Holistic healing

NH’s Talking About: Smudging

This ancient art of burning plants could help clear your energy and leave you feeling refreshed

When you move into a new home, what’s the first thing you do? You might open the windows or light a candle before you begin to unpack your boxes, but would you ever consider setting fire to some sage so you can waft smoke into all the corners? If you’re not familiar with smudging, it’s the ancient ritual of burning a tied bundle of herbs (these can include cedar, sweet grass, juniper, pine needles, deer’s tongue, cypress, and, more commonly, sage). It’s a practice used by many spiritual healers and shamans, thought to cleanse, heal and transmute energy.

However, it’s the more practical benefits of smudging that have drawn mainstream popularity in recent years. “It can help improve sleep, eliminate unwanted energy, reduce stress, help with respiratory illnesses, improve your memory and cognitive function and make you feel healthy and well,” says Maria Afentakis, author of The Spiritual Scientist (£14.99 Eclipse Publishing & Media). And white witch, Silja Muller swears by a good smudge when her mother-in-law visits! “If you’re smudging for a specific issue,” she adds, “you can also time it for a day of the week that works well magically, such as Monday for female issues, Thursday for money and Friday for love problems.”

If you’re thinking about giving it a try, there are a few things you need to know: “Make sure the sage is really dry,” says Silja, “and walk counter clockwise around the home to remove negativity or stress, or clockwise to invite positivity or wealth. If you buy your smudge sticks ready-made, make sure they’re all-natural with no nylon string attached or chemical perfumes.”

Moving into a new home is the perfect time to smudge, according to Maria, to get rid of any unwanted energy, or after a breakup or an argument. “People can expect to feel their environment is much cleaner and clearer afterwards,” she says, “It can leave them feeling more relaxed, uplifted and positive about life.”

If you want to get creative, you can add in some other fragrant herbs to your smudge stick to enhance the smell and spiritual energy of the ritual. “Try lavender,” suggests Silja, “to create a spiritual space and for general calmness. Lemongrass to think clearly, rosemary to get rid of nightmares or basil to remove financial obstacles. State your intention as you smudge to clarify and strengthen the power.”

It goes without saying that you should be safety-conscious with your smudge stick and throw open your windows to let the smoke out, but it’s also advisable to avoid smudging if you’re feeling unwell, or have allergies to smoke or sage. “Don’t treat the ash created by smudging like dirt to throw in the trash,” adds Silja. “It is spiritual, and has bound part of the negativity in it. Gather it up (usually, people smudge with a fireproof bowl under the smudge stick for the ashes to fall into) and pour it into flowing water or under a strong tree with thanks to the positive spirits of the area for their help.”