Have you heard of smudging but aren’t sure where to start or what its benefits are? Here is our easy guide to smudging your house to invite positive energy.
What Is Smudging?
Smudging is an ancient tradition that centres on cleansing a space of negative energy to invite positive energy. The process involves burning natural plant material to create a cleansing smoke to purify the surrounding space.
While a variety of plant materials can be used and largely depend on personal preference, Vibrant Souls only use ethically and sustainably sourced natural materials. A few common choices of natural elements incorporated within smudge sticks include:
- White sage (most common)
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Bay Leaf
- Rose
- Palo Santo (holy wood)
- Sweet Grass
- Cedar
- Juniper
The smoke from the burning ascends and intertwines with your intention to then bind to any negative energy in the space. This results in creating a transformative connection to mother earth and the weighing down of the negative energy so it can be dispersed from the space allowing new clean positive energy to flow once more.
*A Note On Smudging With Respect*
The practise of burning sage is sacred among many communities and cultures. Your smudging ceremony should always be completed with love, appreciation, and respect for those who originated this ancient practice.
A Simple Guide to Smudging Your Home
1. Gather Your Materials in Preparation
Many essential items go to make your smudging safe and easy, gather them first so you can enter your cleansing ritual with a clear uninterrupted mind. You do not want to be running around your space stressed or agitated trying to find supplies.
Use your supplies only for smudging to maintain their integrity otherwise, you should always cleanse someone else if you have been invited to use them.
To get started, gather the following:
- A Smudge Stick – your chosen smudge stick to suit and promote your intention
- Matches / Gas Lighter – to light the smudge stick
- 100% Fireproof Container with Sand/Quartz – your smudge bowl or shell or container for holding under the smudge stick to catch any embers or ashes and safely extinguish the smudge stick after the ceremony. DO NOT USE WATER.
You may want to also consider using a smudging fan as a good smudging bowl will allow you to hold it and your smoking smudge stick in one hand and fan the smoke with the other.
2. Prepare Your Mind and Set Your Intentions
Prepare your space by opening all windows, doors and cupboards for a few minutes to allow them to be flushed with the natural air. Then proceed to close all windows.
Clam your mind, light your smudge stick and slowly move the smudge to saturate yourself in the cleansing smoke. Remember to lift your feet and arms to cleanse the whole body. If anyone else is present for the smudging, include them in the preparation and ceremony as well.
Find a quiet location and place the smoking smudge in your favourite smudge bowl, shell or plate then sit and meditate for 5 minutes before beginning your cleansing ritual. Calm your mind and soul and take care to take your time to be in the present moment.
Focus on and set your intention (this is crucial) when clearing a space. Before beginning your ritual, take some time to decide what your desires are for your family, yourself, and your home. Bring these thoughts into your meditation and throughout the cleansing. Welcome and focus on your intentions so they may be projected into and fill the cleansed space once the ceremony is complete.
3. Begin the Smudging Ritual
It is a Myth that you need to move in a clockwise direction, what is most important is you smudge every area and manifest your intent while doing so to always inject that and a positive vibe into the area(s) you are cleansing.
Once you have all the necessary supplies, meditated, and set your intention for the ceremony, you can begin your smudging ritual. Remember, there is no need to create a thick cloud of smoke in your house, a small amount is all that is needed to clear your space.
Here is a simple outline of a smudging ritual from start to finish:
- Close your windows
- Open all closet doors, cupboards, and interior doors to allow the smoke to move throughout the space
- Begin at the front door of your home and light your smudge stick over your 100% fireproof container
- Once the flame is lit for about 20 seconds, lightly blow to put it out as the smoke is the cleansing element, not the flame
- Begin moving slowly throughout your home focusing on your intentions.
- Allow the smoke to drift into all spaces, even small or hidden ones such as dark corners, hallways, foyers, doorways, tv cabinets, closets, basements, lofts, attics, stairwells, garages, and sheds. Use your smudging fan (or hand if you don’t have one) to gently waft the smoke when necessary
- As you move throughout, close doors behind you to trap the smoke so it may draw all the negative energy within those spaces.
- If you encounter stairs, move up and down them slowly and carefully, sway the smudge stick from side to side so the smoke cascades across and down the stairs.
- If desired, you can chant a prayer or mantra as you move throughout the space or simply complete the ritual in silence (All Vibrant Souls Smudging products come with a Smudging Chant)
- Relight and blow out the flame for your smudge stick (if required) to complete smudging the entire house and return to the front door.
- Once you complete smudging the entire home and associated spaces, say your final chant, prayer or mantra and re-cleanse yourself, the other family members or occupants, and others who are part of the ceremony.
4. Closing the Smudging Ceremony
Visualise your entire home filled with a bright white light that radiates outdoors, cleared of negative energy and bursting with positive, happy energy.
Speak your intention a final time to complete the smudging ritual.
Some individuals prefer to let their smudge stick smoulder instead of extinguishing it. We believe you should always extinguish your smudge stick as the smudging ritual has completed and you now need to flush the space to rid it of all the negative and impure residue from your cleansing.
Walk throughout the home and open all the windows, cupboards and doors to allow the natural air to flow through the home and push the dense residual smoke out, taking with it all the bad energy.
What Are the Potential Benefits of Smudging?
Smudging has been used for thousands of years, and good reasons. Smudging is believed to help:
- Purify the air
- Clear negative energy
- Promote feelings of calm
- Support a positive mindset
- Repel insects
- Promote improved sleep quality
- Soothe stress
- Add natural fragrance to your home
- Boost focus
- Ward off evil spirits and intent
Important Safety Tips for Smudging
Be safe during your smudging ceremony with the following tips:
- Always stay present and pay close attention to your smudge stick
- Keep your smudge stick over your fireproof container at all times
- Immediately tap out any embers if any do fall to the floor
- Never leave burning sage or other plant materials unattended
- Take care not to inhale too much of the smoke (smoke can be irritating if too thick)
How Often Should I Smudge My Home?
How often you smudge your home is entirely up to you and normally driven by your mood or intuitive sense of feeling. We think once a month is a good base and there is no need to wait for a certain moon cycle or calendar schedule.
You can smudge whenever you feel the need. Trust your intuition and do what feels best for your household, there is no right or wrong timeframe.
Common reasons to smudge a home include:
- Moving into a new home
- When a loved one passes away
- Feeling down or a sense of negative energy
- The ending or beginning of a relationship
- Commencing a new job or project
- Inheriting or acquiring an item from someone else
- Times of unusual stress or pressure or change
- A feeling that things need to be cleared
- On the lunar cycle, moon phase or new year
- Before or after guests or colleagues have visited your home
Are You Interested In Learning More About Smudging?
Burning sage is a powerful ritual that can offer a variety of positive benefits for your home. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about this practice or how to get started. We would be happy to answer any questions you have or suggest the best products to match your intentions.
