Merry meet!
Thank you once again to all those who joined in for the previous Witchy Challenge - Who’s Your Deity?
After exploring the many divine influences honored by the coven, it’s time to welcome the Lunar New Year, the month of purification, and the pagan holiday Imbolc
The theme for this week’s challenge is inspired by these current events and is…
Cleansing & Purification
February is named after the ancient Roman god Februus - a deity of the Roman pantheon associated with death and purification. The Februalia Festival held in His honor is a time of cleansing. It later also became associated with the Goddess Hestia (Vesta) - a Goddess of the hearth, home, and fire
The Lunar New Year marks a time of change - like a snake shedding its skin, we are leaving one period behind and transitioning into something new
And finally, Imbolc is a pagan holiday that marks the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It signals a shift in the seasons and heralds the start of preparations for the coming spring. Both Imbolc and Ostara are popular times for “spring cleaning” - removing the stale energies of past seasons to prepare for future growth
Whichever occasions you honor in your practice, join your coven for some cleansing and purification. There are some suggested methods and spells below, but feel free to use your personal favorites if you have some!
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This challenge is about cleansing and purification - how you choose to take on this theme is up to you.
So are you ready? Because it’s…
CHALLENGE TIME!
From Spells8: Cleanse Your Energy with a Spiritual Bath
Cleansing in the Craft 
This challenge is all about how you cleanse and purify - as always, feel free to explore the theme in a way that aligns with you and your unique practice.
Still not sure where to begin? To help you get started, here are a few suggested spells and other ways in which a witch might approach this challenge.
Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account so you can view all of the resources shared!
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Methods & Spellwork 
7 Simple Ways to Cleanse Negativity
Spring Cleansing Chant: Imbolc Blessings
Pure Light: House and Spirit Cleansing Spell
Coconut Water Bath: Cleansing Ritual
Cleansing Crystals: How to Purify Obsidian
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The Sacred Cleansing Flame 
One of the key symbols of the Februalia is fire for cleansing, purification, and removing negativity. Consider honoring a deity of fire (such as Hestia or Brigid - both associated with the season) or using flame in your spiritual cleansing. As always, remember fire magick safety!
Fire Elemental Invocation Chant
Hearth Goddess Hestia’s Home Blessing Prayer
Burn Away the Past: Fire Spell for a Fresh Start
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It’s Okay to Be Creative! 
The suggestions above are just a few ideas to help kickstart your creativity. If you feel called to explore the challenge theme in another way, you are welcome to do so.
How to Join the Challenge 
In order for your entry to be counted, all you have to do is write/share about your experience and label it as your challenge entry. There is a lot of chatting here (which is awesome- chatting and discussion are very welcome!) so please clearly write that it is your entry so I know to count it!
Where Do I Share My Entry? 
Click here to learn where to share your challenge entry
You are welcome to post it right here- just click “reply” to this post and write your experience in the text box that pops up!
Alternatively, you could create a new post in the forum (this is good for when you have a lot to share and/or would like to discuss aspects of your entry not related to the current theme)
Note : If you do choose to create a new thread, please add the “challenge-entry” tag and/or add a hyperlink back to this post so that it can be easily found- thank you!
Click here for a note for our lovely lurkers
Everyone is welcome to join the challenge. For those who would like the challenge prizes, please know that you will need to share your experience if you want to receive a prize and a public shout-out.
Don’t feel comfortable sharing? No fear! For lurkers and those who are shy, it is absolutely okay to follow along with the challenge on the sidelines. At the end of the day, these challenges are here to help you help yourself by expanding and enhancing your personal magickal practice. I hope they can be helpful for you!
Deadline 
This challenge will close in 13 DAYS 
To join in, please share your experience by:
Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 AM EDT (Eastern US Time)
2025-02-11T12:00:00Z
(Note that the time zone is ET- if you don’t see your time displayed above, you can use this time zone calculator to check for your time zone!)
Prizes 
For their efforts, all participants will receive a special shout-out and a small prize!
Acknowledgments will be given in a Props and Presents Post that will appear in the forums the day the challenge closes.
After the challenge closes, you are still very welcome to post but please be aware that no additional prizes will be given. This discussion will remain open for about a week after the challenge finishes.
A warm reminder that the challenges are designed to be very open- everyone is encouraged to participate in a way that honors and reflects their unique practice
If you have any doubts about if something is acceptable to post or say, please double-check with the Forum FAQ and/or reach out to your friendly Moderator Team.
And for those new to challenges- welcome! Know that the goal of these activities is to help you further diversify and strengthen your abilities and to bring together the Spells8 forum family to inspire and support one another in creative ways
From Spells8: ‘Cleanse & Protect’: A Pre-Spell Spiritual Bath
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Out with the old and in with the new,
By incense or flame or witch’s brew
Although the future remains to be seen
When it arrives, we’ll be sparkly and clean!
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Blessed Be!