Recently I answered some questions on how to best consecrate magickal objects, e.g. the Table of Practice. In replying to them I learned that there are actually many different views out there on how and why consecration should happen. I found this a very insightful topic as to why we do the things we do... So let me share my personal practice and view on consecrating ritual objects.

In a nutshell here is what consecration does: It adjusts the astral shape of an object in accordance with the intention and forces called upon in the consecration ritual. The ritual act erases or enriches the astral shape from the physical object and creates a new or adjusted sacred astral shape connected to it. This new astral shape makes the physical object accessible (only) to the respective forces or entities it is consecrated to. The actual process of consecration therefore takes place on the astral plane and opens a new and specific channel that allows the forces the object is consecrated to to descent down from the mental to the astral and finally to the physical plane and take residence in the object. 

To me this is the 'technical' background for why we do consecration rites. With regards to any specific magickal object you might plan to consecrate the real question is - which energies are currently connected to this device and are you satisfied working with these? Some of you will be able to look at the object directly on the astral plane and 'see' the current shape it is in; others might want to consult a divination method like IChing, Tarot or others in order to understand the current nature and power of the object at hands. Obviously, asking your Holy Guardian Angel or local spirits you work with is another great way of understanding more of the current nature of your ritual objects...

What I am trying to explain is this: A consecration rite  might end up charging your ritual object in a powerful and lasting way. However, it also tends to 'overwrite' any existing astral imprints that actually might have charged your object already... So the decision to 'clean' or 'erase' the current programming of a ritual device and to replace it with a new and deliberately created one is important and yours only.

At the end of the day all ritual objects are powerful if used or consecrated correctly - as they are dwellings of living forces we invoked into them. Once this background is understood, the door opens to types of consecration rites as diverse as the tradition you follow or the objects in question...

Here are a few I have used successfully so far: 

• Sleep on or close to the ritual object in a remote room filled with incense dedicated to the powers to be charged; analyze your dreams and stop process once your dreams indicate successful consecration
• Design and conduct a ritual for the forces in question, then ask the spirits summoned in the rite to charge your ritual object and seal it subsequently
• Create a baptism rite for your ritual device and merge it's astral shape with the newly given name; maybe engrave the name, its sigil and number into the ritual object
• Allow the ritual object to charge directly from the source of power in question, i.e. placing them into the moon- or sunlight for several hours and wrapping them in white silk subsequently
• Create a ritual bath for the object in question (ideally charge the purifying waters with fluid condenser according to Franz Bardon), then bath and clean the object in the waters while saying prayers or vibrating words of the specific power in question over it
• Use a particular object in specific circumstances and with clear intent only - not rite required. For example: Put some dried juniper berries into your right pocket. Whenever you feel a certain emotional state arise that you want to release (e.g. sadness), grab the berries and charge them with the energy through your right hand. Burn the berries once sufficiently charged and meditate about the emotional energies that the fire releases as they transform from a physical shape to flames, to smoke and finally to clean air..
• Finally, if you just want to clean or erase the astral shape of an object - without consecrating it to a different one - place it into a river on a string tied to the water's edge and allow it to stay there for one or several nights

These are just a few ideas on how one can consecrate objects. Your creativity and intuition will allow you to come up with more intense and most likely more powerful ways of turning your ritual object into a dwelling for spirits...

Personally I like to remind myself of the fact that creating such a sacred space or object is not only in our interest. In a world like ours these physical places are much needed by the spiritual forces around us... They truly are the equivalent of 'nature reserves' on a spiritual level - sacred shapes of pure devotion, connectedness and living exchange between the material and spirit realm.

Let's make sure none of our 'spirit reserves' or sacred objects will ever end up in a museum like the ones of our ancestors often did... but rather break, crumble or burn in our hands while still being full of live and in practice.