Rituals & Limpias For Your Astrology Sign to Usher in the New Year
2020 was The Great Awakening, cosmically speaking
Photo Courtesy of Esoteric Esa
2020 was The Great Awakening, cosmically speaking. It was likely a year filled with so many rough transits. Ready to get a head start for 2021? You’ll want to sift through and take a look at my personally curated limpias and rituals for every zodiac sign. You can perform these for your Sun sign, Moon sign, Rising sign or Venus sign. These rituals and limpias will assist you with freeing up lingering negative energy or help you with manifesting more abundance in 2021.
We interviewed some other brujas, curanderas, and spiritualists in the Latinx community to get their take on limpias and they shared some of their techniques with us. We are so excited and grateful to include limpias from Christy, the owner of Bruja’s Botanica, Valeria Ruelas of The Mexican Witch, Taylor Cordova of The Flowerchild Bruja, and Cindy Rodriguez of Reclama.
Wondering what a limpia is and why you should incorporate them into your spiritual practice? Limpias are a form of cleansing our mind, body and soul. Particularly they are rituals used to create good auric hygiene and keep your aura uncompromised from the daily hustle.
“I see them as self- care. Its important for your spiritual well-being. If you allow energetic ‘junk’ to build up, it will eventually take its toll. Limpias are a great way to cleanse, re-new and build a connection to spirit,” Christy of Bruja’s Botanica tells HipLatina.
Valeria The Mexican Witch believes, “They [limpias] are powerful ways to protect yourself and I personally have had success with limpias to heal illnesses (mild-like colds or skin issues). It is an important thing to do to clear energy as soon as it happens. Stay on top of doing them when you have bad experiences or when you can feel someone else’s energy projecting onto you.”
Another reason why the pros recommend limpias? “Giving yourself limpias allows you to take a pause, reflect on what you need out of your life, and rids you of stagnant energy simply based on the intention you put into this ritual. If you aren’t sure where to start with limpias, talk to your family. You’d be surprised who can be a resource to you. There’s always someone in the family that has the lowdown on limpia recetas. If not, start with herbs and other natural elements that call your attention, Cindy Rodriguez of Reclama.
Rodriguez tells HipLatina, “The point is to make it your own so it speaks to you, put out an offering for someone in the spirit world you feel is looking out for you, and add intention to it as you visualize yourself removing unwanted energies.”
Read on to find the limpia or ritual that goes with your sign and share with your loved one so they can do the same.
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Aries
A quarterly limpieza by Cindy Rodriguez of Reclama
Items needed:
Water
Ruda (Rue)
Candle
Glass bowl
A journal
Duration: 1 hour
Intention: Intention of this ritual is to rid yourself of stagnant energy surrounding you whether it be self-imposed or mal de ojo (evil eye) energies. This plant is for magical protection. I use this quarterly as spiritual maintenance in January (new year!), April (my birthday, fire sign, so water helps calm me down), Aug/Sept. (Entering a new season, shift in the air), and Dec. (cleanse before I do a limpieza for new beginnings and intentions for the following year). The reason I use Ruda is because my father has always recommended it to me whenever he sees me cargarda or low energy.
Ritual Steps:
1. Set aside at least one hour for this ritual (Preferably before you are going to shower or take a bath at night)
2. Bring about a pot of water to boil, then add Ruda, and let it seep for about 30-45 min.
3. While it’s seeping, turn on your candle and take out your journal. Write out: “The intention for this limpieza is to rid myself of… “
4. Once the water has cooled down a bit, secure it in a container and place in your bathroom. Bring the candle if you can.
5. Take a shower or bath. Once you are done. Pour the limpieza over you from the top of your head down. Close your eyes and visualize your spirit guides and ancestors lifting those mala vibras (bad vibes) off of you and surround you with magical protection. As you pour, say aloud what you wrote in your journal.
6. Stand there for a bit, closing your eyes, and focusing on what you just did. Breathe. Give it space.
7. Now, air dry. Don’t rinse off.
8. Set an offering out for anyone in the spirit world protecting you. It can be their favorite drink or dessert, as long as it’s done with intention.
9. Repeat as needed. You can do this once a month or quarter. It depends on what you need. Buena suerte. Good luck!
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Taurus
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6KTBs8AjbL/
Smokeless Smudge Cleanse by Esoteric Esa
Items needed:
Water
Fresh Aloe Vera
Fresh Lavender
Witch Hazel dried herb
Pot for Boiling
Spray Bottle Container (empty)
Duration: 1 hour
Intention: Witch Hazel and Lavender are wonderful for protecting your home. They also help with mending a broken-heart and moving on from heartache. This ritual is meant to welcome in protective forces into your home and keep the energy light and healing with the assistance of the Aloe Vera.
Ritual steps:
Make sure your kitchen is clean and no dirty dishes. Clean sink.
Bring water to boil in pot any size. You will be created your own smokeless smudge spray.
Add Lavender and Witch Hazel into pot after water boils. Allow herbs to steep 20-30 mins.
You can remove herbs from water or keep in for aesthetic purpose when adding into your spray bottle(s).
Pray over your pot with herbs steeping. Be in solitude no distractions. Recite an intention to bring you protection in 2021. You have a lot of activity in your sign of Taurus this year with Uranus and Mars in Taurus. This is a prosperous time for Taurus people. You might attract higher jealousy than normal because your blessings will be coming in.
Give gratitude to the spirits of the herbs you’re using for the sacrifice of their spirit.
You can add salt for further protective element, but not necessary.
Allow water to cool and put your now sacred water into containers or spray bottles. You can put some in a bowl by every doorway for protection. You will change that water every 3 days until you run out. Otherwise, you will use this new smudge spray to spray your home, yourself and your aura to cleanse yourself like you would with sage or palo santo.
The Aloe Vera plant you will keep fresh as an indoor plant. You can have several. But you need at least one. Keep that Aloe Vera plant by the main door that receives the most activity. This will be your home guardian plant. Maintain, nurture with love, and give it good love and good vibes.
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Gemini
Activate Your Blessings from Mercury by Esoteric Esa
Duration: Must perform on a Wednesday. You can do weekly or monthly on Wednesdays any time of day.
Intention: Mercury is your ruling planet, Gemini. He will assist you with opening your upper chakras. Specifically, your crown and third eye charkas. Create your own Petition to the planet Mercury asking him for his guidance during this process. Your fern will be your offering to him. Fern plant is associated with Mercury element. You can do this ritual to open up and remove writer’s block as well.
Items needed:
Selenite Wand or Selenite Crystal (pocket stone will work). Any size Selenite.
1 living fern plant.
Clove bud ritual oil. You can buy at spiritual shop.
Perform on Wednesday.
Quiet space. Alone time for at least five minutes if not more.
No rushing.
Ritual steps:
Find a place of solitude and remove all distractions such as cellphones.
Connect with your Selenite stone and activate it with prayer to Mercury asking him to bless your stone.
Use selenite stone to sweep your aura to remove and cleanse any debris in your aura. You can go a step beyond and sweep or wave your Selenite around the room you’re in or entire home to clear the energy and reset it.
Connect in gratitude with the essence of the fern spirit and in your mind let Mercury know this is your offering to him. Keep fern in a place where it won’t be touched by anyone else but you.
Use your clove bud oil, which is also associated with Mercury element, and dab 3 drops onto your crown chakra, third eye chakra, and the inner parts of both wrists.
Visualize the energy from your Selenite stone activate each 3 of these chakras by visualizing it sending white light to these chakras to open them.
Allow yourself to sit in meditation as long as needed. Allow yourself to receive messages from Mercury.
Journal thoughts when complete. Close with prayer or affirmation of love.
wp_*postsCancer
Embracing your Inner Moon Goddess/God-like Essence Ritual by Esoteric Esa
Duration: Performed on Monday(s) or during New Moons only. Not Full Moon cycles.
Intention: This ritual will assist you with working in harmony with the moon who is your ruling planet to unleash your inner moon child essence. The moon inside of you allows you to feel emotions deeply and read unseen energy the best out of all the other zodiac signs. This ritual will help you build a long-term relationship with Mother Moon and will help you accelerate your psychic gifts. You will perform only on Mondays or during a New Moon cycle. You will use the coconut and candle as an offering to moon. You can welcome other moon deities into this ritual as well. Cabbage and Passionflower are ruled by the moon. You will do either an all-day Cabbage soup fast on Monday(s) or day of New Moon and incorporate Passionflower tea into that day or you can eat Cabbage soup once that day. Fasting on a Cabbage diet will be more potent as you are giving yourself fully to the moon and cutting out all other foods/distractions. You can keep caffeine if you’d like.
Items needed:
Cabbage (raw and fresh from produce)
Items and seasoning of your choice to make a fresh cabbage soup to eat.
Passionflower tea to drink. Can be ready-made or brew your own.
Moonstone crystal.
1 coconut.
1 white candle.
Spiritual Bath Steps:
Make your Cabbage soup ahead of time. You can add salt, seasoning and veggies to the soup. Cabbage needs to be main ingredient. You can eat Cabbage all day for every meal and open in prayer to the moon before consuming soup. Letting her know your fast/diet is an offering to opening your psychic gifts and removing processed gunk/foods from your diet and aura. You will reset and replenish your body.
Drink Passionflower tea throughout the day.
Create an intention or petition to the moon asking her for assistance with things you wish to see clearly with your third eye and psychic abilities. You can also include any additional asks you wish for her assistance in.
Light 1 white candle after writing out your intention/petition. Place paper with your intention under the white candle so that the fire element of the white candle ignites it into reality. White candles are used to connect with the Moon.
Add your moonstone crystal next to your candle and paper intention to activate it. Stare at your moonstone and connect with its consciousness to receive visions or meditation with its energy.
You can bring in fresh coconut and cut it in half or leave whole and place on your altar next to your candle, moonstone and paper intention. Coconut is a favorite of the moon. This is for purification and protection and an offering to the moon.
Enjoy for as long as you need and close out with a gratitude prayer to the spirit of the coconut for its assistance.
wp_*postsLeo
Bedroom Limpia to keep peace, serenity and cool temperament by Esoteric Esa
Duration: Bi-weekly or once a month. Perfect for Sunday(s). Sunday is your ruling planet.
Items needed:
Fresh rosemary bundles (use a bundle for every room that has a bed) and one for your altar.
Florida water
Intention: Rosemary is a masculine plant that operates under the Sun’s energy, which is your ruling planet, Leo. Leo, at times, you can be temperamental, and rosemary can help you cool down high emotions. This is a sacred plant of protection and brings in good sleep along with keeping away nightmares.
Ritual Steps:
1. Bundle your fresh rosemary
2. Spray or sprinkle Florida water onto rosemary bundle(s)
3. Pray over your bundles and connect with the higher power you believe and ask for assistance of welcoming in fresh energy for 2021.
4. Place a bundle under every bed in your place and one on your altar. Take it a step further and put it under your pillow.
5. Keep this rosemary and do not remove the bundles until they have dried out. Typically takes 7-14 days.
6. Once the bundles have dried out (2 weeks or so) throw them away in a dumpster or trash at least 2 miles from your home.
7. The rosemary will remove unwanted dense energy and allow for a clear head for you, Leo.
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Virgo
Candle work and Road Opener by Esoteric Esa
Duration: 7 days long. Must stay consistent.
Intention: Virgo this ritual is to release self-limiting thoughts from your very analytical mind. Break through mental blocks to cleanse your mental frame and welcome in abundance.
Items needed:
Road opener oil from your botanica or spiritual shop.
1 road opener candle from your botanica or spiritual shop.
Copal and charcoal (3 Kings brand is preferred) and a cauldron or pot (soup pot) to burn in.
Fennel seeds
Limpia Steps:
Always have a bucket of water nearby to safely extinguish in case of emergency.
Pray over your fennel seeds and connect with your higher calling for love, guidance and protection in this ritual as you want to release any blockages in your path from any miscommunication you experienced in 2020.
Light charcoal block until it sparks and place inside your cauldron or pot.
Place copal carefully onto the charcoal and the fennel seeds on top while charcoal is lit and heated. Pour some road opener oil onto it and allow it to smoke. Add fennel seeds on top.
Perform a self limpia. Use the smoke of these sacred herbs and tools to wash over your head. Scoop the smoke over your head and over every chakra point down to the soles of your feet.
Work the cauldron in a circular manner over your arms and legs until it goes out.
Remaining smoke you can use to cleanse the room you’re in.
Light your road opener candle and recite an affirmation of self-love and release any negative mental habits you wish to unblock in order to welcome more abundance in 2021. Light your candle seven days straight or until candle wax finishes.
Close in gratitude to the spirits of copal, and fennel and to your guides.
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Libra
‘The Empress’ Abundance Bath by The Flower Child Bruja
Items needed:
1 Gallon Spring Water
Rain Water/ Moon Water
Bottle of Sparkling Wine
Florida water
Green Apple Slices
Honey or Agave
Coconut Cream (canned works fine)
Aloe
Organic Rose Buds,
Fresh Basil
Manzanilla (cup of brewed tea or fresh flowers)
Cloves
Cinnamon
Duration: 1 Hour
Intention: Promote self-nurturing. Amplify Libra’s naturally fruitful and abundant Empress energy.
*This abundance bath is to be taken after your normal cleansing bath ritual.
Ritual Steps:
Prep Work:
Make an abundance playlist. Not a ‘money playlist’. Abundance is about more than money. So dig into how you really want to feel.
Write a list of what your abundance looks + feels + smells like. The more detailed, the better!
Pick a mantra that aligns with your intentions for your abundance in 2021.
Write a list of your plans for the abundance you wish to attract. Pro tip: focus on all of the ways your abundance will be a blessing for others, not just you!
Ritual Steps:
Create sacred space to engage in ritual. Perhaps light a candle to accompany you along this ritual.
Mix all ingredients in a basin or bowl, while repeating your abundance mantra. Focusing on your highest outcome. Massage all Herbs and flowers until they become extra fragrant + broken down. Strain the mixture.
After your normal cleansing bath ritual and while you are still wet, draw a new bath for yourself and include 2/3 of the bath mixture you made.
As you soak, envision yourself as the Empress (Or Emperor) of your life. It is harvest season and your crops are plentiful, healthy and celebration is in the air! Your community is in harmony!
Soak here in this energy for 45-55 minutes or until the water begins to cool down considerably.
Once you are ready, pull the plug and allow the tub to drain. Pour the remaining mixture from your shoulders down and let its magick bless your beautiful flesh. This bath is illuminating your aura with an abundance magnet!
Air dry or pat dry with a white towel. Dress in, comfy, luxurious feeling fabrics and relax.
Lay back with your favorite fancy snack. Play your abundance playlist and bask in the air of your own comfort, luxury and abundance for the rest of the day.
wp_*postsScorpio
Divination and Cleanse. Barrida/Sweep Away Old Energy and Welcome New by Esoteric Esa
Intention: This is a limpia to sweep away old energy and welcome new this 2021. This will amplify your divination work, psychic gifts since you watery Scorpios are very intuitive. Use this ritual to manifest abundance of all sorts!
Duration: 8 days straight
Items needed:
1 broom/sweeper.
Lemongrass dried herb.
1 yellow candle.
1 green candle.
Pen and paper.
Limpia Steps:
Open all doors and windows (only when sweeping). Only sweep once on first day of this ritual.
Use broom to sweep entire home. Clean up and throw away debris on floor. This is to cleanse your living space.
Once place is clean sit with pen and paper and write out your intention welcome anything new into your life this 2021.
Lemongrass helps with divination work. You will prep your candles with lemongrass. Add some dried lemongrass herb to your two candles and make sure they aren’t too close to wick so they do not catch on fire when you light.
Speak your intention into the yellow candle and green candle separately. Working with yellow for Divination and Psychic Powers. Working with green for abundance and fertility.
Cut wick in half before lighting. When lighting recite your intention once more aloud. Sit with it in your heart and believe it is already yours, here and now.
Leave your written intention on your altar.
Light your candles at 8 am and/or 8pm each day for 8 days straight. 8 is associated with Pluto, your ruling planet, Scorpio.
Open doors and windows again and sweep in new energy into your home and sweep the energy of the candles lit around your whole room or home.
This is an easy go-to limpia you can do any time of year.
wp_*postsSagittarius
Limpia to Induce Self-love Healing and Attraction Towards Abundance by Esoteric Esa
Duration: 30 min
Intention: Use this ritual to welcome healing of self-love, the most powerful vibration of manifestation. This is a limpia to rid you of self-hate and self-critic. This is to promote healthy self-talk and beliefs that you are worthy of all you desire. We will work with heart chakra and solar plexus chakra for this limpia ritual.
Items needed:
Dried Yerba Santa Smudge Bundle. You can buy at local botanica or spiritual shop. You can make your own.
2 lemons. Not limes.
Glass cup with water.
1 rose quartz crystal and 1 citrine crystal. You can add up to 3 of each if you feel called to.
Pen and Paper.
Limpia Steps:
Spend time: 5 – 10 mins writing out all the negative things you believe or say to self that you wish to release.
Spend time: 5-10 mins writing out 2 positive things about yourself to replace each negative belief.
Write out an intention built on the belief of why you believe you are worthy of self-love and all you wish to attain in life. Remind yourself of why you are beautiful, powerful and worthy. Include in your intention one new loving affirmation you will say to yourself in front of your mirror each morning before you begin your day.
Recite your new self-love affirmation two times aloud with your right hand over heart and left hand over solar plexus (belly button). Sit with it for a bit. Third and final time, you will recite aloud over all your crystals and get them ready to assist you in releasing lack of self-love.
Place all crystals under your bed. Place them in a triangle formation or one at head of bed and one at foot of bed.
You will grab your lemons and call in your higher power for protection to propel this intention forward. Connect with spirit of lemons to welcome love and friendship with self. Lemons promote friendship, love and protection. Place both lemons center under bed. IF not possible, place one lemon head of bed and other foot of bed. Lemon will absorb negative energy you release at night during sleep.
Light Yerba Santa to smudge room to release dense energy you purged from crying, journaling, etc. Open window(s).
You can journal more if additional thoughts come forward. Take your time.
Replace crystals and recharge with next new moon or full moon. Toss lemons in trash with next new moon or full moon as well.
Close in gratitude to the spirits of the lemon, Yerba Santa, crystals, and to your guides.
wp_*postsCapricorn
Promote Self-Healing Limpia and Awaken Your Inner Healer by Esoteric Esa
Duration: 30min. Perform on Saturday, preferred if possible.
Intention: Capricorn, Saturday is your day! Why? Saturn is your ruling planet and he rules Saturdays. Perform this limpia on Saturdays for optimal performance. Use this limpia to activate deeper healing of your traumas and release those dense energies in your chakra centers and awaken your inner healer.
Items needed:
Carnation flowers. One bundle or several. White or Pink colors.
Dried Eucalyptus to smudge/burn. One bundle works.
1 Carnelian crystal stone.
Pen and paper.
Ritual Steps:
Connect with your guides or higher power for love and protection.
Cleanse your carnelian crystal stone.
Recite or meditate your intention over your Carnation flowers. Ask and connect with your Carnations for light thru your healing journey. Carnations promote healing and are flowers of healers.
Ask the Carnations to propel spiritual protection properties. Place them on your altar or safe space.
Write your intention that you’re proposing the Eucalyptus sweep and open up for you to release and heal? What is a pain, trauma or hurt you have been holding onto that needs to be released? Eucalyptus is a plant of healers and induces deep healing properties and good health.
Connect or meditate with the carnelian crystal and intention for 5 – 10 mins or more to see what messages you receive from your higher self. Place carnelian in your palms of hands. Take time to write your takeaways. What breakthroughs are you manifesting?
Next recite what you identified and are releasing. Burn your Eucalyptus bundle to symbolically burn this from your auric body and sweep the smudge smoke around your body working from root chakra up to your head.
You can do this weekly to keep your mindset right with releasing and working through the trauma/pain.
Close in gratitude to yourself for your immense courage and strength. Give gratitude to the spirits who work with you.
wp_*postsAquarius
Photo: Valeria of The Mexican Witch
Crystal and Flower Grid for energy cleansing and limpia by Valeria The Mexican Witch
Items needed:
Need a cologne/perfume or a spiritual perfume such as Florida Water, Rose Water or Kolonia.
Any type of loose crystals, preferably shiny and spotted crystals in varied sizes.
Focus on creative and vibrant energy and colors.
Suggestions are clear quartz, sodalite, dalmatian jasper, moonstone, rhodonite, chevron amethyst, selenite, and snowflake obsidian.
A crystal grid. A good grid uses 20 stones or more! There is no wrong way to do this and it could work with as few as four crystals.
Fresh flowers of your choice.
My recommendations are white daisies and/or white roses.
Duration: Do whenever you’re in your restroom. Leave it up for 3-4 days. Continue to work with it during the day or night when you do your normal routine.
Intention: To create an uplifting mood and energy space cleansing. Purpose is to uplift the spirit. Simply being around vibrant colors can benefit an Aquarius. Aquarius is a zodiac sign that can sometimes numb their senses and emotions. Aquarius suns or folks with Aquarian placements are great at manifesting naturally. This ritual is all you need for a quick boost of good energy, according to Valeria Ruelas.
Ritual Steps:
Conduct in your restroom.
Place crystals on crystal grid or form your own crystal grid formation.
Arrange the crystals in a way that feels serene and inspiring to you alternating shapes and colors (a spiral shape, ankh, or infinity symbol does wonders).
Grab your flowers. Cut them off the stems down to the bud.
Spray the flower buds with cologne while saying an intention.
Once you do this you can enchant your flowers with affirmations.
Then scatter the flower buds amongst the crystals.
Stare at the crystals and focus on your intention when you brush your teeth night and day.
wp_*postsPisces
Photo: Brujas Botanica
Bath & candle work by Bruja’s Botanica
Items needed:
• Patchouli
• 8 sticks of Cinnamon
• Basil
• Mint
• 8 Orange leaves (optional)
• Kolonia “Vetiver”
• Water, preferably from a natural source.
• Frankincense & Myrrh incense
• 1 white candle
• 1 Prosperity candle
• 1 white bowl
• 1 cup
*Fresh or dried herbs are both fine for use, rinse any excess dirt off when using fresh options.
Duration: Up to 7 days
Intention: This ritual is intended remove negative energy and replace with prosperity and “sweetness” for the year ahead. The coolness / strength of the basil and mint remove negativity, while in turn the sweetness of the Cinnamon and Orange leaves attract abundance. Patchouli is associated with prosperity, love and fertility (re-birth). According to Christy of Bruja’s Botanica.
Ritual Steps:
1. Pass white candle over your body, from head to toe. Allow the candle to absorb your energy.
2. Light the white candle and incense, say a prayer and invoke your ancestors/ spirit guides to aid you in this ritual. Express to them your intended desires and outcome for this ritual. Speak from the heart and be sincere.
3. In a white bowl combine all-natural ingredients, mix with both hands while focusing on your intentions.
4. Next, take these ingredients and add them to a pot of water (water you collected specifically for this) and boil.
5. Once done boiling allow to cool, strain, and add Kolonia “Vetiver” to it.
6. Now, step into your bathtub or shower, and with a cup scoop the contents and pour over your head. Work your way down to your toes, pouring all over your body. Continue to focus on your desired outcome throughout this portion. *Avoid getting in your eyes, cologne contains alcohol.
7. Once done, air dry and try not to rinse off till next day.
8. Lastly, light your Prosperity candle to reinforce your work. Start it the day of the bath and continue to burn till done. Include a handwritten petition underneath.
9. Keep the faith and stay positive!
