Altar Maintenance & Cleansing

Hey guys, Im wondering what your perspectives are on keeping you altar clean/maintained etc… Mine gets messy with incense and candle wax, but to be hones I kind of like it that way, some people teach that we must keep it clean in order to honor the spirits… but i feel like im cleaning away the energy when I clean the altar? Obviously i don’t let it get too messy with other items, but i do like the candle wax especially.
Thanks

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Personaly I try to keep things tidy. If you’re wiping the countertops, dusting the TV, and vacuuming the couch, yet your idols are covered in cobwebs… doesn’t feel right.

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I’d say it depends on who you are working with. A ghoulish or necromancy spirit might appreciate dust and cobwebs. Where as a spirit tied to earth or the harvest might enjoy their altar with soil or pollen on it. Some might like it covered in blood and booze, the possibilities go on and on. In general unless told otherwise, I keep mine clean.

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I keep the dust rubbish and cobwebs off… but the wax and incense remains? I like those… I guess that is what I am talking about…

I try to keep mine clean. It’s the same concept as going to the spirits with a clean/washed body; they tend to respond better to a newly clean or purified area because there’s less “old energy” around. Sometimes you can’t get it all off depending on your altar but as a general rule of thumb it’s better the less it looks neglected (“used” is fine). Some spirits won’t care that much but many respond better to clean areas.

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may i ask what you clean it with? I used to smudge and clean, but i saw an a EA Koetting video he recommends not to do any banishing type cleaning on the alter? (ie so i should stop spraying it with florida water after wiping it down?)

I’d say go with what feels best for you; if you feel better banishing then it’s okay. I try to keep mine so it’s at least not dusty, I personally don’t really see the point of banishing unless it’s something you don’t want around (in fact I’ve only ever banished a spirit once because I was suspicious of it).

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