The Smudging Ceremony

[Pragmatic]

By Adrienne Borden and Steve Coyote

Our Native elders have taught us that before a person can be healed or heal another, one must be cleansed of any bad feelings, negative thoughts, bad spirits or negative energy - cleansed both physically and spiritually. This helps the healing to come through in a clear way, without being distorted or sidetracked by negative "stuff" in either the healer or the client. The elders say that all ceremonies, tribal or private, must be entered into with a good heart so that we can pray, sing, and walk in a sacred manner, and be helped by the spirits to enter the sacred realm.

Native people throughout the world use herbs to accomplish this. One common ceremony is to burn certain herbs, take the smoke in one's hands and rub or brush it over the body. Today this is commonly called "smudging." In Western North America the three plants most frequently used in smudging are sage, cedar, and sweetgrass.

To do a smudging ceremony, burn the clippings of these herbs (dried), rub your hands in the smoke, and then gather the smoke and bring it into your body, or - rub it onto yourself; especially onto any area you feel needs spiritual healing. Keep praying all the while that the unseen powers of the plant will cleanse your spirit. Sometimes, one person will smudge another, or a group of people, using hands - or more often a feather - to lightly brush the smoke over the other person(s). We were taught to look for dark spots in a person's spirit-body. As one California Indian woman told us, she "sees" a person's spirit-body glowing around them, and where there are "dark or foggy parts," she brushes the smoke into these "holes in their spirit-body." This helps to heal the spirit and to "close up" these holes.
The Smudging Ceremony

This site has more references on smudging:
NA Information-Smudging Ceremony

Here's my favorite GOD willing:

Red cedar smells like pine; burns fresh, not overwhelming. My wife doesn't complain about this one.

She doesn't like sage. It is very strong. Good for cleansing the house though.

Dhoop sticks:

Smells very strong; Cardaman

Smells like burning rubber/cardaman
Very loud; only need a little.
My wife doesn't like this one.

Burns good. Strong though.

Song of India. Smells very fresh.

amber

Provides a balance across the whole house
Mellow. Pungent while burning.


Frankincense and Myrrh



My foundation:

Three Kings Resin




Wonder Lite Charcoal 10 Pack - 33mm Tablets, 10 Roll Box
Wonder Lite Long Burning Charcoal tablets are packaged in 10-tablet foil packs

Peace be upon you