Smudging is a spiritual purification ritual that has been used by many indigenous people, including Native Americans, for centuries. It involves the burning of herbs as a way to purify, cleanse, heal or protect a person, to rid an area of negative energy or to assist in the creation of sacred space. There are many different types of smudging ceremonies, depending upon tribal customs and traditions. However many non-Native people, and also people from a variety of spiritual beliefs, incorporate smudging into their spiritual practices.
As mentioned, smudging is a tool that is used by people from a wide variety of spiritual beliefs and can be done for various reasons. It can be done as a way to restore emotional and physical balance, cleanse and strengthen a person's aura and or even clear negativity from a person's home. Many Pagans also use smudging as a way to cleanse and dedicate the tools that they use for various rituals.
Smudging is often used in conjunction with prayers or chants, but not everyone does this; it's a personal choice.
Common Herbs For Smudging
There are a variety of different herbs depending upon the purpose it's being used for and one's personal preferences. The following is a list of common herbs and plants that are used for smudging and their attributes.
Sage- There are many varieties of sage, including White Sage and Garden Sage. In smudging rituals and ceremonies, sage is often used for purification of the body, mind and spirit. Sage can also be used to cleanse and purify sacred items, tools used for magickal purposes and also tarot decks.
Sweetgrass- Sweetgrass is a tall, wild grass that has a sweet and slightly musty scent to it. Sweetgrass clears away negativity and draws in positive energy. It is also said to be helpful in carrying up prayers to the Creator and can purify sacred objects. It is a very sacred plant to the American Plains Indians and currently is very rare. The best place to find sweetgrass is through native, tribal retail sources.
Juniper- With its sharp and pine-like scent, juniper can help to revive a tired mind and spirit. It is also said to assist with clairvoyance and the ability to contact spirits.
Lavender- The gentle, light scent of lavender is helpful in promoting peace and tranquility. It is often used as a smudge to assist with healing grief, depression and sorrow. Some people prior to meditation or divination sometimes use lavender as a smudge.
Cedar- This pungent, aromatic wood is said to be powerful at driving away negative energy and purifying the body, mind and spirit. It is also used for the purification of a room or a sacred area. Sometimes botanical junipers can also be referred to as cedar and for this reason a little confusion can arise. To avoid this confusion it’s good to remember that true cedar is often referred to as Western Red Cedar.
Copal- Copal is actually a type of resin and it's often used for energy clearings and aura healings. Copal is also said to be helpful in heightening psychic abilities.
Smudging is sometimes referred to as shamanic smudging, but technically shamanic smudging is a ritual that is done by a true Shaman. Shamanic smudging involves the Shaman entering a trance state during the smudging ritual; this trance state is the hallmark of many Shamanic rituals. Other smudging rituals typically do not involve any type of trance state.
Smudging can be a helpful way to restore balance and harmony, and can be greatly enriching to anyone's spiritual path.
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