Smudging is the burning of herbs to
create a cleansing smoke bath, which is used to purify people,
ceremonial and ritual space, and ceremonial tools and objects.
Many people have their own methods and
herbs for smudging.
The usual herbs used for smudging are sage, cedar or juniper,
lavender and sweet grass. Tobacco is also used by some Plains
tribes.
Sage is common for smudging and I prefer white sage.
It is used to cleanse and purify the person or object. The purpose of smudging with sage is to banish negative energies. The cleansing vibration
it emits, is used to purify the energies of
thes aura, as well as personal and ceremonial space or healing
and ceremonial tools, such as pipes and crystals.
Cedar needles are sometimes used to cleanse and bring balance
to the emotions and to the male/female (yin/yang) elements. To
clear one's actions and to promote forgiveness, lavender flowers
can be added to the mixture to bring the quality of spiritual
blessing.
Sweetgrass, which is dried and braided into plaits can also be added to
the mixture, but it is usually burned alone after the sage.
Sweetgrass brings sweetness and beauty
into one's life and surroundings. I often offer a prayer to this
effect as the braid is lit. It is also believed that burning sweetgrass after cleansing brings good spirits.
Smudging involves placing the herb or
mixture of herbs into a shell, or fireproof bowl or dish. The
mixture can burn quite hot so it is important that whatever is
used can take the heat without cracking. Some traditions will
not use shells as they say the water element of the shell nullifies
the fire element. I prefer to use a shell to bring in the balance
of the elements (fire, smoke or air, shell for water and
the herb as the earth element.)
The smudge is lit and helped to burn by the use of a feather
or fan. Blowing into the mixture is discouraged as it is seen
as blowing one's own negativity into the mixture. The smudge
is then wafted around one's self like a smoke bath. There are
different ways of doing this and you can find a variety of techniques
and explanations depending on traditions and teachings. The way
for someone not attached to a particular tradition is a matter
of personal preference and intuition.
I prefer to start at the left foot (the receiving
side of the body) and to move the smoke up the left leg with the
use of the fan or feather. Proceed up the central chakra line
and around the top of the head, back down the center of the body,
moving the smoke outwards to the sides and around the back. Finish
off by wafting the smoke down the right leg (the giving
side of the body) and out and away from the right foot. Some traditions
would do this four times, as four is the number of balance and
harmony.
Feathers and wing fans aid in the cleansing process and have the
effect of combing the aura adding to the cleansing.
Particular feathers bring in the qualities and medicine of the
bird of origin. I use movement of the fan
according to the movement of the bird's
wing in flight.
Cleansing ceremonial or ritual space before and after the event
is an essential part of spiritual hygiene. The initial smudging
is for the purpose of purifying the space and participants and
for banishing any unwanted energies. The final smudge is to cleans
any negative vibrations and energies attracted or created during
the proceedings. It is also a good thing to do on a regular basis
for both one's self and one's living space, to maintain individual
and domestic harmony.
Good practice for the use of smudge when healing is to smudge
the space, the people in the space, including one's self, the
patient and any tools, (such as crystals). When the healing is
completed, smudge self, any assistants, tools, others and finish
with the space. In this way one deals with negative energies and
vibrations in much the same way as antiseptic and disinfectant
deals with germs.
