Smudging: "Into This Smoke, I Release All Negativity"

When we moved in to our home in January, my friend showed up with a smudge stick so that we may purify our new home and rid it of any negative energy left over from previous owners.

While I was intrigued, I also am skeptical of anything too "hocus pocus!"

Fast forward many months later and many visits to Taos and Santa Fe, I can say I get it now!

I ended up bringing back all these smudge sticks to not only smudge my house, but to give away as housewarming gifts.

Honestly, I think I fell in love with smudge sticks when my friend made these from not only white sage, but also the wild flowers in Taos, New Mexico.

They are truly too pretty to burn!

Native Americans believe sage cleanses negative energy from people, places or things.

Scientifically, they are right because burning sage releases negative ions that remove positive ions from the air.  Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain which improves mood and stress levels.

Whether this is true or not, I just like the smell of sage and sage smoke.  

It's like burning incense.  

Want to try smudging for yourself?  

You can buy smudge sticks through Etsy or Whole Foods or here. You'll need an abalone shell or bowl and a feather for wafting the smoke around through the air.

It is recommended that you smudge yourself first before you cleanse and purify your home.

Simply light the end of the smudge stick and let the smoke waft around you.

You may repeat the prayer below as an example:

"May your hands be cleansed, that they create beautiful things.

May your feet be cleansed, that they might take you where you most need to be.

May your heart by cleansed, that you might hear its messages clearly.

May your throat be cleansed, that you might speak rightly when words are needed.

May your eyes be cleansed, that you might see the signs and wonders of the world.

May this person and space be washed clean by the smoke of these fragrant plants.

And may that same smoke carry our prayers, spiraling, to the heavens."

I really want to learn how to make my own smudge sticks, especially like the ones above and that my friend made.  Yes, they just might be too pretty to burn, but they would make great gifts or a lovely natural decor element.

  I found a great tutorial from Sustainable Homesteading, here.

"Into this smoke, I release

all energies that do not serve me,

all negativity that surrounds me,

and all fears that limit me,

so it is."