RITUAL CLEANSING CEREMONY

After paying respects to the Earth Deities, I next carried out the cleansing ceremony.  The first step was to fill a brand new basin with water and then add in 7 coloured flowers and pomelo leaves.   My sifu also gave me a paper charm and told me to burn it and place it inside the water.  After that, I used the pomelo leaves to sprinkle water at every nook and corner of the house.  I started from the main door and worked my way inside using an anti-clockwise direction. 

When I was done sprinkling, I poured the remainder of the water and flowers into the area towards the left of my house.

The next step of the cleansing ritual was to scatter beans and rice everywhere in the house.  I again worked my way from the door and went to the right, then went in an anticlockwise direction and then continued scattering the last bits of the rice and bits at that porch.

The third step was to light a kemanyan or incense stick and then carry it around the house making sure that the smoke and the smell of kemenyan permeates all the places in the house.  Lastly, the kemenyan is left at the centre of the porch and let to burn out.