The Art of Smudging

Amulets & Talismans Part XVII

Smudging was practiced by many different peoples and cultures, including the Native Americans, and is still utilised by some tribes today (e.g. the Lakota) in ceremonial, purifying rituals. The smoke-cleansing aspect of it is used today by modern witches and feng shui experts. But what is it, and how does one smoke-cleanse?

A smudge stick is a bunch of dried herbs tied together, which when lit (and then blown out) releases scented smoke. This smoke is believed to dispel negative energies from a space, from objects / tools, or from people.

The most popular herb to use for smudging or smoke-cleansing is sage or white sage. (Interestingly, the Latin word for sage, salvia, derives from Latin word sana [heal]). Sweetgrass, cedar, and Palo Santo are also sometimes used.

Native Americans used bundles of sage lit from their central or cooking fires. While it was believed to cleanse the home of bad spirits and negative energies, research has actually shown that burning sage does kill 94% of bacteria in the air, so they were onto something.

Feng shui practitioners tend to smoke-cleanse their homes several times a year.

People who smoke-cleanse tend to do the practice after dark.

Steps to Smoke-Cleansing:

1. Ensure adequate ventilation in the room. This is very important because smoke contains particles that can damage the lungs with repeated exposure.
2. Set an intention. Do this with awareness, setting a meaningful intention and always beginning with a positive frame of mind.
3. Light the end of a herb bundle with a match. Blow it out quickly.
4. The ends of the leaves should smoulder gradually, giving off a thick smoke. Direct the smoke over your hands first, then waft the smoke over your head, then around your body and the space you’re in with one hand whilst keeping hold of the smudge stick in the other.
5. Start at the entrance of your dwelling and move clockwise, wafting the smoke into the air with either your hand or a feather. Pay a extra attention to areas that feel “dense” with energy, e.g. corners and cupboards, doorways and windows.
6. Let any ash fall into a heat-proof receptacle such as a ceramic bowl (or an abalone shell, which was used in the original practice).
7. Once you’ve smoke-cleansed all areas of your living-space, return to your starting point and extinguish the bundle of herbs by dunking it into a bowl of sand or earth, applying some pressure. Wait a moment, then put the herb-bundle into a container ready for your next session.

Other herbs that can be used for smoke-cleansing are:

– rosemary (associated with remembrance, wisdom, focus, protection, healing, and sleep)

– cedar (for protection and clearing, connected to Jupiter and the element of fire. Symbolises eternal life. In ancient Greece if was associated with Persephone. Often used to cleanse a home / flat before moving in.)

– peppermint (associated with healing, psychic power, sleep, love, wealth and prosperity)

– eucalyptus (represents air. Associated with healing and protection. Can be used for bringing joy, overcoming blockages, and dealing with relationship difficulties).

– yellow sinuata (a flower associated with memory, sympathy, and success.)

– yerba santa sage (used for purification, warding off illness, and gaining vision)

– black sage (or salvia mellifera, used for introspection, inner healing, good sleep and nice dreams, astral projection / shamanic journeys and for protection during such episodes.)

– copal sage (associated with the crown chakra at the top of the skull, used for heightening awareness, entering trance-like states, reducing stress and depression. This was used by the Mayans).

– mugwort (or artemisia vulgaris, used for visions and prophesy, accessing wisdom and insight, and protection. Associated with the Crone, the eldest third of the triple Goddess archetype.)

– lemon balm (used for love, success, healing, and psychic / spiritual development)

It is respectful to the Native American culture to use the above herbs instead of white sage if you are not indigenous, as the Native American peoples revere white sage as more than just a plant, and the increase of its usage by non-indigenous people means that white sage is in short supply.

Next week will be an investigation into relics, including the Holy Grail and the Turin Shroud.

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Other parts of Amulets & Talismans: