Cleansing | white sage

As promised in the last blog, some more information about white sage.

The burning of white sage is an ancient practice, and is one of the best and easiest ways to cleanse energy and auras.  Most people recognize the burning of sage from Native American traditions, though it’s referenced in many other cultures for the same purpose, such as the Celtic Druids.  Have you ever wondered why people who give wise advice are considered sagely, or why knowledgeable mystics are named Sages?  It’s because white sage is strongly associated with clarity, wisdom, and healing, and thus has many helpful applications in our lives.
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Burning bundles of white sage, commonly called smudging, can involve intricate rituals, or can be very simple actions. I use clusters of sage and pop them on a bed of sea salt in an abalone shell and use a feather for waving the smoke around. Many people use a stick or bundle which is a bundle of sage tied with thread.  It depends on what makes the most intuitive sense to you for how complex your smudging is, and how much difference you can feel in the result.  The most important part is the intention you put into the action.
It helps to start with a short meditation to clear your mind of any interfering thoughts.  Take as much time as you need to find the peace inside yourself where you can breathe deeply and calmly, without worries.  Once you’ve released any nagging thoughts, set your intention for your smudging ritual.  Whether it’s to cleanse a new home, to reinvigorate a work space, or to drive out negativity after an argument or the visit of less-than-kind guests, envision the space as peaceful, bright, and joyful.

Once your mind is calm and your intention is set, light the leafy end of your white sage, and after a few seconds, blow out any flames, so you just have the glowing tips left.  It will look a lot like incense, but will have a stronger, more pungent smell.  Walk through the space you are purifying, around the edges of the room, making sure the sage smoke reaches all corners and around each window and door.  You can even let it flow into the closets. If using a stick or bundle, catch any ashes with the heavy bowl, since we want to avoid a fire hazard or damaged flooring.  Keep your intention in mind as you walk through your space.

If you feel like negative or undesirable energy is clinging to you and your aura, you can use the same process, just smudging around your body.  Sage can keep burning for a while, and blowing on it doesn’t help extinguish it, so if you have any of the bundle left, you can either crush it out in the bowl, or use a bit of water on the burning end.

If you’re not comfortable lighting sage bundles or you are unable for any reason to use open flames, don’t worry!  You can use a light spray instead, such as a blend of white sage oil and other harmonious oils.  These sprays are ideal when you want to cleanse your personal aura, since you can spray them on yourself and carry them with you through the day on your skin.  The light scent can help to focus your mind, while the properties of the oils help to cleanse and balance your energy body.

Smudging or spraying yourself or spaces, such as your home or office, should be done at least once a season, though once each lunar month is a great practice to get into.  Many people do a personal cleansing weekly as part of a refreshing self-care ritual that can help remove energetic debris from co-workers and other people we may not want to influence our energetic or physical bodies.