Smudging is the practice of spiritual cleansing with smoke, especially from sacred herbs.
You can smudge a person, a place, a building, or an object. "Smudge" is both a noun and a verb - a bundle of herbs burned as incense is also called a smudge.
Commonly Used Smudge Sticks:
White Sage - negative energy clearing
Rosemary - to treat wounds, headaches & colds
Cedar - cleansing & balancing
Pine Needles - blessing & strengthening
Palo Santo - cleansing & harmony
Dragons Blood - lucid dreaming, purification & calming
Lavender - calming
Eucalyptus - cleansing sickrooms, heals/improves respiratory function
Rose Petals - calming & attracts love
Desert Sage - negative energy clearing, protection & calming
Why Smudge?
Smudging is done to remove bad energy and bring a feeling of peace and clarity. Most people can tell when a place just doesn't "feel" right. Smudging is a remedy for that. Smudging uses the natural qualities of aromatic plants, along with prayers and intentions to improve the psychic environment. Smudging is a basic ritual, but it can be a very effective one.
It is an act of will that removes negative influences and sets a positive intention for your home, tools, or workplace. Some people also use smudging as a first step in setting up a sacred space. Smudging is a way to invite a higher spiritual vibrations into a place of healing or mediation.
How to Smudge Your Home-
Before you begin...
Say a little prayer or invite your spirit guides and angels in. Ask your Devine helpers to assist you in purifying the energy of your home. This is always the first step. It is recommended to open all the windows in the house before you begin. This gives the negative energy a place to exit and allows nice fresh air to come in!
Let's get started...
Light your smudge stick over a dish (dished available below with the store button). You'll want to create as much smoke and as little flame as you can. If the smudge stick goes out, you can re-light it. Once it is light, you can first cleanse yourself! Everything starts and ends with you. Direct the smoke towards your body starting at your feet and up to your head and then back again. After you smudge yourself, begin walking around your home with your stick-keeping your intentions clearly set in your mind. Make sure to get in the corners in every room. Imagine pulling stale and negative energies from them. You can use your hands or a feather to direct the smoke where you want it to go.
Picture everything you want to let go of exiting out your open windows. Pay close attention to unused areas of your home as they can collect stale energy. Let your intuition to guide you.
As you walk, you can also say a prayer or blessing such as:
Ending the smudging ceremony...
There are two way to wrap up...just choose whichever one you feel most guided towards. You can always end it different ways each time too!
Option #1 : Once you've finished walking around your home, you can lay the smudge stick in your fire-proof dish and allow it to work itself out naturally (don't leave it unattended).
Option #2: After you've finished smudging, you can also manually rub your smudge stick out. After it's put out, you can bury the sage ash to signify the finality of the negative energies that lived in your space.
Tip: You can combine both options too!! :)
At the end of the day, smudging has the best effect when it's personal and lead by your intuition. Go with what you feel is right and don't worry about saying the right prayer or moving in the right direction around the room. When you are ready to smudge again, and believe me you will be ready again soon, go for it! There is no need to wait for a special occasion to purify your space.
Most common smudging reasons...
Moving to a new space. You wouldn't wear used clothes without washing them, and some people won't move into a new space without cleansing it. Smudging can help clean up the "psychic debris" from the past occupants so their energy won't influence your thoughts and emotions.
When there has been a psychic disturbance. Some events will leave their mark on a space in the form of yucky energy. There can be major disturbances or minor disturbances. Heated emotions, quarreling, and other negative events).
To mark an important positive change. Smudging is a way of hitting a reset button on a home's energy. It makes sense to do it when your ready for a fresh start. Some examples: When you've finished spring cleaning, when a toxic person moves out or leaves your house, or when you are celebrating breaking a habit or addiction. These are just some examples. :)
When it's that time again. Some people do smudging at regular intervals as a kind of spiritual hygiene. Regular smudging keeps your home's vibe fresh and stops anything negative from taking hold.
Order your smudging kits or sage sticks today at Chicky Moo!