Cleansing and Clarity White Sage Smudge Stick

The use of dried white sage is a 2,000 year old Indigenous American practice.  Tribes used sage for healing, clearing space and ceremonies. The shamans used dried sage plants on their fires as a ritual of calling upon ancestral spirits. Any conflict, anger, illness or evil was absorbed by the sage smoke to be released or cleansed from the energy field of a person. This is the smell of thousands of years of spiritual communion and ritual.

Smudging your sacred space, your home or office, or even your body with sage is like taking an energetic shower, or doing a deep metaphysical cleansing. The smoke from dried sage actually changes the ionic composition of the air, and can have a direct effect on reducing our stress response.

How to Smudge:

Light one end of your smudge stick, allowing it to catch fire and burn for several seconds. Once the flame extinguishes gently blow on the lit end to fan the embers; the smudge will begin to glow and smoke. Lay the smudge on a heat proof dish, such as an abalone shell, to catch the ashes as it burns. We should always respect the power of fire when using it in ritual.

As the smoke rises into the air, picture your intention, whatever it may be. If you are clearing negative energy, picture its density and see it lifting away. Healing? Then imagine the smoke cleansing any illness or injury. Whatever it is – envision it floating away on the smoke. You can pray or chant if you feel so called. Use your hands or a smudge fan to guide the smoke over yourself and around your sacred space.

It is always great when cleansing your home to open up some windows and doors.  Begin smudging from the back of the house passing through every corner from back to front of every room.  Do this while moving towards the front door and let the smoke out while envisioning any dark energy or negative feeling float out with the smoke.