Cedar Smudge Stick app 4"

Smudging has been used for millennia to cleanse and protect and purify homes, sacred spaces, and before rituals. Almost all cultures have used a form of smudging using the plants and herbs indigenous to their region. And each smudge stick carries specific properties that are used for their particular benefits.

To smudge your home - stand with your back to the entrance of your home. Hold your stick upside down and light it and be sure to carry a dish with coarse sea salt, to catch any ash or sparks as you move around. Let it flame up for a little bit and then blow it out so it starts to smoke. Repeat a prayer, mantra or whatever you feel called to as you walk through your home. You want to go counter-clockwise to remove negative energy and you would walk clockwise to bring in protection. You can always do both in one cleansing. Start with the removal first. You then walk through your home, smudging all windows, closets, doors and rooms. If you have an attic and basement, do those as well. Repeat your mantra or prayer as you are cleansing. End up back at your entrance. Once you are done, tamp out your smudge stick on a bed of coarse sea salt which I have found prevents it from having too hard of an end and makes it easier to relight in future cleansings. Having your windows open is optional - remember energy is not bound to our physical limitations. Some smudge sticks can have a lot of smoke so be mindful of this when near smoke detectors. If you have a small space, it is recommended to have windows open to help dissipate the smoke more quickly. One small smudge stick can last a long time, depending on how often you need to cleanse. Store in a safe dry place. Do not throw out the ash or remnants of your smudge stick. To dispose of - take to a cross roads and disperse there if you removed negative energy. If you are doing a general protection and cleanse, you can bury in the east portion of your yard. If you have no yard, dispose of in the woods by scattering the remnants.