La Brujita's Smudging 101
Updated: Jun 16, 2020
You betta sage yo’ self before you wreck yo’ self! Learning the ancient practice of smudging and smoke cleansing is actually where a lot of people begin their spiritual journey. Almost every week I do readings where I have a client that I have to introduce into smudging and smoke cleansing. Contrary to popular belief (cough cough New Age Becky wisdom), the burning of herbs for rituals and purification are not practiced solely by Native Americans, but rather by MANY indigenous tribes & cultures across the globe. It is particularly white sage that is used by Native Americans for smudging. In many traditions, herbs are burned to venerate & summon spirits as well as getting rid of negative spirits. Most commonly in the western & modern witch world, herbs are burned for the purification of negative energy. The most common smudging tools used today are sage & palo santo. Dried white sage wrapped in bundles are the weapon of choice for many nowadays. So much so that it has become incorrectly synonymous with being a “witch” or “bruja” & was included in Sephora’s infamous “starter witch kit” (gags, uncontrollably). White sage is native to northwest Mexico & the southwestern parts of the US. It helps to clear out all energy both negative & positive, to help you have a clear slate. Palo santo, on the other hand, clears negative energy & is also used to venerate the dead. Palo santo, also known as “holy stick” or “holy wood” comes from the bursera graveolens tree, that grows in Mexico & South America. Other popular herbs for smoke cleansing include the other varieties of sage, cedar, mugwort, frankincense, myrrh, sweetgrass, rosemary, lavender & roses just to name a few. Open up the windows & doors of your home & begin by lighting a dried bundle of herbs or put loose herbs on top of a fully lit piece of charcoal. Cleanse yourself first by waving your hands through the smoke then moving your herbs around to allow the smoke to pass over all parts of your body. You can repeat this on any other willing participants that live with you, including your pets but only if they do not have sensitivities to the smoke & it doesn’t scare them.After cleansing yourself & the homies, start walking through your home & waving the smoke through each room. Hit every corner, open your closets, go in there with it, under your bed, in the bathroom, allowing the smoke to thoroughly pass through each space. I like to start in the front of my home then go towards the back & then move back forward towards the front door. You can recite prayers or affirmations while you are smudging your home. I like to pray Psalm 17, 35 or 91 while cleaning out the energy in my apartment. Let the smoke clear out then close your windows & doors. One of the most common questions I get asked is “how often should I do this?”. My answer: OFTEN. If you have a job that requires interaction with other people, you should be coming home & smoke cleansing YOURSELF each day. As for your HOME, if you’re a person who lives a more solitary life, you can get away with only smoke cleansing your home once a week. You should always cleanse no more than a full day after having visitors. Even if they are your friends, you don’t necessarily always know what kind of energy is walking with them. I personally, live next to a big ass cemetery so I smudge my apartment in some sort of fashion everyday. For most people, a couple times a week is sufficient. With sensitivity to beliefs many people have that white sage & palo santo are endangered, you want to make sure that you are not only getting those tools from reputable sources but also show respect to these plants as well. In between your smudges and smoke cleansings, you can put some Florida water & sea salt in a spray bottle & spritz that on yourself & in your home to purify the energy & cut down on usage of the herbs. The very first sage bundle I ever got was from The HoodWitch who also inspired my spiritual journey. She has a variety of smudges that are sustainably sourced. You can also purchase sage, palo santo & Florida water via my metaphysical shop. Check the link below. As you incorporate this & your other newfound spiritual practices into your lifestyle, keep your mind & your heart both open & pure. As the magick you can manifest into your life is endless!
You can now purchase sage, palo santo & Florida water via my metaphysical shop: