This ritual is a simple and powerful way of clearing your energy and the energy around you. It can be done with sage, cedar, lavender and many other herbs. I have also tried a smudge stick with cedar and sage combined, but do not find them as effective.

Smudging is a process of burning a dried plant and fanning the smoke with sacred intention. It is best known as a Native American practice, but it is done in many different cultures. What I will share here is the way that I smudge. It is a blend of a variety of techniques and one that brings me peace. My way may not necessarily be the way for you; use your intuition and ‘feel’ a way that works for you.

I use a half sea shell into which I put a few loose leaves of sage. I breathe deeply to settle and centre myself. When I feel centered, I light the sage and fan it with a feather to get it going. I offer the sage to the four corners first calling in my guides and power animals for protection and blessing. I then fan the smoke with my crow’s feather to all areas of my body, paying particular attention to each charka and any other area requiring extra attention.

When you feel you are ‘done’, you are now ready to begin your sacred work; which in my case might be meditation or a healing session with a client.

I always smudge before a Reiki session with a client. It rests me, and gives me clarity. I cleanse my aura and energy so that I come to the healing session ‘clean’. The area where the session is to take place is cleansed also. After the healing session with the client is complete, I take fresh sage, light it, and direct the smoke along the length of the body starting from the crown charka and moving towards the feet. This sweeping of energy with sage after a healing removes any negative energy released during the healing. I have also found my client to be more at peace when I smudge.

Smudging can also be used to clean the energy of a house, an area, a pet. I am quite sensitive to energy so when I have been busy, or there have been many people through the house, I find myself weighed down. It usually takes me about a day to realize that there is residual energy hanging around; a bit of smudge and a quiet blessing is all that is needed to lift the weighty feeling.

Sage can usually be found in New Age or alternative stores, natural food and herbal stores, or gift stores and such that stock Native American product.