Sacred SmudgeWhy do we smudge? Smudging is an ancient sacred act of cleansing your space or person of negative energy by burning sage or another type of herb. The smoke from the sage acts as an antiseptic and releases the negative ions in the area. This helps move the negative energy out and with the intention of your act of smudging, allows positive energy to replace it. As this is not a cure for removing negativity from your life, it removes negativity from your space to allow you to work your magick, meditation or relaxation methods.
Smudging can be done at any time, for various reasons. It is recommended to smudge before magickal workings such as ritual or spell work, before and after healing sessions, and for doing any type of divination. You can smudge yourself daily, prior to going to work, meditation, or just to start your day off on a positive note. There is no limit (unless your housemates ask) to doing this.
My Sacred Smudge Starter Kit contains everything you would need to start. A sage stick, abalone shell, feather and sweetgrass tea light. Also included is a sea salt and sage candle and sage spray.
Traditional smudging from the Native American culture encompasses all of the elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Your sage is Earth, the smoke and feather represent Air, the embers or burning represents Fire, the abalone shell-water, and the intention and act are Spirit. Traditionally, smudging is performed to clear the area and prepare for the Spiritual undertaking (mediation, ritual…) and Sweetgrass is burned to attract positive energy.
Start by opening some windows, this is to let out not just the smoke, but also the energy you will be pushing out. Light the end of the sage stick and let it burn for a moment to get it going. Gently blow out the flame and fan the embers, it should begin to glow and smoke. Using the shell (or dish) to catch any ash, fan the smoke while walking in a clockwise pattern through the rooms of your home. Start at the bottom and work your way up to the top, always keeping the intention going of cleansing your space of negativity and attracting positive energy. This is where you can make this completely personal! You can pray, chant, sing … anything that feels right for you. Don’t forget to get into those corners, they store up blocked energy! Also, closets and nooks and crannies need care too. When you’ve completed the area, fan the smoke up and around yourself too! Tamp out the burning sage, clean up and if needed close the windows. I like to acknowledge to my house guardians that I appreciate what they do (and smudge them if you have a physical representation), and proclaim that the house is now cleansed. If you are cleansing for spirit activity, you can proclaim the house rules at this time also, I will always set the boundaries for any “visitors” such as, “do not touch my car keys and wedding ring” (funny but heart wrenching story about that), and also letting them know that this is your home and they must follow your rules or leave. And that’s it! You don’t have to smudge the entire house daily, phew! That would be exhausting! I usually try to smudge seasonally or when it is needed. You can if you wish though, and this is totally up to you, and what you feel drawn to do. I included a large sea salt and sage candle with my Kit, and also have them for sale singularly, and I use these to keep the smudging “boosted” by burning it. These candles were designed and charged to do just that, boost or replace the smoke smudging. This is helpful for people that cannot burn sage as well, as is my sage spray (included and sold separately).
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions and Happy Smudging!