Buy White Sage For Smudging

With the chaotic nature of today's modern world, the idea of cleansing our spaces, objects, and ourselves of negative energy sounds quite appealing. Cue the ritual of sage burning, also known as smudging, an essential part of many Native American cultures.

buy white sage for smudging

"Aside from the metaphysical uses of smudging, research is showing that sage can also be used to benefit physical, mental, and emotional well-being," says Reshma Patel, PA-C, MMS, CEO and founder of Ananda Integrative Medicine.

She points to a number of studies that have shown that medicinal smokes1 such as sage have powerful antimicrobial2 and antibacterial2 qualities, can improve mood and cognition3, can serve as an insect repellent, and can even help with sleep quality by easing insomnia.

Giselle Wasfie, L.Ac., a Chinese medicine expert and the founder of REMIX Acupuncture & Integrative Health, notes that the practice of burning sage is sacred in many communities and deserves our respect. To avoid cultural appropriation, it's something you should always be doing with intention, reverence, and deep gratitude to those who did it before you.

If you're new to the practice of smudging, there are a few more items you'll need to get started. "Traditionally, people use an abalone shell to hold the sage and then use a feather to fan and spread the smoke around the space once the sage is burning," says Colleen McCann, a shamanic energy practitioner.

Intentions are central to the practice of smudging, so take a moment before you light the sage to determine what exactly it is that you're trying to purify or release from your space. Then, decide on a mantra or prayer to repeat while saging that encapsulates this intention.

Once you're ready, hold the sage at a 45-degree angle, light it using your match or candle, and let it burn for about 20 seconds. After that, gently blow out the flame so you see orange embers on one end. The smoke should now billow up.

"Give special attention to areas in front of mirrors, in corners, and in spaces like foyers, hallways, and doorways," Wasfie recommends. "I'm also a big fan of saging technology like our phones or laptops. I usually hold the sage wand underneath them and then wave it around them."

Sage burning 101: Always stay present! If you see little embers fall on the ground, tamp them out immediately. Never let the burning sage stay unattended for any reason. Also, take care not to inhale too much of the smoke.

Stand in the shape of a T with legs slightly spread like you're in the TSA line at the airport. Then, keeping the sage stick at an arm's length distance away from you, work your way up from your feet. Repeat your mantra (either internally or aloud) as you go, envisioning the smoke is clearing you of any and all lingering negativity.

McCann recommends doing a little self-diagnosis ahead of smudging yourself to determine which areas might need it the most. For example, if you shake hands often, then smudge your hands frequently, or if you speak all day at work, then be sure to sage around your throat.

Again, don't directly inhale large amounts of smoke, and ensure the sage remains a safe distance from your body. If you have long hair, pull it back in a bun. Don't forget to extinguish the sage once you've finished the ritual.

Pasqualini recommends researching how your sage is being handled and prepared. "If it will be used for your energy clearing ritual, it's important for your smudge stick to be deliberately prepared and handled with care and thoughtfulness," she says. To respect this practice, purchase from small shops owned by Native Americans, such as The Wandering Bull, Whispering Winds, or Native California White Sage.

White sage is the most common variety you'll find in a smudge stick, since the color is associated with purity. However, other dried plants such as juniper, rosemary, and cedar can also be used to clear energy if sage isn't your thing.

Burning sage is a powerful ritual that Indigenous communities have been using to clear negative energy for thousands of years. If you're going to burn sage in your own home, office, or apartment, be sure to do so safely and with respect for the origins of this sacred practice.

Smudging is a way to energetically cleanse a space to invite positive energy. When smudging a space, you burn plant material (but there are alternatives if you can't tolerate the smoke). The smoke fills and purifies the environment. As the smoke rises, it takes your wishes and intentions and mingles them with the universe as a way to connect heaven, earth, and humanity. Burning aromatic herbs and resins was practiced in antiquity and is found in many cultures and spiritual religions. Smudging, though, is primarily associated with Indigenous traditions in the United States.

You may be wondering what's the best time of day to sage your house. You can sage your home at night or during the day. What's most important is that you sage your home when you feel it needs to be done, or if you feel negative, sluggish, anxious, or stressed.

The plant sage, or Salvia, grows all around the world in different colors and variants. Culinary sage (the kind you use in butternut squash and roasted chicken dishes), also known as garden sage, originally comes from the shores of the northern Mediterranean region. However, what most people are referring to when they talk about the popularized practice of smudging is white sage (Salvia apiana).

White sage has become particularly popular with those who practice witchcraft or witchcraft-inspired wellness rituals. Sage, however, is not historically part of European witchcraft, from which many modern day witch practices stem.

The general act of smoke cleansing, however, is not inherently spiritual or specific to a certain culture in the way that smudging is. If burning incense, herbs, or wood is part of your self-love practice and inner wellness work, there are safe-burning alternatives to burning sage for smoke cleansing, including lavender, pine, thyme, and cloves, each of which has its own unique properties and is not environmentally endangered.

White prairie sage (which is technically a species of mugwort, Artemisia ludoviciana) is both antimicrobial and antibacterial. White sage (an actual sage, Salvia apiana) is also antimicrobial. And both have been shown to repel insects.

If this is the case, burning sage may be a blessing for those with asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. But inhaling the smoke during the cleansing can aggravate any respiratory condition. Wait until the smoke clears before going into the room.

A 2016 research project for the University of Mississippi established that white sage (Salvia apiana) is rich in compounds that activate certain receptors in the brain. These receptors are responsible for elevating mood levels, reducing stress, and even alleviating pain.

Make sure your sage bundle is completely extinguished. You can do this by dabbing the lit end into a small bowl of ash or sand. Avoid using water, since it may be difficult to reignite sage if it is extinguished by water.

Keep in mind: Burning sage is a sacred religious practice in some Native American cultures. Treat the ritual with respect. Also, keep in mind that white prairie sage is endangered, so be sure to only buy yours from an ethical source.

Hand gathered from the Taos mountains of northern New Mexico, this white sage smudge stick produces a fragrant smoke that purifies and offers cleansing energy to any space. The ancient practice of burning native plants is referred to as smudging and is central to Native American culture. Sage bundle measures 4" long and 1-1/2" wide and is as shown, unwrapped.

White Sage (Salvia apiana; or Bee Sage) is a perennial shrub native to the Southern West Coast of the United States. While it is commonly used for smudging/incense (its leaves have a distinct aroma when burned), the indigenous tribes of the region have developed multiple uses for it as both a food and medicine.

Large mammals such as deer, antelope, elk, mountain sheep, and rabbits will eat the young foliage, and the small white to pale lavender flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other insects. Small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, and birds such as sparrows, grouse, and quail will eat mature seeds.

The larger contextual practice of smudging is used extensively by many indigenous tribes in North American, who use various herbs, some region-specific, for cultural ceremonies. Some of these kits include herbs like cedar, flower white sage, or mixed bundles of various ingredients.

Brands like Sephora, Anthropology, Whole Foods, and Walmart are facing criticism for selling sage kits or so-called "witch kits." Versions of these kits are all over Etsy stores as well. But even venues that have stopped selling sage still promote cleansing rituals and toos intended for smudging, such as Goop.

White sage is a keystone species, meaning many organisms in its natural ecosystem rely on it to survive. And as the population is diminishing, it's negatively impacting adjacent plant and animal life, some of them endangered.

It isn't always easy to track the origin of a particular crop of sage, even for the authorities. Local police are often tasked with the job, and they lack the proper resources. Sage can be legally harvested on private property, if one is given permission.

People who take part in this do not understand the significance of the ceremonies or the herbs they require. By engaging in a market that's over-harvesting sage and other herbs only servest to cut off the supply to tribal members themselves, further limiting access to their own cultural beliefs.

The best known and most popular of all the sages white sage was traditionally used and is still used today among indigenous North American people in rituals, ceremonies and for house blessing and cleansings.

The burning of white sage is an ancient ritual known as smudging. It is used for it's cleansing effects. It can be used to cleanse the energy in your home prior to the start of a new week. Or to cleanse your new residence. The most important part of this ritual is to set your intentions mentally prior to beginning the ritual. 041b061a72