Smudging is an ancient and sacred ceremony. Perform it with full awareness and in a slow, mindful manner.

The herbs most commonly used in a smudge stick are sage, cedar, sweetgrass and lavender. You can make your own little bundles with sage and lavender if you like. You might choose to use a colorful string to hold the herbs together. 

Over time, even the happiest homes accumulate negative vibrations, so it is good to smudge your home thoroughly at least several times a year. You can also smudge your office space and use smudging to clear personal energy.

How to Smudge Your Home

You will need:

Smudge stick
Candle and matches
A fireproof container with sand in the bottom

Instructions:

1. Place the candle, the fireproof container and the smudge stick on a table, desk or any other appropriate surface. It is best if you create a sense of ceremony when you smudge your home, as well as find time when you will not be disturbed; about 15 minutes should be enough.

2. Light the candle and say a prayer or just focus your energy. Light the tip of your smudge stick with a candle light, then gently wave the stick in the air till the tip begins to smoulder.

3. Hold the smudge stick over the fireproof container at all times in order to keep any lit herbs from falling on your clothes, draperies, bedding, furniture or the floor. Many people use a feather, others simply wave their hands to disperse the smoke. In theory, wafting the smoke of the smudge stick with a feather keeps the negative energy from attaching to your hand. Stay connected to your breathing throughout your smudging session.

4. Go clockwise (counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere) around your home (usually starting at the front door), and gently wave the smoke into the air. Spend a bit more time smudging the room corners, as they tend to accumulate stagnant energy. Be sure to also open the closet doors and carefully smudge inside. Do not forget about spaces such as the halls, the laundry room, the garage or the basement.

5. When you have smudged all areas of your house, return to where you started and gently extinguish your smudge stick (dipping it into sand while applying a bit of pressure usually works well). Wait a bit, then pack away your smudge stick, as well as the container, until your next smudging session. You can leave the candle, if you so desire, to continue to purify the energy.


How to Smudge Yourself or Another Person

You will need:

Smudge stick
Candle and matches
A fireproof container with sand in the bottom

Instructions:

1. Place the candle, the fireproof container and the smudge stick on a table, desk or any other appropriate surface. It is best if you create a sense of ceremony when you smudge your home, as well as find time when you will not be disturbed; about 15 minutes should be enough.

2. Light the candle and say a prayer or just focus your energy. Light the tip of your smudge stick with a candle light, then gently wave the stick in the air till the tip begins to smoulder.

3. Once your smudge stick is lit and smouldering, direct the smoke waves to the overall energy field around your body, starting with the area above your head and continuing down to your feet. Breathe deeply while you do that.

4. Some people prefer to begin with the soles of the feet, going up both sides of the legs, torso and arms, and then finishing by smudging the space above the head. See what works best for you.

5. The same steps apply when you are asked to smudge somebody else, be it a friend or a child. It is usually a good idea to smudge yourself before, as well as after you smudge the house.