You've probably heard a lot about evil spirits and might be searching for ways to avoid them. Like any good person, you want to keep these malevolent spiritual creatures as far away from your home as possible, right? Here are some crucial steps I have learned as a Garifuna to ensure these spirits don't make my home their home.
Keep Your Yard Clean and Garbage-Free
Prompt Garbage Disposal
Ensure that your garbage is disposed of promptly. Garbage around is very unattractive. A smelly garbage bin is a feeding ground for unwanted spiritual creatures. Make sure to get rid of garbage as soon as the bin is full. If you have stuff that is going to smell, avoid throwing it in the garbage. Instead, bury it to prevent it from stinking.
Clean Yard Policy
My grandmother always used to say, "How you treat your home will show others how you treat yourself." Maintaining a clean yard not only creates a healthy environment but also discourages these spiritual creatures, as they thrive in filthy spaces. In Garifuna culture, it is believed that a clean yard free from trash keeps these spirits at bay.
Properly Dispose of Leftover Food
Feeding Pets
Manage how you dispose of leftover food. My grandmother's words again: "Give it to your pets or offer it to a neighbor for their pets. But never throw it away; it's bad to throw food away." Depending on the kind of food, you might also consider donating it to those in need.
Burial Method
If other options aren't possible, dig a hole in the ground and bury the leftovers. Throwing food around your home will attract evil spirits, turning the yard into their feeding ground. This practice is taught in our culture from the start.
Manage Drains Around Your Home
Cover Stagnant Drains
Cover drains that aren't running with fresh water. Foul-smelling water is believed to attract both mosquitoes and evil spirits.
Trim Overgrown Trees
Tree Management
While large trees provide shade, they are also believed to attract evil spirits. Trees like the weeping willow, which grow very large with many branches, can become places where these spirits linger in our culture.
Regular Pruning
Trim some of the branches to reduce their size while still allowing them to provide shade. This makes the trees less inviting to spirits but still useful for outdoor activities.
Personal Experience
These suggestions stem from wisdom handed down through generations. From childhood, I’ve learned about these practices that help prevent encounters with evil spirits.
I vividly remember older folks trimming or chopping down big trees around their yard, advising us not to play near drains, and scolding us for leaving garbage in the yard. The worst offense was throwing away leftover food carelessly, which always resulted in a stern reprimand.
The good thing about the practices we were taught in our cultural belief is that they also promote good hygiene and a healthy environment. Even if it wasn’t for chasing evil spirits away, these practices still provide benefits for your life. This shows that bad spirits love a dirty and smelly place, and it’s true what the saying says: cleanliness will bring God and good spirits into a home.
I have followed these steps to keep my home spiritually safe and avoid the unwelcome presence of evil spirits. These practices are not only about keeping away evil spirits but also about maintaining a clean and spiritually safe environment for us and our family.
