Smudging your home
A guide for smudging your home.
I’ve always found the idea of energetically cleansing my home so appealing. The idea that a space can be cleaned by intention and sage, smudging the air and energy with positive vibes… To top it off, a wonderfully soothing scent fills the spaces for a while. So I thought I’d share how to invite positive energy by smudging. Smudging involves burning plant material to allow the smoke to purify the home, room or item.
Common materials used for smudging
Palo Santo – wood from South America
White Sage
Lavendar
Cedar
What you need.
If you are new to the practice of smudging, there are a small list of items that you will need to get started.
Your chosen smudging material. Ie: sage
A candle and matches. The matches are to light the candle, and the candle flame is used to light and relight the smudge stick
Traditionally people use an abalone shell to hold the smudge stick and to catch ashes or embers. But a small clay bowl is also fine.
A feather is used to fan the smoke around the space.
To properly extinguish the smudge stick afterwards, you will need a bowl of sand.
Before you begin...
Gather your tools
Make sure you have all the items together. Open windows and doors (so that negative energy and smoke can get out).
Set your intention
Be clear on what it is that you are cleansing or trying to release from the space, and decide on a mantra.
The smudging.
Light up
Hold the smudge stick at a 45-degree angle. Light it using your candle. Let it burn for about 20 seconds. After that, blow out the flames so you see embers on the end.
Walk around your space
Walk at a slow pace around the space and allow the smoke to waft around. Guide the smoke – and the negative energy – toward the open windows or door so it can escape.
Ideally start at the entrance of your home and move around your home in a clockwise manner. Be mindful in your movement. I learnt a new word, … that moving around a space like this is called “circumambulation”. Odd word. But it’s been practiced forever in ancient cultures.
Be safe
Practice mindfulness by staying present. Look out for embers falling on the ground and make sure to stamp them out immediately. Never let the sage stay flaming, blow it out timeously. Also take care not to inhale the smoke.
Completion
Once you have moved through the entire area, extinguish the smudge stick, pressing the burning tip firmly into the sand holder.
How often should you smudge?
Our beings usually know or feel when a smudging is neseccary. If you are not sure, then if you are feeling any kind of negative energy, whether it be stress or worry, it is usually is a good indication that it is time for a cleansing.
Otherwise, the below guide should help:
If you feel stressed, angered or bothered in some way.
Waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats.
Before and after a guest enters your home.
Before and after meditation.
After an argument.
After an illness.
Returning home from crowded situations.
When moving into a new space.
When you begin a new job or start a business.
Obviously not all of the above are reasons to smudge, but usually one’s being can sense when it is necessary. Are you in tuned with your body and mind to feel it? If not, then it is a good idea to start breathing exercises and regular meditation which would assist in bringing you in tune with your energies.
The best part of smudging is that it can be done at any time and as often as you feel necessary. Generally I do a smudging when I have moved house, or on a new moon/full moon (next full moon is October 31st), otherwise when I feel that I need it. Occasionally, I do it just because I feel like it.
