Excerpt - Smudging

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Excerpt - "Smudging"

Burning dried herbs, or smudging, is an ancient method of nourishing the spirit and invoking the scared. People around the world burn herbs during ceremonies. I feel instantly reverent when I smell frankincense which was burned in Catholic church during my childhood. Many cultures believe smoke from burning herbs clears unwanted energies and carries prayers to the Great Spirit. I know people who smudge before important meetings and others who smudge their house each day. Sometimes I smudge in the morning as a blessing on the new day, in the evening to relieve accumulated stress and tension, or at night to inspire dreaming.

Any very dry herb, flower, bark, resin, or root will burn, but some are more aromatic than others. Some scents are known to have certain effects, but you don't need to be an expert. Just go ahead and burn some herbs in a fire-proof bowl or shell, or light up a smudge stick. See what you like. Experiment. What smells good to you? Burn well-dried sprigs of your herbal ally.

When I smudge, I let the smoke go over and around my head and I inhale the aroma. I offer some smoke to my heart area, around my back, and down my arms and legs. I pay special attention to parts in my body holding tension or in special needs of nourishment or healing. I offer a prayer of thanksgiving each time I smudge. I let the smoke carry my prayers to the heavens.

Some of my favorite herbs for smudging are:

Lavender- to attract high, calm, clear energyMugwort- to inspire dreamsRosemary- to protect form "bad" dreamsSage- for healing, clarity, cleansingVervain- to increase power of prayerPeppermint- to inspire dreams of prophecyCedar- to release emotionsJuniper- for clearingSt. John's wort- for protectionHyssop- to clear, shift energy