Smudging with Sage

Smudging is an ancient art that is believed to have been practiced by Native Americans for centuries. It’s the name given to the ceremonial, daily act of cleansing and purification which uses a selection of herbs, often Sage, which are bundled together with string to form a smudge stick before being ignited.

The smoke that’s emitted from the Sage bundle is believed to cleanse negative energy and purify living spaces, as well as people and even objects like tools, furniture, and home decor. Similar to one washing their hands before a meal, it helps to cleanse a person in an energetic bath of aromatic smoke. It’s also believed to release negative ions, which has been linked in studies to a more positive mood and many other benefits. Negative ions are also created by the effects of sunlight and water – you’ve probably noticed a wonderful sense of calm when in nature, such as visiting a beach, waterfall or enjoying a walk in the woods.

The use of dried white Sage, is a 2,000 year old Indigenous American practice. 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 ancient shamanic mystical ritual is a simple one to incorporate into your daily or weekly routine, or any time you feel like you might need a little aura polishing. You can never really smudge too much!

Some ideal (or necessary) times to Sage smudge your aura and/or space would be:

• When you move into a new living space
• When you begin a new job or start your own business
• Before and after a guest enters your home
• Before and after a yoga or healing session
• Before meditation
• After an argument or any illness
• Upon returning home from crowded situations