Smudging, sage, palo santo… these might be words that you have seen or heard around you. But, do you know what it is and how it can help you? I am here to give you a little guide on smudging, and will tell you about my experience using the pine smudge stick!
Getting Started
Even if you do now about smudging, it is always nice to come back to this journal to remind yourself of the knowledge and practice behind this sacred ritual.
What you need
– Smudge Stick
– Matches or other fire source
– A fireproof container (clay, stone or an abalone shell for example)
– An intention
Knowledge before we start
Smudging has been used for centuries to cleanse the mind, body and spirit. It can make you feel purified, and the smoke allows a healing energy of herbs to enter our being and home. The way this is practiced differs from tribe to tribe. I use the smudge stick by lighting it up, fanning the fire, and placing it in a fireproof container. Setting an intention can be a wonderful tool to make this practice even more healing. I would like to take this moment to thank all the indigenous tribes for their knowledge about smudging medicine and the use of it. Please be aware of the culture that your practicing, and say a little thank you too! Our queen of soul Aretha sang it for us: R.E.S.P.E.C.T!
My experience
For this journal I will use the pine smudge stick. Lately I’ve been feeling a lot of restlessness in my body and mind. I told my girlfriend that I feel like a volcano ready to explode… as if the energy isn’t able to go anywhere. I have been rushing from project to project, and I found it hard to focus on the process instead of only the outcome. While slowly finding peace in my body back, I decided to make this a smudging ritual to help my body find peace. With that clear intention in mind, I started this ritual with a twenty minute yin yoga session (yin yoga is a slow and meditative yoga practice in which you hold the poses in stillness for a longer time) to invite stillness. After that, I put up music from Native American musicians to honour and respect the cultural aspect of smudging. I held the smudge stick in my hands and repeated my intention in my mind. This connection with the smudge stick already made this ritual so wholesome. And wow, the smell is just beautiful and soothing! Exactly what I needed. I lit up the stick and placed it in my abalone shell. Since I am not blessed with an eagle feather in my home, I just used my hands to fan the smoke over my body.
I smudged my…
– Head: For good thoughts
– Eyes: For clear vision and seeing the good in everything
– Mouth: To speak words of kindness
– Heart: For letting go of negative and hasty emotions
Since the smell was so beautiful to me, I decided to smudge the rest of my home as well.
My feelings after this ritual
I let out a big sigh of relief. I still had some work to do after that, but standing still with my intentional thoughts while smudging made the rest of my workday have a complete new energy. I will definitely include smudging to my weekly rituals. I can’t wait to start using the other ones we offer here on Botanical Voyage.
