ALIEN FACE
DO THE APPROPRIATE PRAYERS
1. Setting Up the Altar
Placement: A quiet corner, away from foot traffic, ideally facing east (sunrise) or north depending on tradition.
Core items:
- A cloth (white or a color matching your purpose) as the base
- A representation of the Divine — a cross, statue, image of God/Goddess, or simply a candle representing spirit
- Photos of ancestors/loved ones you want to reach
- A glass of water (offered fresh, believed to "hold space" for spirit presence)
- Candles (white for general use; see color list from before for specific intentions)
- A small dish for salt
- Incense or herb bundle for smudging
- Flowers or living plants
Setup order people commonly follow: cleanse the space first → lay cloth → place divine representation centrally → photos/mementos around or below it → candles flanking → water and salt nearby.
2. Smudging (Cleansing the Space)
- Common herbs: white sage, palo santo, rosemary, cedar
- Light the bundle, let it smolder (not flame), and walk clockwise around the room/altar
- Traditional phrase used by many: asking anything not serving your highest good to leave, while inviting in peace
- Open a window or door afterward so smoke (and what it carries) can exit
3. Seven-Day Spiritual Baths
This is a staple in Hoodoo and some Latin American folk traditions.
- One bath per day for 7 consecutive days, often tied to a specific intention (protection, cleansing, opening spiritual communication)
- Typical base: warm water + herbs (hyssop, rosemary, basil are common) + salt
- Some traditions add florida water or specific oils
- Poured from neck down after regular washing, not used as soap
- On the final day, some traditions have you dress in white and light a corresponding candle
4. Protection
- Salt: lined across doorways/windowsills, or a small bowl kept on the altar and refreshed weekly
- Holy oil: used to anoint candles (rubbed from wick to base for outgoing/protective intentions, base to wick for drawing intentions), doorframes, or the body (wrists, forehead)
- Protective plants: rue, basil, rosemary kept near entryways; some traditions use a plant specifically dedicated to a guardian spirit
5. Holy Oil
- Often a base oil (olive is traditional) blessed/prayed over, sometimes with herbs infused in
- Used to anoint the altar, candles, or oneself before ritual
6. EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena)
This one I'll flag differently — EVP is a practice (recording in a quiet space and reviewing audio for unexplained voices) that's popular in paranormal investigation circles.