Different religions use holy water, or holy water, for cleansing, protection and blessings. Many people believe that holy water can only be truly sanctified by an ordained priest. Therefore, depending on your faith, you may not be required to make holy water yourself. However, you can still try to make your own holy water by strictly following traditional Catholic rituals and prayers. There are also several pagan rituals for making holy water.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Blessing water with Catholic prayers and rituals
Step 1. Collect and bless salt
Before you can make holy water, you will have to make holy salt first, so bless the salt first (i.e. make it holy). Take some pure salt (eg kosher salt or natural rock salt with no added ingredients) and put it in a container, bowl or jar. When you have finished blessing the salt, say the following words from "The Roman Ritual":
- “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. O salt, creature of God, I adjure you by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by the God who made Eliseo the prophet pour into the water to restore its life-giving powers. I purify and purify you, that you may become a means of salvation to the believers, that you may bring health of soul and body to all who use you, and that from the places where you are sprinkled you may experience every apparition, every villain, every kind of devilish deception and put every unclean spirit to flight, exorcised by Him who shall come to judge and purify the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.'
- As you consecrate the salt in the presence of witnesses, invite them to pray with you: Almighty and everlasting God, we humbly beseech Thee, in Thy immense goodness and love, for this salt which Thou hast created and to bless and sanctify mankind, that it may become a source of health to the mind and body of all who use it, and that it may cleanse everything it touches or sprinkle of all impurity and protect it from every attack of evil spirits. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.'
- You can find the text of 'The Roman Ritual' (Rituale Romanum) online, or buy it as a book in a Catholic bookstore.
- There are no special requirements for the jar or container you use for the salt. If you're storing holy salt that you haven't already mixed with the water, be sure to mark the jar or container so you don't confuse it with regular table salt.
Step 2. If possible, get some water from a natural source
If you can, get your water from a lake, stream, or river nearby. Try to avoid using tap water as it may contain additives such as chlorine and fluoride. But even if you obtained your water naturally, it is best to filter this water beforehand - after all, you don't want contaminated holy water!
- Place the water in an open container, such as a large bowl.
- If natural water is not available, you can also use tap or bottled water. Store-bought distilled or spring water are also good choices.
Safety Precaution:
If you plan to sprinkle yourself with holy water, put it on your lips, or drink it, it is very important to make sure it is clean and well filtered. You can get sick from drinking unclean holy water.
Step 3. Purify the water
Before you put the salt and water together, you must also cleanse the water, i.e. drive out any evil forces. Recite these words from "The Roman Ritual":
- “O water, creature of God, I purify you in the name of God the Father Almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ his Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Ghost. I purify thee, that thou mayest drive out all the power of the enemy, and exterminate and drive out that enemy with his apostate angels; by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.'
- If you purify the water in the presence of witnesses, have them say the following prayer with you: 'O God, Who for the salvation of mankind has built Your greatest mysteries on this substance, water, in Your goodness hear our prayers. and pour down the power of Thy blessing into this element, which is prepared for many kinds of purifications. May this, Thy creature, become a means of divine grace in the service of Thy mysteries, to drive out evil spirits and drive out sickness, so that everything in the houses and other buildings of the believers that is sprinkled with this water may be cleaned of all uncleanness and freed from all evil. Let no breath of infection, no sickening air, remain in these places. May the wiles of the lurking enemy prove of no use. Let all that threatens the safety and peace of those who dwell here be put to flight by the sprinkling of this water, so that the health gained by the invocation of Your holy name may be secured from all attack. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.'
Step 4. Sprinkle the salt in the water in the shape of a cross
Once you've purified both the salt and water, the last step is to combine them. Add the salt to the water in the shape of a cross. As you sprinkle the salt into the water, recite the following:
- “May this salt and this water mingle together, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen'
- When performing the ritual in front of witnesses, you should say, "The Lord be with you." The witnesses then answer, "May He also be with you."
- Invite all present to pray this prayer with you: 'God, source of irresistible power and king of an invincible realm, the ever glorious conqueror; who subdues the strength of the adversary, silences the din of his wrath, and bravely subdues his anger; In awe and humility, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to regard this creature of salt and water with pleasure, to shine upon it the light of Thy goodness, and to sanctify it with the dew of Thy mercy, so that wherever it is sprinkled, and Thy holy name is invoked, may every attack of the unclean spirit be repulsed and all fear of the serpent's venom be banished. Grant to us, who beseech your mercy, that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we are; through Christ our Lord. Amen.'
Step 5. Bless the holy water
After you have made your holy water, you can bless it with the following prayer from the Novus Ordo 'Book of Blessings': 'Blessed are You, Lord Almighty God, Who has deigned to bless us in Christ, the living water of our redemption, and to reform ourselves inwardly, grant that we who are strengthened by the sprinkling or use of this water, renewing the youth of the spirit by the power of the Holy Spirit, may ever walk in newness of life."
- When you are done blessing, make the sign of the cross over the water.
- You can also find the text of this prayer online in the Book of Blessings, or purchase the book from a Catholic bookstore.
Step 6. Use your holy water to bless your home and relatives
When you're done making your holy water, put some of it in a small glass bottle or plastic plant sprayer. You can sprinkle/spray it in different rooms of your house to bless these areas, or you can use it to bless yourself or a family member before going to sleep.
If you are not comfortable using the holy water you have blessed yourself, you can also go to a priest in your parish and ask for some holy water. Some churches have a holy water fountain where you can fill a container to take home
Method 2 of 2: Making holy water according to pagan traditions
Step 1. Use seawater for cleansing and purification rituals
Seawater is considered sacred in itself in most pagan or "pagan" traditions. If you want to use seawater for blessings and rituals, collect some in a small bottle and leave a peace offering in return.
For example, you could leave some fresh flowers or some natural food (such as fruits or vegetables) for the animals living nearby to eat
Step 2. Collect rainwater for rituals asking for purity, fertility and abundance
If you want to use water in fertility rituals, set up an open container, such as a glass jar or chalice, to collect some rainwater. You can also get the water from a well or rainwater reservoir.
- Water collected during a thunderstorm is believed to be imbued with powerful energy.
- You can also collect morning dew to use in rituals related to beauty, healing and rejuvenation.
Tip:
Many 'Pagans' believe that you can use rainwater to make your garden or the soil of your houseplants more fertile. Just use it to water your plants as you normally would. Do not add salt if you want to use it this way as it will damage your plants!
Step 3. Add salt to water to banish unfriendly spirits and entities
Practitioners of many religious traditions believe that salt can help ward off unfriendly spirits and entities. To make holy water for this purpose, pour the water into a chalice. Say prayers about the salt and water that suit your particular tradition. Then add the 2 ingredients together and say a final prayer to bless and make the water holy.
- For example, you might first dip your fingers-or a wand-into the water and then say the following prayer: “Behold this water, which is the giver of life. I ask that this water be blessed and purified and made holy. In the name of the Goddess and of God, in love, light, peace and trust.'
- Then dip your fingers or staff in the salt and say, 'Behold the salt which is the keeper of life. I ask that this salt be blessed, consecrated and purified. In the name of the Goddess and of God, in love, light, peace and trust.'
- Add a pinch of salt to the water and stir the mixture clockwise. When you have finished stirring, say the last prayer, still touching the mixture of water and salt: 'For as the water is holy and the salt holy, may the union of these two be blessed and purified and consecrated. In the name of the Goddess and God, by the almighty power of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, may this now be holy water, to be used in goodness, love, light, peace and trust. Let it be.'
- Any kind of water or salt will work for this purpose, including tap water and table salt.
- In addition to dispelling negative energy, many pagan magicians believe that you can use this type of holy water to bless and purify your body by gently dabbing it on your skin.
Step 4. Put a bowl of water outside in the moonlight for another way to make it sacred
Many pagans believe that simply exposing water to moonlight can make it sacred. Put whatever kind of water you like in a container or bowl of your choice and put it in a place where it will receive a lot of moonlight. You can 'charge' this water with any intention you like and use it for various purposes, for example for love spells or purification rituals.
- Preferably use a silver or glass container for this purpose, as these materials are believed to be good at holding spiritual energy.
- When you put down the bowl of water, say a prayer stating your intention for the water. For example, you can ask for a blessing of love, purity, or protection.
Step 5. Add some silver to the water for extra moon blessings
In addition to consecrating your water in moonlight, many pagans believe that you can attract additional moon blessings by putting something made of silver in the water. Choose a small silver object, such as a ring or coin, and place it in the bowl of water before placing it in the moonlight.
- For a sunlight blessing, which is associated with healing and positive energy, you can add a piece of gold to the water and place it in the sun.
- Add silver to a bowl of snow and ice and charge it with an intention of locking or releasing, such as 'freezing' your enemies or letting trapped energies flow. You can then put this 'winter blessed water' outside in the light of the full moon to make it sacred.