I have a wonderful friend that I lived with in college. About once every other month I would come home and find the apartment freshly cleaned with her numerous crystals soaking in a bowl of salt water by the window. Her door would be closed and I could discern by silence or noise if she was napping or organizing her closet. When she finally emerged, I would always know what was coming. "I'm soul cleansing," she would say with gusto, brandishing her detox tea in one hand, burning sage in the other.
Soul cleansing became an expression that was both code word and inside joke, but it was also a real ritual and I still say it today when I'm taking a day for myself. It's exactly what it sounds like: time spent clearing out the cobwebs that build themselves unconsciously in the corners of our minds. Time spent emptying out old patterns and habits to make room for newer, cleaner, higher energy. Time spent cleaning the spaces we occupy; our homes and our bodies. A literal and figurative cleansing of the soul.
With the spring equinox just a week away, now is the perfect time to plan your own version of a soul cleanse. Your cleansing can be whatever feels right for you. Maybe you want to focus just on your eating habits, perhaps getting back to the gym or an activity you love. I suggest a trio: trying something new, doing something that's been on your mind for awhile, and cleaning something out. As with anything, it's important to follow your own path and do things that are enjoyable and make you feel good.
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