Go Smudge Yourself
- Liz Wik
- Mar 6, 2016
- 4 min read
Guess what guys, it’s March and that means it’s almost spring, and that means it’s almost time for spring cleaning and so recently I have been really inspired and into the act of smudging. For those that aren’t familiar, smudging is an age old First Nations and Native American technique that involves burning sage or sweet grass to purify, bless or cleanse yourself, your home and to clear away bad energies or spirits with the smoke. In this ancient ritual, it calls upon the spirits of the Earth to cleanse and release any negativity and banish anything that is not love and light. It had also been thought that the smoke has antibacterial properties and has been used in sick rooms and quarantines as well to clear germs and disease. Although I’m not sure if scientifically it is a germ killer, it does do wonders when it comes to clearing the heavy energies of a room or out of yourself if you’re in a bad mood.
I’ve been smudging my home and myself for years and I love it! So I thought I’d share some of the details for anyone who doesn’t know how to smudge but wants to start a practice of clearing their home and personal energies.
So… What do I need to smudge?
As far as the basics go, you’ll need:
Smudge stick or Smudge Bowl – this can be made from sage, sweet grass or a mix of both wrapped into a bundle or placed into a bowl or shell. You can buy sage bundles from metaphysical stores or online, or you can pick your herbs yourself. If you aren’t fond of smoke, I would recommend a sage essence spray. Other herbs you can use are juniper, cedar, lavender, tobacco, Echinacea etc. I would highly suggest doing some of your own research into the herbs you use for smudging as some can have additional benefits for emotional cleansing, mental clearing, healing and the like.
A small shell or bowl – to hold your herbs or to catch ashes from your smudge stick
A large feather to help spread and waft the smoke (nice to have, but not totally necessary)
Some other helpful things that some people enjoy are candles, aromatherapy oils, crystals, flower essences, bells, drums and even sea salt to act as a natural purifier. Now, keep in mind, all of these things aren’t mandatory to have! It’s all about creating a ritual that works for you with things that you enjoy around you as a part of it. If you love plants, keep them around in the area you smudge yourself. Put positive quotes on the walls, make an inspiration board, or an altar dedicated to clearing your energy and space. Whatever you choose, it’s all about what you enjoy!
Now that you’ve got all your supplies, you’re ready to smudge yourself, your home and your family and friends.
So how do we smudge exactly?
Begin by lighting your herbs, blowing gently on the flames until they relax into a gentle smoke. Open all of the windows in the rooms you are smudging, or in the room you are smudging yourself in. You want to allow the smoke to flow out, carrying any bad energies or negativity out with it.
Then call upon Mother Earth and/or whatever entities you pray to and ask them to surround you in healing light and to use the smoke of the sage to cleanse you and release you of anything negative that holds you. Ask them to clear your home and lead any energies away that are not love and light. Ask to clear away any emotional baggage or debris if you feel this is necessary. This part is totally personalized to you as well. You can say your prayer out loud or in your mind, it is up to you! Google has many resources for this as well, if you need help coming up with a smudge prayer.
One I like is, “Mother Earth, God and Archangel Michael, please clear me and my space of any energy that is not love and light. Please help me to detach from negativity and cut all ties to lower energies. I thank you for the herbs I am using today and am grateful for everything in my life. I am cleansed and free. Amen.”
Figure out something that works for you as you use your feather or smudge stick to spread the smoke all over yourself or the area you are smudging. It doesn’t have to be perfect at all. When I first started out, often I would just smudge and hold the intention of clearing my energy or my space, and that is totally fine too. Do this for as long as you feel you need to.
When you’re all done, leave your windows open for a little while to clear out any excess smoke. Repeat daily if you feel necessary! I love to start my mornings with a smudge, and sometimes at the end of the day if I feel like I’ve absorbed a lot of excess energy from others. With all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to feel a bit energetically junked up!
Yay! Now you have all the info that you need in order to smudge yourself, your home, or your friends!
Angel Blessings and Happy Smudging,
Liz
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