The Practice of Smudging
The practice of smudging has been around for centuries, it involves the burning of sacred herbs, in some cases for spiritual cleansing or blessing.
Sage, my favourite herb for smudging, is considered a sacred herb, a salvaging and saving herb, and has been used all around the world for thousands of years. Still today, Indigenous Americans use it to fumigate their dwellings, to purify, and to facilitate communication with the divine powers. It removes negative energy and is associated with wisdom. Its fragrance alerts the senses, is tonic to the mind, sharpens the memory, and is useful to have around in cases of mental fatigue & exhaustion.
The Mani has an abundance of wild sage. In spring as you wander the fretted, cobbled paths linking village to village you can smell the slightly minty refreshing aroma in the mountain air, here I gather big bundles in preparation for my smudge sticks.
Even if you’re not familiar with the ancient rituals of smudging, for me it marks the end of my annual spring clean, it’s a chance to banish negativity, welcome peace and clarity, and look forward to the spring days ahead.
It’s also mindful and fun to make your own, here’s how……..
Make your Own Smudge Stick
You will need
- Sage or other favourite herbs or flowers
- Natural fibre twine or string
- Scissors
Ingredients
Sage is usually the main base but you can also experiment with other herbs or woody aromatic shrubs. Such as
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Pine
- Lavender
Method
- Gather up your foraged ingredients into bundles
- Take your string and tie the bundle at the base with a secure knot
- Wrap your string towards the top of the bundle and then crisscross towards the base, wrapping the herbs snugly in place taking care not to crush them. Secure the string and cut off any excess. Smudges come in all shapes and sizes so just experiment as you go. I like a uniform shape so I trim the ends.
- Hang the bundle upside down in a cool dry place.
- Now you are ready to smudge. Light one end over a heat-proof bowl, let it burn for a few seconds before putting out the flame. Set an intention and carefully use the smoking smudge to cleanse your space. Enjoy!
