Unmaking the Hedge

This rite can be used to close a ritual boundary created for hedge-crossing or spirit work, returning the space to a neutral state and releasing any lingering energies or spirits that may have gathered during your working.

Stand at the edge of your working space with both feet firmly placed on the ground. Take a breath to center yourself and say:

The hedge is high, the path is wide,
But now I bid the thorns subside.
By branch and root, by blood and bone,
I send the wandering spirits home.

Extend the index and pointer finger of the dominant hand. With deliberate, steady motions, trace the boundary of the hedge in reverse. As you do, imagine the thorns withdrawing, the vines uncoiling, and the boundary you have conjured here dissolving.

Once the boundary has been ritually unmade, walk the space anticlockwise, saying aloud:

I walk the path, I turn the key,
By will and word, set spirits free.
Where once stood root, now empty ground,
Where once was gate, now none be found.

Pause at the center of the space. Ground yourself as much as possible. You may wish to stamp your foot, press your palm to the earth, or make another physical gesture to signal completion. When you feel ready, finish by saying:

The way is shut, the path unwound,
By thorn and shadow, by root and sound.
Go now in peace, go now unseen.
The hedge is gone, the road is clean.