Smudging Made Simple.

Smudging is a Native American ritual for cleansing, and as such can be used to cleanse just about anything. You, your house, your crystals, your tarot, even your car or garage.

The basic ritual involves burning sage and allowing the smoke emitted to travel over whatever you want to cleanse, thus collecting the imbalances in the energy field or impurities, and taking them upward as the smoke rises into the great beyond.

Native American Indians see a lot more depth than this of course, but it really is a very effective and simple tool to use, even if the closest you have been to America is eating in McDonalds occasionally.

There are obvious restrictions to smudging, fire hazard, and smell, being two of the largest problems, but smudging does work just as effectively with the windows open and the alarms temporarily switched off, as long as you are sensible. As the ritual involves you wafting the smoke around, you are not likely to leave any burning sage unattended, and please use an ovenproof dish or container, or you could end up with very hot fingers!

Some people prefer to use sage grown in traditional places in the USA, burned in an abalone shell and wafted with an eagle or turkey feather, however home grown dried sage can be just as effective, and nearly all the new age shops stock smudging sage in either wand or rolled form. Burn it in what you like as long as it isn’t going to melt and waft away with something non flammable.

At worst smudging can make your home temporarily smell like a fragrant bonfire, at best smudging can rid you of the unwanted guest that always seems to be on the landing when you get up in the night for a Pee, or who makes you feel very uncomfortable in your own home.

The other nice thing about smudging is it won’t actually remove anything that is supposed to be there, so no fear that after months of welcoming your spirit guides, or house angels, they will be swept away by a cleansing ritual intended to clean your tarot cards.

You don’t need to be a spiritual guru, medium or in any way psychic to perform a smudging ritual, and although yes, having it done by someone practiced at the art can be a very uplifting and spiritual experience, doing it yourself can give you a real feeling of connection with the universe and self appreciation.

With all things follow your instinct, your inner voice, if you feel that whatever the problem is it is hiding in a particular area, go over that area with the smoke until you feel satisfied. Feel………… with all your senses how you feel about the room or yourself or your crystals before the ritual, and compare how you feel afterwards. Be prepared for some exaggerated heart rate during the ritual. (I get this sensation every time I smell burning sage). And in the case of cleansing a place of an unwanted visitor, explain to them in your mind that you are asking, your guides, the angels, god, or whatever, to help them to move on to a happier stage of existence, move into the light if you like, with love and in the hope that if one day you should find yourself stuck in a room without a body and nowhere to go someone would do the same for you.

Don’t be afraid of inhaling the smoke it will be working just as effectively to clear out your own personal blockages as it is the aura and atmosphere around you.

I was called recently to smudge a bedroom for a lady and although I haven’t had much practice at this level of cleansing, I can honestly say that I felt very good about the experience and not only felt that I had made her home that bit more comfortable for her and her family, but also felt that there was an element of gratitude from the spirit who I helped to move on after quite some time being grounded.

This is a great ritual to perform on yourself when you feel that personally you are stagnating or feeling down for no good reason, give it a try. As I have said before at worst you will smell more spiritual at best you will feel it too.

Love

Keara

A simple start to shamanics - For more information on Smudging follow this link!