as a cleansing of relationships between people and the gods/spirits. By offering food, drink, or blood, practitioners restored harmony and balance in times of strife.
Smoke and Fire: Just as in many other traditions, fire and smoke were used to purify. The burning of herbs like juniper was a common practice in cleansing spaces and warding off ill luck.
Seiðr and Galdr: Spiritual practitioners (often völvas) could use chanting, singing, or trance to help a person confront shadows or cut away negative ties.
Water and Stones: Sacred springs, rivers, and stones were often seen as places of renewal and cleansing. Bathing in these waters or sitting in their presence could be part of ritual purification.
Personal Cleanses -
Cleansing yourself is far deeper than washing away surface negativity. These practices push the individual to confront what lies buried, often stirring discomfort in order to bring about lasting change. They are not meant to be “easy resets,” but initiations into growth, demanding honesty, courage, and resilience.
Water Immersion and Cold Baths; In Norse lands, rivers, springs, and seas were sacred places of renewal. Immersing yourself in cold water shocks the body, awakens the spirit, and strips away lethargy. Symbolically, it forces you to “die” to your old state and emerge refreshed. Many practitioners use this to confront fear, resistance, or stagnation.
Smoke and Breath; Juniper and other purifying herbs were burned not only for spaces, but also passed over the body. When paired with intentional breathing for instance - drawing in smoke or breath to fill the lungs, and exhaling with the intent of releasing heaviness, it can purge internal negativity. This practice often stirs suppressed emotions, bringing them to the surface.
Seiðr Trance Journeys; Through seiðr, a practitioner enters trance and faces the visions that arise from their own subconscious and the unseen world. These journeys can uncover deeply buried truths, ancestral wounds, or unresolved personal conflicts. While difficult, they are among the most transformative cleanses.
Galdr The Voice as Purification; Chanting runes or sacred words repeatedly until the body shakes and the voice cracks can act as a cleansing in itself. The vibrations stir what lies stuck within and force it out through sound. Galdr can be cathartic, pulling hidden grief or rage into the open to be released.
Stone and Weight Cleanses; Carrying or pressing sacred stones such as sitting against a large stone, lying with a heavy stone on the chest, or holding one in each hand can force the body to confront the weight of what it carries. The ritual act of “handing over” your heaviness to the stone, then leaving it behind, can be both sobering and liberating.
Fire and Trial by Endurance; Fire cleanses not only through smoke but also through the ordeal of heat. Sitting close to a bonfire, enduring the sweat and discomfort, or even passing bare-handed quickly through flame (in controlled ritual contexts) symbolizes courage and sacrifice. Such acts confront fear directly, demanding growth through endurance.
Shadow Confrontation Rites (the main personal cleanse used in modern paganism magics);
A difficult but powerful form of cleansing is by invoking the Gods, using your tools, naming allowed and becon to the Gods to confront the change you wish. By giving a voice to the shadow, you strip it of secrecy and begin its transformation by using the energy of the Gods, your tools and higher self. They often mirror hard truths of life.. forcing someone to face wyrd (fate) directly.
Misconceptions of Personal Cleanses
A cleanse is not sprinkling “pixie dust” over your troubles. It is not the striking of a match, the lighting of a candle, or the murmuring of a few words with the expectation that your problems will dissolve into nothing. While ritual tools and words hold energy & power, they are not shortcuts. They are keys that open the door but you must still choose to walk through it.
That initial rush of lightness after a cleansing? Sometimes it is real, an honest shift in energy and spirit.. but often it is a fleeting placebo, the comfort of believing that something has changed without yet doing the hard work that follows. Cleansing is not about numbing or masking what weighs you down. It is about drawing those shadows to the surface where they can no longer hide.
A true cleanse is an act of shadow work. It strips away the veils you’ve placed over your own wounds, fears, and unresolved pains. It does not erase them it makes them visible. It forces you to face the grief you’ve buried, the anger you’ve denied, the envy you’ve justified, the shame you’ve carried in silence.
The cleanse itself is only the beginning.. A cleanse is a fast track to force your growth, it opens the wound so that healing can begin but it does not stitch it closed for you.
This process can be painful. It can be raw. It can stir memories and emotions you thought long forgotten. It can reveal patterns in yourself you have resisted acknowledging. And because of that, cleansing done carelessly or without preparation can be dangerous. When you summon what has been repressed, you must also be ready to hold it, to process it, and to release it safely. Otherwise, you risk re-traumatizing yourself or leaving those shadows more unsettled than before.
This is why intention and grounding are essential. A practitioner must know why they are cleansing, and they must create the tools to steady themselves after the ritual .. whether through prayer, offerings to the gods or ancestors, journaling, or simply resting and giving the body and spirit time to settle.
In the Norse path, we look to the cycles of wyrd and the lessons of the Norns..
- what is hidden will eventually rise, and what is carried too long will bend fate itself. Cleansing is a way of choosing to meet those truths willingly, rather than being broken by them when they erupt on their own.
Why Do people do personal Cleanses?
There are many reasons someone might choose to undergo a cleanse, and each carries its own weight and challenge:
To break cycles of recurring negativity; When patterns of conflict, failure, or self-sabotage repeat, a cleanse can serve as a ritual act of interruption, stepping out of the old cycle and declaring a new path.
To shake off shadow energy or chaos that has latched onto them; Sometimes the heaviness we carry is not entirely our own. It can come from the malice of others, lingering spirits, or even the general turmoil of the world around us. A cleanse cuts away those ties and restores sovereignty over the self.
To confront trauma or recurring struggles with mental health; Cleansing in this sense is not a replacement for care or healing but a spiritual tool to face wounds that linger. It can open the door to acknowledgement, release, and renewal.
To release self-inflicted negativity and find balance again; Doubt, shame, bitterness, envy.. all of these can take root within us by our own hand. A cleanse creates the space to forgive ourselves, to let go of self-imposed chains, and to return to wholeness.
In every case, a cleanse is a confrontation. You are not simply asking your gods, your ancestors, or your ritual tools to carry away your burden like scraps tossed into the wind. You are choosing to face what binds you, with their aid at your side.
The gods and wights may grant strength, the runes may provide guidance, the herbs and stones may help to ground and clear you.. But the core of the work is yours. Cleansing means acknowledging your shadows, daring to look them in the eye and committing to transformation. It is an act of courage and of will, one that honours both the self and the sacred powers who walk with you.
When Cleansing Can Harm -
and How to Do It Safely
Cleanses can destabilize you if you’re not ready. A strong cleanse does not politely brush away dust it digs deep, stirs what’s been pressed down, and drags it into the open. When that happens too quickly, or if a person has not taken the time to work on there growth first before doing this type of cleanse - it can feel like your entire being is unravelling.
If your foundation isn’t solid, the shadow surge can overwhelm your mind, spirit, and body all at once. It is the sudden release of what has been building in silence.. grief you never faced, anger you never expressed, trauma you never spoke aloud. Think of it as a dam breaking: the water behind it is not gentle, it is forceful, raw, and indiscriminate. If you don’t release the pressure in careful stages, it doesn’t cleanse IT FLOODS, tearing through everything downstream.
This “flooding” can manifest in many ways:
Mentally - It may look like racing thoughts, confusion, or an inability to focus. Old memories may surface without warning, demanding attention.
Emotionally - It can stir uncontrollable weeping, rage, numbness, or sudden mood swings that feel uncharacteristic.
Spiritually - You may feel unmoored, disconnected from your gods and ancestors, or vulnerable to intrusive energies.
Physically - The body often responds too.. trembling, exhaustion, headaches, fits of rage, self abuse, even nausea.. as it processes the weight of what has surfaced.
This is why preparation is not optional. Just as a warrior does not go into battle without armor, a practitioner does not step into cleansing without grounding. Your foundation is what holds you steady when the shadow rises. That foundation may be strong mental health habits, ancestral support, protective wards, trusted community, or all of these combined. Without it, the cleanse can strip away your defenses faster than you can rebuild them.
In the Norse worldview, the flood metaphor is powerful. The rivers of Élivágar shaped creation itself - forces of chaos, cold, and fire. Those rivers, unchecked, could freeze or burn the worlds into ruin. But when their flow was contained and shaped by the gods, life itself was formed. The same is true for cleansing: raw shadow energy, released without control, destroys more than it heals. Released in stages, with care and guidance, it becomes a force of creation and rebirth.
- This is why responsible guides emphasize gradual peeling -
You do not rip away every shadow at once. Instead, you peel back a single layer just enough to face and integrate then pause. You strengthen yourself again before returning to peel the next. In this rhythm of tension and release, chaos becomes growth.
A cleanse is meant to reveal what is hidden but revelation without preparation can leave you drowning in your own flood. The dam must be opened carefully, the channels prepared, and the waters guided. Otherwise, what should heal can instead break you.
Readiness: A Quick Self-Check
You don’t need to be “perfectly well” to cleanse but you do need enough stability to hold what comes up.
You’re likely not ready for a deep cleanse if any of these are present right now:
Ongoing crisis, burnout, or sleep deprivation you can’t correct in the next few days.
Active self-harm thoughts, manic episodes, psychosis, or severe panic cycles.
No support network (no trusted friend/guide to check in with for 72 hours after).
No time for aftercare (you’re about to travel, take exams, work double shifts, etc.).
If any of the above apply do not attempt a cleanse but do work with a trusted guide to teach you how to become grounded in a way that suits you and your situations, as well as be with a good support system and care team if needed.
The Layered Approach (Peel, Don’t Rip)
A responsible guide never throws you into the deepest water first we Move in stages:
Stage 0 — Stabilization (days–weeks)
Daily anchors: Regular meals, hydration, sleep, brief daylight walks.
Micro-grounding: Salt or stone in pocket; simple breath count (in-4, hold-4, out-6), mindfulness.
Wards, not washes: Strengthen boundaries (door wards, ancestor prayers) before deep clearing.
Stage 1 — Surface Clear (gentle)
Water & salt: Hand/face wash or foot bath with a pinch of salt; let the rest wait.
Smoke pass (mild): Brief juniper or herbs around the body, not inhaled; 1–2 minutes.
Soft galdr: Low, steady tones (no strain) on a single rune for grounding (e.g., ᚦ Thurisaz for boundaries, ᛃ Jera for slow change).
Stage 2 — Targeted Release (moderate)
Focus on Set targeted issues with the use of personal cleanse kit seidr & galdr.
Stage 3 — Deep Confrontation (advanced, supervised if possible)
Voice the hard truths, tailored Personal cleanse kit, seidr, galdr and guidance.
Stage 4 — Integration (non-optional)
Food, warmth, and sleep.
Journal or speak what arose; identify one modest action (apology, boundary).
Light movement (walk/stretch) within 24 hours; avoid intoxicants for 72 hours.
Safety Protocols (Before / During / After)
Before
Intention in one sentence: “I’m cleansing to release ___ so I can ___.”
Timebox: Set a timer; shorter is safer.
Buddy & check-ins: Tell someone you trust; schedule a message after the rite and again next day.
Grounding kit: Water with a pinch of salt, bread/fruit, warm layer, stone or iron, journal, and an exit prayer.
During
Observe stopping rules: If you feel dizzy, numb, detached, or thoughts get dark - stop. Eat, drink, touch the ground, speak your name, end the rite.
Body first: Keep breath steady; if voice work shakes you, drop to humming then silence.
Containment: If tears/rage surge, kneel or sit; place a hand to earth or stone; slow exhale longer than inhale.
After
Seal: Thank the powers, close directions, wash hands/face, and eat something grounding.
No analysis spiral: One page of notes, then rest. Process more tomorrow.
72-hour gentleness: Hydrate, light walks, simple meals, no big life decisions.
Clear “Red Flag—Pause Now” Signs
You can’t feel your body well; you feel unreal or outside yourself.
Rapid, intrusive thoughts you can’t slow down.
Urges to self-harm or harm others.
Hearing commanding voices or seeing distressing visions you can’t dismiss.
If any of these occur: end the rite, ground, eat, reach out to your support person.
Gentler Alternatives
(When You’re Not Ready for Deep Work)
Salt-water handwash with a brief prayer; stop there.
Ancestor candle (white/unscented) for blessings, not extraction; ask for steadiness.
Boundary warding of doors/windows; postpone “pulling” work.
Nature reset: 15-minute walk; touch bark/stone; simple breath rhythm.
Light voice work: Hum on a comfortable note for 2 minutes, then sit quietly.
Group Cleanses – A Word of Caution
Please - never do group cleanses lightly.
In a group setting, everyone’s energy blends together.. That can amplify power true.. - but it also spreads chaos.
Every single person is on a different journey, no single individual has the same path as another. The reason why this is irresponsible is because you have no clue on what your fellow people within that group may have attached to them.. you will energy transfer... whether thats good energy or negative.
A group setting basically combines all energys within that circle or practise as one to essentially boost that energys power so to speak. But.. with that energy transfer also means that you are leaving your spiritual self vulnerable meaning any negative chaos that another may have brought with them will be put into that energy transfer... each person will be left with a piece of this like a chaotic parasite thats multiplied..
Not to mention some practioners who have ill intent can enforce negativity on you through these circles.
Energy transfer is not something to take lightly. Unless it’s guided by an experienced energy healer, you risk taking on someone else’s chaos. Don’t be misled by trendy “love and light” circles.. this work requires knowledge, grounding, and protection.
Final Words
A cleanse is not quick magic.. it is not “love and light.” It is shadow work, confrontation, and growth. Done right, it can free you. Done wrong, it can break you.
So go slow. Stay grounded. Trust the process.
In the Norse way, cleansing is not about erasing pain - it is about meeting it face to face with courage, standing beneath Yggdrasil, and letting the gods see you for who you truly are.