What Is Smudging?
Smudging with sage is a popular way to clear negative energy and invite positivity into your home. When smudging a space, you burn plant material. The smoke fills and purifies the environment. As the smoke rises, it takes your wishes and intentions and mingles them with the universe as a way to connect heaven, earth, and humanity. Burning aromatic herbs and resins was practiced in antiquity and is found in many cultures and spiritual religions. Smudging, though, is primarily associated with Indigenous traditions in the United States. It’s important to always conduct this ritual with respect and reverence.
When should I smudge my home?
A smudging ritual is a beautiful and effective technique to clear a space. A good time to smudge your home is when you do a big clean out, seasonally, when you move into a new home or based on the moon phases. What's most important is that you sage your home when you feel it needs to be done, or if you feel negative, sluggish, anxious, or stressed.
Mantras spoken when smudging
When you clear your house, there’s a vacuum that’s created. You want to welcome your intentions into the newly cleared and open space. This is spoken in the form of a prayer, mantra, or affirmation as you go around your house with the smudge stick.
When it comes to the law of attraction, there's a lot to be said about "speaking things into existence,"—aka telling the universe what it is you want out loud. This is a way to carry your intention from inside your head out into the physical world. The prayer, mantra or affirmation sets the intention.
What to say if you're moving into a new home -
Hello, my name is ___; I am moving into this space. I want to thank all of the land stewards and spirits of the land. I want to acknowledge the first people of the land. I want to state my intention of creating a home for myself here, living in reciprocity with the spirits that are present.
Consider learning the name of the indigenous people that once inhabited your new land addressing them by name.
What to say if you want to remove negativity from a home -
Into this smoke I release all energies that no longer serve me, all negativity that invades my space and all fears that limit me. You have no power here, you are not welcome here and I stand and face you with no fear. Today we fill this space with love and joy and bless all of those who live here. And so it is.
What are the components needed for smudging your home?
Smudge stick
There are many different plant materials you can use for smudging. White sage is probably the most common and popular herb for smudging. It is associated with purity and has a strong and heavy presence. Other popular plant material you can also use for smudging include rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus, cedar and palo santo.
Flame
Bring a candle or lighter with you while you walk around to smudge your house to relight the smudge stick if needed.
Fireproof Container
It's useful to have a fireproof container like a small clay bowl to hold underneath the smudge stick to catch any ashes or embers.
Bowl of Sand
The bowl of sand or salt is used to properly extinguish the smudge stick safely after the ritual is complete.
The Smudging Ritual
Start at the front door of the home and light your smudge stick. Then, begin to move slowly around the home. Move mindfully and with care, walking clockwise around the entire interior perimeter of the home. Be sure to allow the smoke to drift into even the hidden spaces, like inside closets, basements, and dark corners. If there are stairs, just go up or down when you encounter them so you can smudge the upper or lower levels in the same manner. Then keep moving clockwise until you meet the stairs again. Then continue to go down or up the stairs and resume smudging on the main floor.
Moving around a space like this is called “circumambulation.” It’s a practice that’s been done for centuries in ancient cultures to make a space more sacred.
If you feel comfortable doing so, speak aloud your mantra, affirmation or prayer when you saging your house. It’s helpful to chant a mantra that is meaningful to you as a way to fill the space with more cleansing vibrations.
When you arrive back at the front door, chant your final mantra or prayer. Visualise the entire home filled with bright white sunlight. Then speak your intention one last time to close the smudging ceremony.