This is not a ritual for just “cleaning the house” as it is a ritual for finding motivation to clean the house. It’s said that the goddess Holda punished lazy housekeepers, and it’s true that for many of us, it takes a huge amount of effort just to get started, much less keeping up with it. This ritual is the one that you do when the mess gets huge and feels overwhelming, and you don’t think that you can handle it. Holda is the one to call on, not because she isn’t ruthless, but because she is.

First, kneel in the worst part of the mess. If you need to sweep away bits of it in order to do so, that’s all right. Put your hands on the floor (or the horrid carpet, or whatever) and say to her:

Stiffen my spine that I might sweep

The grime from ground and garden.

Sharpen my sight that I might see

The way through mess and muddle.

Strengthen my will that I might wash away

Disarray and disorder from door to door.

Then stand and go to the hearth of the home – usually the kitchen where the stove pilot light burns, but if you’ve got a fireplace in your living room and you feel that’s the real hearth, go for it. Lay out a piece of bread with butter, and a cup of tea (any kind) on top of one flawless white napkin. Light some scented herbs for incense (not on the napkin); culinary ones are best for Holda. I use kitchen sage, thyme, dill seed, and various spices on a lit charcoal disc. Blow the smoke around the room and say to her:

Hail Holda, healer of house and hearth,

As I feed you, so may you feed me

On soup of strength and meat of might,

On pottage of purpose and perseverance,

Hold me up to face this task

And fail me not, nor let me fail.

Then pick up a broom and sweep for a few minutes. It doesn’t matter if there’s carpet on the floor and the broom isn’t going to do anything. Just sweep, because it invokes Holda’s energy into the room. Lift the broom in the air and walk around the mess, waving it. As it waves, the mess should become less frightening. When you’ve done that for a few minutes, put on some loud music and start cleaning. It will be easier than you think – and when it becomes difficult, you’ll feel Holda holding you up and keeping you on track.