Smudging
The ritual of smudging has been used by many cultures from ancient times to the present. Smudging in the Native American tradition is for blessing, protecting and sanctifying a person, room, object or ceremony.
We suggest white sage for clearing, cedar for balance, sweetgrass for blessing and lavender for luck and love. Any combination of these herbs will work.
Place a few pinches of the smudge blend into a pottery or stone bowl. Hold a lighted stick match to the herbs. (The broad leaf white sage lights easily and will get the other herbs burning.) Once the flames have taken hold, extinguish them by clapping your hands over them, placing the top on your smudge bowl for a moment or gently blowing them out.
The fragrant smoke will spiral up. You may wish to use a special feather to guide the smoke. As you participate in this cleansing ceremony, allow yourself to accept and acknowledge the healing powers of the smoke.
Smudging Yourself:
• Place the bowl in front of you.
• Ask that all negative energies be released into the light and that
a sacred place be prepared for healing and transformation.
• Gather the smoke in your cupped hands or use a feather.
• Guide the smoke over your head 4 times.
• Hold the bowl in your right hand.
• Pass it behind your back to your left hand.
• Place it in front of you. Extinguish
Smudging Objects:
• Pass them through the smoke 4 times in a clockwise direction,
beginning in the East.
Smudging Your Environment
• Hold the bowl in your right hand and walk through each room in a clockwise direction,
while moving your hand in a clockwise direction.
Completing Your Ceremony
• Bury the ashes of the herbs in the ground as you thank your Guides,
Allies and the Spirits of the herbs for their assistance.