Smudging is the ancient Native American practice of burning dried plants in spiritual ceremonies. Various plants are incorporated into the practice, including cedar and white sage.
What do indigenous people use to smudge?
Smudging is a tradition, common to many First Nations, which involves the burning of one or more medicines gathered from the earth. The four sacred medicines used in First Nations’ ceremonies are tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. The most common medicines used in a smudge are sweetgrass, sage, and cedar.
What type of sage do Native Americans use?
White Sage
White Sage, a perennial herb native to the American Southwest, is one of the traditionally most common plants used in smudging.
Did Native Americans use sage?
Sage is used broadly for many purposes by both First Nations and Native Americans – and is described here in only the most general of terms. Similar to sweetgrass, it is used in many geographical locations in North America, whereas red cedar is primarily used in ceremonies on the northwest coast.
What should you not do when smudging?
Also, take care not to inhale too much of the smoke. “Although saging is a great way to clear your apartment or office of stagnant and possibly negative energy, it is best not to inhale it directly,” says licensed acupuncturist and certified herbalist Irina Logman, L.Ac., MSTOM.
What are the rules for smudging?
When we smudge, we first cleanse our hands with the smoke as if we were washing our hands. We then draw the smoke over our heads, eyes, ears, mouths and our bodies. These actions remind us to think good thoughts, see good actions, hear good sounds, speak good words and show the good of who we are.
What are two Native American healing practices?
Traditional healing practices include:
Sweat Lodge. Smudging and purification. Talking Circle. Songs and drumming.
Can you use any shell for smudging?
While abalone shells are a common and traditional choice for use as smudge bowls, there are alternatives if you can’t find your own. Tempered glass, stone, and metal (like cast iron) bowls make great replacements, so don’t feel discouraged to try smudging if you haven’t yet found the perfect abalone shell.
What does burning sage mean in Native American culture?
Here in North America, however, it has historically been used to cleanse the home. It is believed that burning sage can cleanse the air of harmful bacteria or any negative energies that might be in the space. Different tribes may use different types of sage, like buffalo sage, white sage or mountain sage.
Why do Native Americans use white sage?
The smoke was used to purify people, spaces, implements, utensils, horses, and rifles in various ceremonies. The Lakota also make bracelets for the Sun Dance from white sage (Rogers 1980). The Cheyenne use the white sage in their Sun Dance and Standing Against Thunder ceremonies (Hart 1976).
Can non natives use white sage?
If you’re not a member of an Indigenous community, purchasing white sage, Palo Santo, or other sacred herbs and quickly Googling “how to smudge” will not make you qualified to do so. This is cultural appropriation, and it’s harmful to Native communities.
What are the 4 sacred medicines?
Three other plants, sage, cedar and sweetgrass, follow tobacco, and together they are referred to as the four sacred medicines. The four sacred medicines are used in everyday life and in ceremonies. All of them can be used to smudge with, though sage, cedar and sweetgrass also have many other uses.
How do Indigenous people use sage?
Sage, depending on the particular culture, can be used in medicine pouches, spread over the floor of a sweatlodge, wrapped around sacred implements, used for healing, used to make bad spirits sick, purify people and dwellings, healing and calming.
What is the Cherokee prayer?
Description. Beautiful and inspiring words of a Native American Cherokee Prayer Blessing: “May the warm winds of Heaven blow softly upon your house. May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there. May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows, and may the rainbow always touch your shoulder.”
What are some Native American rituals?
Native American Rituals and Ceremonies
- Death Ceremonies.
- Green Corn Festivals.
- Healing Rituals.
- Lacrosse – Routed in Tribal Tradition.
- Native American Medicine.
- Peyote Worship.
- Pow-Wows.
- Vision Quests.
How often should you smudge your house with sage?
Both experts recommend burning sage regularly, even after you’ve finished moving, to purify the air and keep balance. “I recommend cleansing the space by smudging any time you do a seasonal cleaning, three times a year at a minimum,” said Meder.
Is smudging religious?
It is important to note that smudging is a cultural, not a religious ceremony, practiced by many Indigenous peoples in Canada and in many other parts of the world. Although practices may differ, smudging is used for medicinal purposes, as well as, for spiritual ceremonies.
Can you smudge at night?
Smudging can be done at any time of day or night, whenever it is needed.
Why do we smudge our feet?
We smudge our feet so that we walk in a good way. We smudge the bottom of our feet to cleanse the connection between ourselves and Mother Earth. We smudge our heart to cleanse it of negativity. We smudge our hair to cleanse away any negativity we may be carrying.
What should a smudge bowl be made from?
An Abalone Shell is often used as a burning vessel for traditional smudging ceremonies. These are natural unpolished abalone shells and the small holes in the bottom of these genuine abalone shells allows enough air to make them excellent containers for burning sacred herbs.
How do you sage a room?
Light it up with care
Hold the sage at a 45-degree angle, light the sage, let it burn for about 20 seconds and then gently blow out the flame so that you see orange embers on one end. Then you can start the process of clearing your space. Clients sometimes complain that they can’t get their sage to stay lit.