BURNING SAGE – Negativity out, Love and Light in
During the end of October and before the first hard frost, I tend to harvest most of the fresh herbs from my garden to dry out and use for cooking purposes throughout the season. This year, I decided to put a few aside to make my own sage and or herb bundles for the purpose of what’s known as Smudging. Anyone who is familiar with the practice knows that the smoke created by burning sacred herbs is thought to purify one’s space as well as the body and soul, in addition to promoting healing and wisdom. This has definitely been one of those years for doing just that! Since I get great satisfaction from sharing with others, I thought I’d give you a brief tutorial on how to create and use your own bundles.
First and foremost, an appropriate acknowledgement to the cultural and spiritual practice of Native Americans regarding their development and practice of Smudging. It was Native Americans who developed and introduced smudging to the rest of us. Many, but not all, Indigenous cultures smudge but may have different beliefs associated with the smoke, and different ceremonies and protocols.
The practice comes from the Native American healing and shamanic traditions of working with energy. It is the ceremonial practice of burning sacred plants to allow the smoke to intentionally cleanse and bless a space, as well as to elevate vibrations, and to transmute or to dispel negative energy or an unwanted spirit or entity. Using the term is considered by many to be culturally insensitive. If you are not involved in those communities and cultures, what you will be doing is simply called burning sage or smoke cleansing.
Traditional white sage plant (Artemesia califoncia) normally used in the practice of smudging
Using a closed spiritual practice without knowing its roots, meaning, or power is a form of cultural appropriation at its worst. Therefore, in this post we will try to be sensitive to those cultures and will only use the sacred term as little as possible. As an extended consideration, I only used the most common varieties of sage plants from my garden, which are acceptable substitutes, instead of the traditional white sage plant (Artemesia califoncia) normally used in the practice of smudging. I encourage you to do the same.
MAKE YOUR OWN SAGE STICKS – BUNDLES
To make your sage bundles, first gather your supplies; sage, herbs, string, scissors, and any additional aromatics such as dried lavender, cedar, or rose. Rinse, if necessary, then tie the herbs into bundles leaving a loop to hang upside down. Hang the herbs in a dry, warm area for about 2 – 3 days. The leaves may appear dark and will be slightly crispy in texture. However, they should still be flexible enough to form into bundles without crumbing apart. Layer about 40 – 50 sage leaves, starting with the largest as a base, and arrange them however you like. There’s no right or wrong way.
You can also add a few sprigs of rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and other herbs that you see fit to your bundle as you desire. Trim your herbs and flowers to size. I recommend making your bundles approximately 5 – 6 inches long. Secure a piece of twine around the base of the herb bundle, making sure to wrap the twine as tight as you can so that it stays bound when the flowers dry and shrink. Some people make a continuous wrap; however, I like to make about 3 – 4 individual ties around each bundle depending on the length. This way the bundle does not fall apart when its burning.
Hang the bundle upside down in a cool, dry place for at least a week. If there is still some moisture in the leaves, you won’t get a good burn and the full benefits of the herbs. The bundle will be fragile and stiff to the touch when it is completely dry. Basically, that’s it; you now have successfully created your very own herb sticks.
BURNING SAGE CEREMONY – WHAT YOU WILL NEED
An abalone shell is used to catch the embers and ash from the burning sage or herb bundle. The abalone is a type of marine snail related to the oyster and the clam. Abalone shells are considered an offering from the ocean that embodies the nurturing energies of the water element: empathy, compassion, intuition and the Divine Feminine. Inside each shell is a dazzling layer of mother-or-pearl. To protect this layer, place a natural substance like sand or sea salt inside the shell. I use a small handful of sand.
A feather is used to help lift stagnant energy during a smudging ceremony by directing or guiding the smoke and energy into the wind to be cleansed. In Native traditions, feathers are considered sacred gifts from the sky, containing a special link to the bird it once belonged to. Many types of bird feathers can be used for smudging, each possessing its own meaning and purpose. However, one of the most used smudging feathers comes from the turkey, which represents abundance, pride and fertility. However, keep it simple. Use what you have, even your hands to gently fan and direct the smoke.
Matches, of course, to ignite the bundle.
Cotton string – natural twine; I prefer embroidery thread for tying my bundles, since I have so much of it. Plus, it offers me a wide variety of colors.
Sage and any other herb and/or aromatics flowers like dried lavender, cedar, or rose.
Palo Santo sticks or holy stick, which is a natural wood aromatic incense used for centuries by the Incas and Indigenous people of the Andes as a spiritual remedy for purifying and cleansing, as well as to get rid of evil spirits and misfortune, and for medicinal purposes.
Finally, a clear mind and an open heart.
THE ACTUAL CEREMONY
When burned, sage smoke releases ions that change the composition of the air and have been linked to positive mood boosts. In addition to being an excellent stress-reliever, burning sage can be a powerful spiritual ritual and self-care practice.
I encourage you to try burning sage as it is truly a beautiful ritual to do for yourself and your home. Its vibrant, earthy scent fills a space with healing energy and potential health benefits. If for no other reason, your home will smell delightful and clean. A note of caution, only burn sage for a short period of time and if you have asthma or other lung problems, check with your doctor before using it.
Burning sage is done instinctually and intentionally. It can be done once a day, once a week, on every moon cycle or on auspicious days like 11/11. Set an intention. This is something I would highly recommend doing as soon as you light your sage. Call upon your reason for needing to clean and clear your space. It can only help strengthen its healing vibes as well as your mindset. Use your hands, a hand fan or even a feather to guide the smoke over you.
Start at the front door of your home, moving mindfully and with care, walking clockwise around the entire perimeter of your space. Walk with the sage stick in a large circle, facing East, then South, West, North, and meeting again at the East, to honor the cardinal directions, to open the space and to begin the ceremony. Be sure to allow the smoke to drift into even the hidden spaces, like inside closets, basements, dark corners and objects that you wish to cleanse and bless. As you move through your space, allow yourself to be open-minded and open-hearted to the positive benefits of burning sage.
After clearing and cleansing, extinguish your sage stick by gently pressing it into the abalone shell or a clay dish, glass bowl or ashtray. You can also allow it to burn out on its own. Sometimes I like to wait 20-30 minutes to allow the sage smoke to reach maximum potency. Then, open any windows and your front door to let all of that stuck energy out.
Now that you’ve cleared the energy and created a new, pure space, infuse it with your own positive thoughts and intentions. Burning your favorite incense or palo santo wood is an excellent way to do this; between sage’s cleansing powers and the healing, uplifting properties of palo santo, they really are a dynamic duo. Plus, your neighbors are sure to think you’re interesting.
The beauty of burning sage is that it can be done at any time, as often as you need, no matter your background or culture. I hope you make time to burn sage sometime soon. It’s such an uplifting way to connect deeper with yourself, others, and your home. And that’s what its all about; self, family, others!
Happy cleansing Butterflies!
