Smudging

Smudging is an excellent method of releasing the powerful energies of plants for purification purposes. Smudging is the Native American term used for cleansing with smoke. Power exist in all things however, if you don’t know how to release the healing and purifying energy of plants, their power is unavailable to you .

You may smudge with cedar, sage, sweetgrass, or tobacco. Each of these plants has their own quality and specific energy.  They are also known as Sacred Plant Helpers.  Their smoke is ceremonially fanned through the energy field (aura) to cleanse negative energies, heal, bless and attract positive forces. 

Smudging is an integral part of Native American purification rituals. All participants must smudge before healings and other important ceremonies such as, medicine wheel gatherings, the vision quest and sweat lodge. Another important function of smudging is to cleanse the space you work or live in. Smudge yourself prior to doing spiritual work. Your spiritual tools should also be smudged. Smudging eliminates negative energies and improves the atmosphere immediately. 

Try Lily Therese's powerful Purification Incense to spiritually cleanse yourself, your spiritual tools and your home.

Before beginning smudging ceremony locate the position of the directions.

Place a small amount of smudging plants in a dish or abalone sea shell. Make sure that the dish will not get to hot when you hold it. Light your smudging herbs. Face the East direction. Offer the smoke, to the East, South, West and North direction in turn.

Lift the smudging mixture above your head. Your fan is used to keep the herbs burning and to direct the smoke. Offer the cleansing smoke to Father Sky. Draw up the smoke with your fan , over your head, down your body , to your feet , offer the sacred smoke to Mother Earth.

Draw the smoke up your body , stop at the heart area. Holding the smudge bowl at your heart, draw the smoke up from your heart up and above your head. Set down the smudging bowl if you like and use both of your hands to move the smoke through you hands and up above your body.

Sacred Plant Helpers

Black Elk Speaks of Sacred Plant Helpers
"We bring into the sweat lodge our sacred pipe, sweet grass, cedar, or sage. To purify the lodge with the smoke and prayers."