Sage Smudges - Sweetgrass Trading Co (2024)

FAQs

Can you smudge with sage and sweetgrass? ›

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.

Sage (pictured above) clears negativity and sweetgrass brings positivity. One healer, Whitehorse Woman, puts it this way: “I use sage to remove unwanted energy, and sweetgrass to invite wanted energy.” Smudge sticks are a bundle of dried leaves or plants used in spiritual ceremonies to ward off evil spirits.

White sage is the most common and popular herb for smudging. White sage is widely used for its healing properties to drive out negative energy and evil spirits. It is also used it in ceremonies for blessings and prosperity.

If used for smudging, walk around the room, space, object or person, fanning the smoke over its entirety, whilst focusing on cleansing and clearing negative energy. Once you've finished smudging and removed the negative energy, you must push positive energy into the space to maintain balance.

Never let the burning sage stay unattended for any reason. Also, take care not to inhale too much of the smoke.

There are four Sacred Medicines: Tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass. These are traditional medicines that have physical qualities for medicinal purposes, and a spiritual aspect used in traditional healing and ceremonies. Care and attention should be given when harvesting Sacred Medicines.

Sweetgrass is used in smudges, healing or talking circles because it has a healing effect - its smoke is believed to purify thoughts and the environment and eliminate bad or negative thoughts.

The Sweetgrass Teachings tell us that when we plait sweetgrass, we collect 21 strands. The first seven are the generations that preceded us: they walked the journey to bring us to where we stand today. The second seven strands represent the seven sacred teachings.

If you have windburn or chapped skin, a wash of sweetgrass tea helps the soreness. Sore eyes are also relieved with a wash of the tea. The tea can be used as a hair tonic, to make your hair shiny and nice smelling. Our elders might have decorated their hair with sweetgrass.

Natural and Gentle: Sweetgrass is kind to all skin types, ensuring everyone can enjoy its benefits. A Connection to Tradition: Using sweetgrass-infused products is a way to connect with Indigenous traditions and practices.

What does sweetgrass heal? ›

Blackfeet men drank sweetgrass tea to treat venereal infections. Both sexes drank a tea from this plant to treat coughs and sore throats. Windburn and chapping were treated through an infusion of sweetgrass stems soaked in water or a salve of sweetgrass water and grease.

Prayers to Say While Smudging

Help me find my positive energy and peace.” “Release any negativity, density, or attachments into the light. Help me shine with higher vibrations and guide me with a team of Angels and guides.” “I open this space to love and enter all positive energy into my space.

Take a tightly balled-up bundle of dried sage (mashkodewashk), light it from the bottom with a match, and place it on top of the tobacco. A small stream of smoke is all that's necessary. The smoke from the smudge can be pulled toward oneself with your hands or pushed by another person using a feather or an eagle fan.

In fact, Native Americans and other indigenous peoples originally created the practice of “saging,” or the act of burning sage, to purify spaces, rid them of negative energy, and promote healing and wisdom.

Because of all the history before us, when non-indigenous people burn “white sage” to smudge their homes and other spaces, it could minimize and display a certain insensitivity for the cultural importance of this ritual, however this doesn't mean sag-ing and smudging are not allowed for non-Indigenous peoples, if ...

Ethnobotanic: Sweetgrass was and still is used ceremonially through burning the dried and braided grass stems for an incense or smudge. The fragrant smoke is used for purification and to carry prayers to the Great Spirit.

White sage, known for its strong and aromatic scent, is probably the most common and popular herb for smudging. A white sage smudge stick is often used to prevent illness and cleanse a space as it has antimicrobial properties. It is also used for meditation, cleansing the aura and attracting positive energy.