The Power of Smudging
I’m a huge fan of smudging. It is a wonderful way to cleanse and protect an object, space, person or pet.
Smudging has been practiced for thousands of years and is a powerful cleansing technique used originally by the Native Americans.
Smudging is the burning of sacred dried plants to remove negativity and restore balance. The smoke from the plants attaches to the negative energy and removes it.
Originally mixtures of sacred herbs were burned in a special bowl and the smoke purified and cleansed, now it is possible to buy or make smudge sticks (bundles of dried herbs, bound with coloured thread).
Herbs usually used for smudging include sage, cedar, sweetgrass, junpier and pinion pine. Most smudge sticks are made from white sage alone or have sweetgrass mixed in too. The sage drives away the negative energies and sweetgrass attracts positive energies and healing after sage has removed the negativity.
What to Smudge- Smudging has many uses, here are some of my favourites;
Smudging – self clearing.
Light your smudge stick over a candle and gently fan the smoke over your whole body starting at the crown of your head and pay particular attention to your chakras. Don’t forget to go down your arms and hands, legs and feet. If you wish you can use the smudging prayer above whilst you do this or simply ask the spirit of the sacred herbs to take away negativity and cleanse you.
The same principle can be applied to clearing another person or animal.
Smudging has been known to help clear depression, anxiety and anger and restore balance and peace of mind. The practice can also be used to clear a person before, during and after a healing session.
Smudging – a room or space
Any room or space can be smudged. I always clear my therapy room before and after a treatment using smudge stick and I use it to clear the space I use when sending attunements.
You can use smudging to cleanse a room/house to remove the general build up of negative energies, cleanse a space after an argument or negative encounter with a person, cleanse a room that someone is ill in, cleanse a new home, cleanse your old home before you leave, cleanse your work space, cleanse your car, cleanse your garden, the possibilities are endless.
When using smudging for room or space clearing make sure you walk around the perimeters of the area, paying attention to the corners, as this is where a lot of negative energies can collect. Smudge behind doors and around windows, under, behind and around pieces of furniture where possible.
Smudging Objects
Crystals in particular benefit from smudging as it cleanses them completely without the need to wash them. Simply pass the crystal over and around the smoke. You can smudge any object you want, this can be useful if you have bought or been given a second hand item and wish to release any negative energies from it.
When you have finished smudging always extinguish the smudge stick. This can be done in a bowl or shell by lightly pressing the stick into sand or earth and thank the smudging energies for their work!
You may also be interested in Sacred Etheric Smudge Attunement or my other article on Home Made Smudge Sticks
