The Sacred Act of Smudging

Energy governs this world and every object within it, including our bodies and the environment around us. Sometimes we may feel uneasy or depressed due to negative and stagnant energy. These blockages can eventually manifest into physical ailments and disease. Clearing energy blockages from the human body with healing techniques such as Reiki is a great practice, yet we tend to forget the significance of clearing the energy of spaces.

We've all heard the saying, “You could have cut the tension with a knife!” Have you ever walked into a room and sensed that things were just not right? Feeling as if maybe there had just been an argument in the space? Sensing lower vibrations in a space is your spirit's natural defense mechanism. Positive ions can build up when there is tension, stress or anger in a room. When they are released, the energy that surrounds us becomes stagnant. This is when a thorough cleansing is in order.

Smudging is the common name given to the act of burning specific plants for energetic clearing and purification. The smoke can transform positive ions back into negative ones, purifying and cleansing the atmosphere. When you perform a smudging ritual you are plugging in to an ancient, powerful line of spiritual tradition that has existed across history, regions and cultures. However, the same herbs that are burned by one culture may be taboo to burn in another, or they may be used for a completely different purpose. When specific herbs are burned ceremonially, this may or may not be called "smudging&qu