A lot of Pagans may tell you that they like doing a pre-ritual purification. This may consist of everything from smudging, a bath, to even fasting. In college, this may seem impossible: You need food, incense may or may not be banned, and baths? Some dorms only have showers!

But all of the above are possible if you are willing to "bend the rules" (heck, most of the topics described on this site involve bending the "rules" in order to practice!) and accept that the ways you do things are not found in Pagan books. That's okay...you may even choose to skip the purification altogether.

So why bother purifying yourself? There are those, myself included, who like to go into a circle as "clean" as possible...both inside and out. Fasting cleanses the physical body on the inside, bathing cleanses the outside and mental state, and smudging with incense or the use of oils, etc. aids in cleaning your mental and emotional state for better concentration on the rite. Note that none of these steps are officially necessary, and you CERTAINLY don't want to do anything that may be bad for you (such as fasting if you're diabetic or use incense if you're asthmatic), but here are some suggestions if you choose to go this route:

FASTING: THIS IS NOT TO BE USED AS A DIET!!!! If you have an eating disorder (anorexia/bulemia), diabetes, are underweight, or any other possible condition that may affect your health, *skip this step*.There are times when I like to do a 24-30 hour fast to clean out the system, however, it is something I do only about once or twice a year at most. If you choose to fast, do so wisely: Don't crash-fast. Make sure you work your way down, and only fast for either a set amount of time, or if you're really hungry, you can give in and break the fast. No one will scold you. But check with your doctor first to see if there are any risks. I cannot stress this enough: TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. (As a female, hey, I know what it's like to have a low body image...this is not to make you any thinner...it's ONLY to be used as a spiritual experience.)

With these warnings stated, if you choose to continue with a fast, be sure to drink lots of water or fruit juice. Dehydration can damage the kidneys, so you want to stay hydrated. Theoretically, you should be drinking about 64 oz. (~1.7 liters) of water per day. Make 2 liters your goal, if possible. Yeah, you'll have to go to the bathroom a lot, but you want to flush the toxins out. Lack of fluids will only concentrate the toxins in the body. Choose a time for fasting when you don't have to eat for energy (example: before a sports event or exam is NOT a good idea) and can stick to it (without being tempted by desserts around the holidays). Weekends are good times, because not only can you hide out in your room, you can use this time to concentrate on why you chose to fast: Purification. This is a good meditative period, and you don't want to be bothered by other, more important priorities. When you come out of the fast (like I said, I usually limit myself to 24-30 hours), make it your goal to eat healthy foods to keep the toxin levels down. First of all, you want to bring yourself out of it slowly, starting with fruits, vegetables, and fresh pastas and breads. Try to stay away from immediately treating yourself to a juicy steak (I'll admit to being a carnivore and loving red meat, but this is not the time for it) and fried foods. From there, add in fish, then white meats like poultry and pork, and eventually go back to red meats. If you're vegetarian or vegan, move from light foods to heavier foods *slowly*. Also try to avoid caffeine at this time, and continue to drink lots of water...weekends are also good because you may be able to get a decent night's sleep, as well, which can be really relaxing and "purifies" your mood!

Even on campus, you can fast...the salad bar may be more expensive, but it will be better for you than ordering out for pizza for a while when you go into and come out of the fast. Be picky about what you eat, and if needs be (and if possible!) make a run to a grocery store and cook for yourself. If you think you want to fast, really plan ahead for it. Once again, this is not a necessary step, and can be dangerous if you're not careful.

AROMATHERAPY: As New-Agey as it sounds, the use of scents really helps your mind-set. Before your ritual, try lighting scented candles, incense, or use an oil burner if possible. If fire is not allowed, choose an oil and dab it on your pulse points and just meditate (or as I often do: lay down and just breathe in the scent while thinking of the ritual at hand). No oils? Choose a favorite perfume or cologne that you feel "refreshes" you or makes you think of the ritual. For example, if you're about to do a ritual around harvest or winter time (usually from Lughnasadh through Yule) you would probably choose spicy scents, while spring and summer would either be time for floral or watery scents. Make sure you test the scent to see if you have an allergic reaction, first, and be wary of oils...don't use super-concentrated or potpourri oils on your skin. If there's a warning label, FOLLOW IT. If you have a Body Shop around you, they have perfume oils that you can test before buying, and they generally have a good variety of scents.

I personally prefer incense, and lately you can find it at grocery and drug stores as well as candle stores such as Wicks 'N' Sticks. For general use, I choose sandalwood, but I'm also partial to cinnamon in the cooler months and "Rain" and peach for the warmer months. If you're still having problems using aromatherapy, you can find drawer sachets even at stores like Linens 'N Things and put them to good use. Unless the sachet says "Do Not Open," try boiling some water in a hot pot, and put about a tablespoon of the sachet contents in. Let it simmer, and the steam should carry the scent around the room. When in doubt, if you have an air freshener that you REALLY like, spray it around the room and relax. Inhale the scent (the use of incense is called smudging, though it's usually a bit more involved by directing the smoke over your space and even over your body) and concentrate on your purpose for ritual.

BATHING: A ritual bath is a wonderful way to relax while concentrating on the ritual before you robe for the ritual itself. Believe it or not, it IS possible to get the same feeling in the shower, but let's start with baths: Once again, the use of aromatherapy is a genuine trigger for the bath. Some people put a sachet of appropriate herbs into a small sack of cheesecloth or muslin and let that soak in the tub. (In other words, you steep yourself in a very mild tea.) Some make or use commercial bath salts in place of herbs. You can even use bubbles if you feel it will help you. The catch is not to have the ingrediants you find in a book...you want to use what makes you feel the most relaxed but focused. Mr. Bubble can work just as well as an over-priced herb sachet from your local witch-nook if that's what relaxes you.

If you choose to bathe, try taking a quick shower to get rid of the grime first, then use the bath to rid yourself of that "mental" impurity. Imagine soaking up the positive energy (forgive me for sounding like a flake) from the water and replacing it with the negative buildup within you. Play some soft music, use a relaxation tape, or consider buying a sound spa (one of those machines that has sounds like ocean waves, frogs, and heartbeats that repeat) to let your sense of hearing help you relax. Don't bring a book in...just think about your ritual. When you're done, pull the plug and stay in the tub as it drains. Do not get out until it's completely drained (or if you're freezing cold!).

No, I have not forgotten those of you living in dorms who wouldn't think of stepping into a shower without shower shoes, much less sitting down in a tub if one exists in the building. (Yes, I *finally* live in an apartment, and feel a bit spoiled to actually have a clean tub.) You can still take a purification shower. Instead of using herbs or salts, choose a soap or shower gel that suits your mood. It's even better if you have a whole set of shower products of the same brand/scent. Soap yourself up really well, and let it replace the negative energy in you with the positive energy in the lather. As you rinse yourself off, let the lather carry it down the drain. Repeat as necessary. I go completely girly on this one and first use an exfoliating scrub to get rid of the grime that builds up physically, then a matching gel to do the spiritual cleansing. I then like to top it off with a body spray, lotion, or even perfume that matches the scent to let the smell linger. Both, The Body Shop and Bath And Body Works have some good product lines for males and females. (For the record, my favorite was the Azurine scent in the Victoria's Secret "Second Skin Satin" line...however, I believe it's been discontinued now. Receiving this line in a gift set was wonderful.)

ROBING FOR THE RITUAL: Okay, so this isn't really a part of the "purification" process, but it continues the mental state from the time you first began your purification up to the point where you are ready to commence the ritual. No matter what method or combination of methods you choose for purification, try to have your circle space set up and your ritual planned before you robe for your rite. You want to sail smoothly from your purification as directly as possible into the ritual since the whole idea is to get into a relaxed yet focused mental state.

No matter if you choose to go skyclad, wear ornate robes, or just boxer shorts and a t-shirt, make the process of getting into (or out of, as the case may be!) as sacred as possible. A "robing ritual" from Ed Fitch's A Grimoire of Shadows starts with putting on foot jewelry (first left foot, then right foot, signifying that you are stepping out on your sacred path), then the robes ("Symbolizing the power of the Goddess wrapped around her servant" - p. 116), then the cord or girdle (or belt...it's like an umbilical cord to the Divine), then a/the sacred necklace, talisman, pendant, or other jewelry for the neck/chest region which indicates your goals or ideals within the Craft, then a ring of sentimental/sacred value (symbolizing the spiritual "marriage" to the Divine), and finally the helmet or circlet of office (which "crowns" you in a position of power). Once again, these steps are not necessary...if all you have is a pentacle necklace and boxers/t-shirt combination, put on the clothes, then put on the necklace, all in a sacred manner. This robing ritual is based on Fitch's tradition, and I include it here to describe the "order" and mentality that goes into each piece. (The book goes into a fuller description of this ritual, complete with script and how you should think about each piece as you put it on.)

How you go about purifying yourself before a ritual is up to you...these are just a few suggestions that may be helpful in your decision. When in doubt, if you want to go bare minimum, wash your face and hands with cold water, and head off to your circle. You may notice a genuine difference in how you feel in the rite!