Sage and Copal Smudge Stick
“Smudging is the traditional spiritual practice of clearing away negative thoughtforms (the manifestation of mental energy) and other negative vibrations with the smoke of burning herbs, typically dried sage. The sage used for smudging is usually either high desert sage or white wide-leaf sage and is often bound into a bundle called a smudge bundle, like this Sage and Cedar bundle.
When and Why to Smudge Yourself or Your Space
Because old thoughtforms and other negative vibes tend to accumulate no matter how clear you try to keep yourself or a space, it is a good idea to smudge every so often to continue to attract positive vibrations into your life. Smudge any time you feel that negative thoughtforms, including your own, have gotten stuck in your energy field. You know you need to smudge or clear your space when chaos is present, arguments abound, anger presents itself, or general feelings of agitation and frustration exist. If an argument just occurred, clear your space. When you’ve encountered an unpleasant situation, clear yourself. If your children are unruly and your spouse is cranky, clear your space.
How to Smudge
You can use either this ready-made Sage and Cedar Smudge Stick, make your own smudge bundle, or use loose herbs. Smokeless alternatives are also available and will be discussed a little later. To use loose herbs for smudging, you will need herb-burning charcoal discs as well as a dish to hold the burning herbs. Abalone shells are often used for this purpose since they are sturdy and represent the element air. When a shell is used, the vibration of all four elements—earth, fire, air, and water—is present. (The dried herbs represent earth, the burning embers represent fire, and the smoke represents air.) When all four elements are working together, the cleansing effects are magnified.”
Cedar is a purifier and calls forth good energy. Cedar is often found in combination with sage in smudge sticks. It is used by some for bringing in the vibration of Christ consciousness and protection. One Native American man taught me that he doesn’t use cedar to cleanse as much as he does for praying and invoking the energy of Great Spirit. Cedar herb or the oil is a preservative of all that is good and blessed. Cedar, also known as cedarwood, oil, was used by the ancient Egyptians for mummification and by other ancient cultures for sarcophagi. It was also used for palace- and temple-building materials. Use it in oil form or the dried herb.
~Excerpted from All About Smudging an eBook by Margaret Ann Lembo
Sage Spirit Sage Smudge Stick is made with sage from New Mexico and except for “sage only” sticks are combined with either cedar, sweetgrass, copal, or lavender. All sticks are wrapped with 100% cotton yarn for safe and healthful burning. Each ingredient is considered a sacred herb used for centuries by Native Americans in the “smudging” ceremonies. “Smudging” is the name given to the burning of these herbs for the purposes of cleansing and sending our prayers. Today, people are “smudging” to receive the benefits known to generations of our Native American brothers and sisters.
