sage

When I began the research for this blog, I found that there was a lot written on the subject of smudging. However, the more research I did, the more I realized that a lot of the information is a watered down version of the Native American tradition. I decided I wanted to learn the traditional way the ritual is done and the reasons it is performed.

According to Steve Coyote, a Native American educator, Native Americans believe that the power of herbs and healing are the best solutions to rid the body or environment of unwanted thoughts, feelings, spirits and energy. Smudging is a ritual that is used to clear people and places of elements that are not contributing to their well being. It has been used for centuries in every Native American culture within the Western Hemisphere.

Why Do A Smudging Session?

• To better the lives of people and the places they live
• Bridge between higher realms, bringing in good spirits and eliminating negative and stagnant ones.
• To lift away sadness, impurities, anxieties and remediate poor health, leaving nothing but peace and harmony.

Herbs Used:

• Sage – Cleanses away negative energy and brings strength, clarity and wisdom
• Cedar – Cleanses and purifies, eliminates bad energy within people and objects. Also helps with a connection to the spiritual world.
• Sweetgrass – Carries prayers to the spirit world. Also, attracts good spirits and positive energy.

How to Smudge:

Items needed:

• Large clay bowl (many beautiful ones available on Etsy)
• Herbs of your choosing (Sage, cedar or sweet grass)
• Wooden matches
• Feather to wave smoke

1. Open a window to allow a steady airflow
2. Stay in the moment and focused
3. Put the herbs in the bowl and use a match to ignite them. Let them flame up for 20-30 seconds, before you put them out. Put them out by holding your hand above them to deprive them of oxygen. (blowing them out is the incorrect way to put out the flame.)
4. Smoke will begin to rise from the bowl, rub your hands in the smoke and then gather the smoke and bring it in to your body and rub it on yourself, especially in areas you feel you need spiritual healing. (You can also use the feather for this)
5. Keep praying all the while that unseen powers of the plant will cleanse your spirit.

“We were taught to look for dark spots in a persons spirit body. You have to “see” a person’s spirit body glowing around them, and where there’s dark or foggy parts you brush the smoke into those holes in the “spirit body.” This helps to heal the spirit and close the holes.”

6. Next, start to cleanse the space in the room, moving the smoke in a slow and relaxed way. Go into every corner of every room and over every item in each room.

If you want to cleanse yourself and your home of negative energy then the ritual is done and you would take the burning herbs outside and put them out in the dirt – returning them to the soil. This signifies the energy being given back to the earth and shows respect.

If you wanted to go a couple of steps further, you could do a “Light House Cleansing.” This is explained below:

1. You have already done the smudging ritual above with sage to drive out negativity and bad influences.
2. So after you extinguish the sage in the dirt outside, you would then light the cedar and cleanse your home with the cedar the same way you did with the sage.
3. Then extinguish the cedar outside like you did the sage.
4. Continue by lighting the sweetgrass and do the same cleansing process again to bring in the good influences, putting it out in the earth when you are done.
5. Lastly, carry a lit candle all over the house and push light into every corner.

Below is a smudging prayer that you can say before, after or during.

May my hands be cleansed that they may create beautiful things. May my feet be cleansed that they may take me where I need to be. May my heart be cleansed, that I may hear its message clearly. May my throat be cleansed that I many speak rightly when words are needed. May my eyes be cleansed that I may see signs and wonders of this world. May I and this space be washed clean by the smoke of this fragrant plant. And may that smoke carry my prayers spiraling to heaven.

I hope that this helps you to learn how to cleanse yourself and your space, and that this beautiful Native American tradition will help you to feel more happy, peaceful and positive! Smudge away!