By Alyssa Ortiz
Do you ever feel like things aren’t going your way? Do you ever feel like someone is praying on your downfall? You might be experiencing some bad energy surrounding you or someone is using Mal De Ojo on you. Here are three different cultural ways to cleanse, heal or protect your aura so that you no longer feel the bad ju-ju.
Limpia con huevo
Growing up in a Latinx household means you wear a red bracelet your entire life on your wrist to protect yourself from Mal De Ojo, but what happens when it’s already cursed on you? Mal De Ojo, named differently across cultures, is the evil eye. It is focused on envy and curses and could potentially make someone very sick. Across many cultures, it’s a popular practice to cleanse the energies of people or homes.
In Latinx culture, we have the limpia con huevo, also known as the egg cleanse. All you need to do is rub the egg on yourself in circular motions and all the bad energies and dirty auras will be removed. After the cleanse, you crack the egg open in a cup or bowl of water and read the egg. If you see black, you likely have been cursed. Then, you must rid yourself of the egg since all the ju-ju is trapped inside.
Pausok
In Filipino culture, the art of Pausok, or fumigation, is practiced commonly in new homes. A priest or shaman will walk around and wave incense in each room. This fumigation is performed to chase off bad energy and negative spirits surrounding a person. Along with the incense, the priest or shaman performing the ritual will also recite chants or prayers to aid the ceremony.
Feng Shui
In Chinese rituals, Feng Shui has been passed down through generational knowledge. Firstly remove the trapped negative energy throughout the house by opening doors, windows and boxes — basically open everything that is closed. Sprinkle salt in each room or scrub it on the walls to get rid of bad energies. You can also throw rice around the perimeters of the room, starting at the door and moving clockwise, to prevent the energies from seeping in.
Keep your energies clean by trying your cultural ritual; or try other culture’s rituals!
