CLEANING OF HOME ALTAR AND STATUES

For those of you who are of the Taoists faith, I will share with you information that I got on how do the Cleaning of the Home Altar.
Below are steps on the Cleaning of Home Altars and Statues. Here it goes:

1. Choose an auspicious; remember to do it before 11.00 a.m.. For those who are working, then no choice, you have to do it before 9.00 p.m.
2. Prepare a basin of Yin-Yang Water (50%; 50% Cold Water 陰陽清淨水), add in 5-coloured Flowers (exclude White 五色花) ; some Pomelo (柚子葉) or Pomengranate Leaves (石榴葉). Remember to Prepare a New Cleaning Towel too, White and Black are Not Usable (these 2 are only mend for Cleaning the Body of Pass-ons).
3. Once the water is ready, light 3 joss-sticks, then declare to the Home Deities on What is Today’s Date ; What you will be going to do, after the declaration place the joss sticks into the urn.
4. Take one of the Pomelo Leaves out from the Yin-Yang Water, sprinkle on the area surrounding the altar, after doing so, use the leaf to slighting push the Statues side-ways, do not use too much force,to prevent damaging the statue.  (This Pushing is symbolic of moving and  respectfully requesting the 'Energies' in the Statues to leave for a while, while the cleaning is taking place).
5.  Then place the statues  on a clean table (spread a piece of Red Cloth/Paper on the surface), before placing the statues temporarily on the table while cleaning takes place.
6. Rinse the Towel with Yin-Yang Water, start cleaning the Statues from Head, then Ears, Body, Arms, Hands, Legs, Weapons and lastly, the Face. Do not scrub the face, just gently use the rinsed towel to clean the surface, as long as the Face looks clean, the cleaning is done. Remember not to rinse the statue under the running Tap, this is disrespectful.
7. Once all the statues are cleaned, then lift the urn down from the Altar to do polishing or cleaning. Remember, the joss-sticks in the Urn will still be Burning, do not throw it away, just respectfully remove it and place on a flat surface or some people will place the joss-sticks onto a Prosperity cake or Huat Kueh (發糕). During the whole cleaning process, the joss-sticks that are used for the declaration must remain burning, so try to use long joss sticks.
8. After completing the Polishing; Cleaning of the Urn, place the joss-sticks back into the Urn.
9. Using the remaining Yin-Yang Water, clean the whole Altar and the wall of the Altar. Make sure to remove all dirt and spider webs from it.
10. Once ALL the cleaning is done, place the Urn back onto the Altar.  Then invite the Lowest Ranked Deity onto the Altar, followed by the Highest Ranked.
11. Before placing the Statues on their pedestals, the Statues must be held above the smoke of the burning joss-sticks, this is a Symbolic of Requesting the Deities to return to their places. Once all Statues are In-place, then place ALL the cleaned items onto the Altar to their respective positions.
12. Once everything is in-place, place 1 set of 5 Oranges (桔子五粒), 1 Huat Kueh (發糕一個), 1 Nian Gao (年糕一個); 3 cups of Freshly brewed Chinese Tea (清茶三杯) onto the Altar. Light 3 joss-sticks and report to the Deities that ALL cleaning has been done and request them to return to their seats.

You can follow this Simple Phrases:

諸位神明在上。
Zhu Wei Shen Ming Zai Shang

現今清台淨神之事宜已經圓滿。
Xian Jin Qing Tai Jing Shen Zhi Shi Yi Yi Jing Yuan Man

敬請諸位神明回歸寶座。
Jing Qing Zhu Wei Shen Ming Hui Gui Bao Zuo

待受弟子供奉。
Dai Shou Di Zi Gong Yang

Then bow three times and place the joss-sticks into the Urn. Once this is done,  the process is completed.

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