Smudging the Smudges Out of Your Life
Smudging or smoke cleansing is a ritual found in most Indigenous cultures around the world used to cleanse energies or for health benefits. Today, smudging can be used by individuals to cleanse their homes and remove negative energies. I want to take a deeper dive into this tradition as it has helped me throughout the years.
History
Since the discovery of fire, it is believed that different woods, leaves, and herbs were burned for a variety of different benefits such as insect repellent. In ancient Egypt, incense was used to cleanse and scent bodies, both in life and in death. Scottish folk magic uses saining to remove negative spirits, which is similar to smudging. In the many Christian denominations, incense is used as a symbol of prayer being lifted to God in the smoke. In the Native American culture, smudging is used during ceremonies to better both people and the places they live. It is thought to help bridge the spirit world with the physical world.
Why It Is Believed to Work
I have found some conflicting reports if negative ions, like those released from waterfalls, help neutralize the positive ions that our bodies release when we are stressed or angry, so I cannot say that it increases negative ions.
Sage has been proven to have antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, so it can clean the air. Sage also can activate receptors in the brain to help elevate your mood, decrease stress, and alleviate pain. The elevation in your mood can help to decrease anxiety and depression. Sage can also help improve your sleep.
Which Plants Can be Used for Smudging
Some of the most common plants used in smudging include:
Sage: This can be white, garden, New Mexico, Lakota, or Grey. Sage is believed to bring clarity, wisdom, strength, and is used for cleansing. Please know that white sage is becoming endangered and should be bought from a reputable source.
Cedar: Used for cleansing and purifying and used to uplift feelings and promote positivity.
Sweetgrass: Used by the Native Americans to carry prayers to the spirit world. Sweetgrass is thought to be the herb of kindness.
Tobacco: Is seen as a bridge or gateway to the spirit world and used by Native Americans as a “thank you” for the beauty in life.
Palo Santo: Translates to “holy wood” in Spanish and used, like sage, to cleanse and increase vibrations to prepare for meditation or ceremonies.
Rosemary: Rosemary is thought to be soothing and peaceful. It helps remove negative energies.
Lemongrass: In addition to purifying and cleansing, it can be used to energize. Lemongrass is believed to encourage focus and clarity.
Catnip: When burned it is believed to bring love, beauty, and happiness in the space it fills.
Clove: In addition to purifying an area, cloves are thought to increase psychic abilities.
Mugwort: Usually mixed with sage and sometimes referred to as black sage, mugwort isn used for cleansing and to help deepen intuitive abilities.
How To Smudge
Smudging is done with objects to symbolize the four elements. The herbs symbolize the earth, matches to light the herbs symbolize fire, an abalone shell for water, the smoke is to symbolize the air. Feathers can be used to help waft the smoke. Not all these objects are needed
If you are smudging indoors, make sure you open windows to help clear out the negative energy.
First, Set a good intention for your practice to prepare your mind for the ceremony you are about to undertake.
Light your herbs on fire and let them burn for a few seconds. Then either blow it out or fan it out and let it smolder. If you are using loose herbs, you might need to place a layer of sand (to prevent heat damage) in a bowl before layering the herbs to light.
Smudging can be done a couple different ways, I will discuss a couple of the most common practices.
Smudging yourself/a person
Standing with arms out in a T fashion and legs slightly spread, start at the feet and work upwards, waving the smoke over you or the person saying a mantra that is appropriate for the cleanse. Examples include: “I release all the energies that don’t serve me;” “I release worry from my body;” “I am filled with love and light.”
Smudging a home/room
Make sure your windows are open to allow negativity to leave the space. Starting in your lowest level, walk around all the rooms in your home slowly, wafting the smoke around with either the bundle itself, a feather, or your hand. Make sure to reach all the areas of the room including corners, doors, windows and any electronics. Recite a mantra you feel is pertinent to your cleansing. This can be something like, “I cleanse my house of negativity and fill it with love and light.” “I cleanse this space, remove the past, anill it with love and joy.” Ashes can fall from a smudging bundle, please use caution to collect in a shell or bowl and make sure all embers are out before moving on so you don’t catch your home on fire.
Smudging in the Seven Directions (from the Modern Goddess Blog)
East – Welcomes the energy of the beginning way, welcoming the rising sun at the beginning of the day and the light of illumination.
South – Welcomes the energy of action in the world.
West – The energy of looking within to find the gifts of healing.
North – Welcoming the energy of wisdom and blessing and the energy of our ancestors for their guidance.
Looking up – Welcoming the energy and spirit of Above. Father Sky, Star people, and Cloud people. Welcoming all that is masculine, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles and sons; and that masculine energy that also exists within the feminine.
Looking down – Welcoming the energy of Mother Earth, the feminine principle, the energy and spirit of Below. The energy and the spirit of our grandmothers, our mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters. And that feminine energy that exists within the Masculine.
Looking within (holding your hands over your heart) – The energy Within, the principle of being connected, the energy and spirit of Within. An activation of intuition and the gifts of balance, oneness, and the connection with all things.
Smudging has been used for centuries to help raise vibrations and for ceremonies. I am not sure how much scientific proof there is that this happens, but why not give it a try. I know it has helped me throughout the years.
*Disclaimer: please do not use any items that you may have an allergy to. Smoke may be a trigger for asthma or other respiratory issues. Please do not perform if you have any respiratory concerns. Please use caution with fire and embers so you do not burn anything besides the herbs.
