Smudging - Ceremony & how & why

SMUDGING IS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO BE USED IN CEREMONY

It is used to cleanse and purify lower dense (what some people call negative or toxic) energies in alignment with nature, intention, the elements, spiritual helpers and guides. It is with integrity that it is used and if using needs to be considered and honoured. As a Shamanic Healer and Priestess I use it in ceremony, healings, ritual practice and for my own energy clearance regularly. For me, it is spiritual, energetic hygiene that is essential to my overall well-being. So, regardless is I am doing a healing or not this is one of THE ultimate non-negotiable practices I have! Clearing my LEM (aura) helps to clear away anyone or anything that I may have come into contact with and clearing stops it from then staying with me and manifesting into something that I hold on to. THis is the reason why so many people walk around feeling that have the energy of someone else still lingering with them, even years later.

It is so important that you work with integrity. Non- Native plants like WHITE SAGE and PALO SANTO WOOD are endangered and over farmed. Some people will not buy them anymore because their natural habitat is under threat. Whilst other people are sustainably growing and sourcing ethically so it's incredibly important you know where you buy your smudge sticks from and crucial to ensure their source is fair-trade and sustainable. A clear paper trail of where you are sourcing from should be easy to find when purchasing. If you don’t know or who you are buying from doesn’t know either it is best to question with discernment is this the right source for you.

Knowing the source of your smudging sticks is crucial! And I don’t just mean where you bought them from! Where were they farmed? Was that ethical and organic? Respectful of source and tradition? Cheap is not quality. And a higher quality lasts for a long time and burn better. Also consider that they are for the use in a sacred ceremony to cleanse energies of people and spaces. Are you honouring this? Growing your own native, organic, sustainable plants and herbs needs to be a conscious choice. I harvest, dry out and when ready burn to cleanse and purify people and spaces.

Growing your own native, organic, sustainable plants and herbs needs to be a conscious choice. I harvest, dry out and when ready burn to cleanse and purify people and spaces.

ROSEMARY ~ wards off evil spirits and nightmares, purifies, memory
SAGE ~ clears, cleansed, purifies, protects
LAVENDER ~ relaxes, calms, devotion, purity
ROSE ~ heart, love, beauty, gratitude
VERVAIN ~ ‘to drive away stones’, protection, love, abundance

FRANKINCENSE ~ anxiety, depression, memory, immunity, overall wellness, purifies

BEFORE USE

· know that you are entering into a sacred practice and create space for this. Honour the sacredness. 

· What is your intention for the practice?

· What others clearances need to be made to assist you? e.g. cleaning/tidying/washing yourself and the space

Know that you are entering into a sacred practice and create space for this. Honour the sacredness. It is in sacred space with spirit we cleanse and protect ourselves and spaces. Smudging is a ceremony done in sacred space so ensure to open and close space.

THE INVOCATION FOR CEREMONY & OPEN SACRED SPACE

Call in the ... directions and elements and face each direction as you do so

North/Earth – the plant
East/Air - open windows and doors

South/Fire - light a candle and the smoke
West/Water – spray to clean or drink
Mother Earth - as below, Father Sky - as above, Spirit - heart and soul

Call in your angels, guides, ancestors, spirits and guardians of the land or house/building or for each direction.

Light your herb or resin of choice then blow out the flame. You always want the smoke, NOT the flame. Allow as much smoke as you can. The idea is to smoke room up as much as you can. Be safe and mindful always.

Clear your body and space. Wave the smoke under your feet to the top of your head and all around your body and energy field.

Fan the smoke clockwise around the spaces and each room you are clearing with your hand or a feather, into every corner, making sure the smoke touches the walls and especially into any areas that feels dense.

With each step feel the energy clear with the smoke as it vanishes and clears. Spend as long as you want or need allowing the smoke to fill the space and clear what is needed, trust in your intuition. Stay in the intention of what you are doing. Always remember to close space and give thanks to each energy called in and nature in a similar way to how you opened space..

IMPORTANT TIPS FOR THE CEREMONY

· smudging is a spiritual practice that is activated through an invocation (like above) and your intention

· the smoke is crucial, some say that the room or space should be thick with smoke so how you burn is important. Often loosening the leaves can help and burning on charcoal is a great way to do this

· use a feather to move the smoke and cut through the lower dense energies

· inhalation is greatly cleansing but can also make you feel like you have a cold after, sneezing and cold-like symptoms are signs of clearance

· always express gratitude at the end to all the elements, directions, helpers etc

· a salt bath for 2o mins simply soaking to cleanse and wash the smoke off is tremendously supportive (no soap added)

WHEN TO SMUDGE

· the dark moon is the period just before the New Moon and supports cleansing

· at a Full Moon to help you let go

· when you feel icky, or like you have picked up a lower dense energy NB. this may be daily

· whenever you feel called there is never a bad time