Organic White Sage Smudge Stick

11 CM L Approx

The act of burning herbs is common to many cultures throughout the world and commonly associated with Native American traditions. The ancient spiritual roots of this intentional act is believed to harness the spirit of sacred plants to cleanse a person, space or object of negative energies. 

Why use sage? Sage emits negative ions - the same way a waterfall or running water emits negative ions. Our aura holds positive ions, which are like dust in our aura and it can make us feel sluggish, tired or just not our usual self. The smoke from the sage meets the positive ions, clings to them and neutralizes them out of our aura, or from the room or house where you live or work. Plus, its smells great, and it's a great excuse to take a moment to think positive cleansing thoughts and start afresh. I do this every few months at home, in a new office or space or whenever I'm feeling blocked and need to start afresh. Our stage sticks are large and can be reused many times over.

Combine this with the use of natural fibres in the home like cotton and linen, to help reduce static electricity (the bad positive ions), dry your washing in the fresh air where possible, and use low wattage bulbs. Add fresh flowers, plants and even crystal salt lamps to further maintain this cleansed space. 

HOW TO USE A SMUDGE STICK?

I was first introduced to smudging by a fabulous friend of mine and watched her cleanse our workspace and ourselves. From what I’ve read since experiencing it many times myself is that you have to make sure to pay special attention to getting the smoke into the corners of your home/space and also in and around yourself. Use your hands to waft the sage smoke to where it needs to go and gently blow on the lit sage to help it ignite. The main thing is, you can’t do it wrong unless you set off smoke alarms, then you might be doing it wrong! Start by setting an intention for the process or say a little prayer, sentiment or just project and feel the energy you want to create and above all just enjoy the indulgence in spending some time not thinking and just being.  

You will need a candle, a fireproof bowl with sand (or your abalone shell- a traditional vessel used by Indigenous American people that represents the element of water.)

First, to properly honour this ancient cleanse, ensure you create space and time to complete the ceremony, quietly, calmly and completely. Allow at least 15 minutes.

Light the candle and set your intentions for the cleanse or say a simple prayer. Light the tip of your smudge stick from the candle and gently blow on it until the tip begins to smoulder. If a true flame appears, shake the bundle gently or blow until it is just embers and smoke. You may have to re-light the sage bundle a few times during the ritual process

Where possible hold the smudge stick over the fireproof container to avoid any lit herbs falling. Gently wave your hands to disperse the smoke, staying connected to your breathing.

Move clockwise around your house (usually starting at the front door), and gently wave the smoke into the air. Spend more time in the corners of the room, as they tend to accumulate stagnant energy. Be sure to also open the closet doors and carefully smudge inside. Don’t about spaces such as the laundry, garage etc.

When you have smudged all areas of your house, come back to where you started and gently extinguish your smudge stick (dipping it into a bowl with sand while applying a bit of pressure usually works well). Wait a bit, then pack your smudge stick, as well as the container, till your next smudging session. You can leave the candle, if you so desire, to continue to purify the energy.

You can also smudge yourself (or somebody else): once your smudge stick is lit and smouldering, direct the smoke waves to the overall energy field around your body, starting with the area above your head and continuing down to your feet. Do not forget to breathe deeply while you do that. 

Pair with our crystals, and abalone paua shells to complete the process! 

Would last approx 10+ uses/cleanse subject to burn time.