If you follow me on Instagram (and if you don’t, you definitely should- @instabydannika) you’ll know that I’ve been inviting my followers to ask specific questions about some of the things I mention on my social media. I’ve received questions about writing, painting, photography, fertility, etc, but by and far the questions I get the MOST are about Tarot, witchcraft, and other spiritual craft subjects. I decided I should start to break these down and discuss them more in-depth than a few seconds on an Insta Story. So then the question I asked was, “What should I talk about first?”

The VAST majority of responses asked for a series on Smudging! What is it? Why should we do it? Who can do it? HOW do we do it? I get it! It sounds weird and hard and like you need to be initiated into some sort of strange club or cult to be able to do it, right? But that’s not it at all! Smudging is SUPER easy, and so beneficial! I decided that it would be best to break this up into three parts. Part 1 is what you’re reading now. This post is all about the basics. What exactly is smudging? Why should we care? Part 2 will be a post on how to get started. And Part 3 (my favorite!) is a Smudge-Along Experience video, where you’ll get to follow along with the video and have your very own guided smudging experience! I plan on posting all of these here on the blog, as well as on my Instagram.

So here we are, in Part 1! Welcome, dear reader, to Smudging 101!

WTF Is Smudging?

“Smudge” is actually both a noun AND a verb. The bundle of herbs and plants that you burn is called a smudge or smudge stick, and the act of smudging is also a smudge. For the purposes of this 101, I’ll refer to the bundle as a smudge stick.

Smudging is one of many ways to energetically cleanse and purify yourself, an object, or a space, of negative energy and to invite in positive energy. Basically, you have a bundle of some sort of plant material, called a smudge stick, and you burn it! The smoke fills the space you’re in or surrounds you or the object and purifies. Smudging is actually used for many purposes, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

The burning of sage, which is the most popular smudge stick, has traditionally been done by Native Americans, but really smudging has been done all around the world in several different cultures and many different belief systems. You do not have to belong to any particular religion or belief system, or any particular culture or race, in order to practice smudging. Smudging is for any and everyone!

A smudge stick can be made up of just about any plant material, but most common is sage. Often, a smudge stick will have at the very least a BASE of sage, and then add in other plants and/or herbs such as rosemary, lavender, rose, wisteria, juniper, sweetgrass, and more. And there are so many different kinds of sage! White sage, white prairie sage, blue sage, mountain sage, etc. There are so many options!

What Are The Benefits Of Smudging?

There are several spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical benefits to smudging. As I said before, smudging has traditionally been used for a cleansing and purifying of energy in a space, object, or person. It is said to banish negative energy and invite in good energy. Smudging, or even the use of incense, has often been used as a way to point us to the Divine. In some belief systems, smudging is used to represent the element of air. The visual certainly helps, no matter what result you’re seeking, because you can clearly see the smoke curling and flowing through the air. Visualize the bad energy leaving with the smoke, or the positive and protective energy encircling you as the smoke does. Mentally, smudging has been shown to improve memory and focus, and emotionally it has been shown to improve mood! Perhaps most interesting are the physical benefits of smudging. Aside from the obvious benefits to your physical health after becoming more mentally and emotionally healthy, sage smudging has been shown to do so much more! Sage is a part of the plant family Salvia, which is from the Latin salvere, meaning “to heal.” Different types of sage are antimicrobial and antibacterial, can help sleep quality and ease insomnia, and can even act as insect repellent!

When And How Should I Smudge?

There aren’t really any special rules when it comes to smudging, but here are some good tips to follow for the best and safest experience!

“When” is pretty much anytime you want! Need to focus? Smudge. Need to clear out some bad energy, or something is just feeling…off? Smudge. Want some time for some meditation and/or self-care? Smudge. Moving into a new place? SMUDGE (I recommend always smudging a new living or work space before moving into it, if possible). There are seriously endless reasons for smudging, because the reality is, you don’t even need a reason! If you want to do it, do it!

“How,” is of course, slightly more involved, but really has the same amount of freedom as “when.” There are certain basics you’d need to follow, like having a smudge stick (or oil. I’ll get to that in a moment) and a way to light it. Basically, you’ll need a smudge stick, a source of fire, and a well-ventilated area. If you don’t plan on holding your smudge stick the entire time, you’ll also need some sort of heat-resistant dish or other way to hold the smudge. Some people use abalone shells (don’t actually put the hot smudge stick in this, just lean one end inside) or wooden stands. You’ll want there to be good air flow, to keep the smudge going, and often times people will use a feather to continue to fan the smudge stick and also to help direct the flow of the smoke. You don’t have to do any special movements or say any special words if you don’t want to, no one is going to judge you. And if they do, just cleanse away that bad juju with some smudging (see what I did there?). When you’re all done, either sit and let the smudge burn itself out (don’t ever leave it unattended!) or stamp it out into some dirt or sand. DO NOT EXTINGUISH A SMUDGE WITH WATER.  Not only does this far too quickly extinguish the energy you just worked to create, but it can also pose a health concern. Soaking a dead plant and then leaving it sitting around can lead to unhealthy mildew.

What If I Can’t Do Smoke?

Some people can’t do the smokey smudging, whether due to health concerns or the rent agreement where they live, etc. and so they give up on the idea. NOOO!!! Don’t give up! Smudging doesn’t have to = burning! There are sage oils and rosemary oils and SO MANY other oils that you can use for your own smudging experience! Obviously, you won’t be burning it. Instead, you’ll sprinkle the oil around or anoint yourself, or whatever your intention for the smudging experience is, and do everything else exactly the same. It’s all about the INTENTION that you set for the time.

So there you have it! The basics of smudging are now yours. I know it may still seem daunting. Ok, so you know what it’s all about finally, but… now what? What next? That’s why I’m doing this series! The very next post will be about how to get started, and then we’ll have Part 3, with the Smudge-Along Experience video! Don’t worry, I won’t leave you hanging. If you want to prepare for the Experience, go ahead and get yourself a smudge stick, or make one! They can be ordered online very easily, or found in many local shops! I’ve found smudge sticks in health food stores, bookstores, gift shops, metaphysical centers, and online.

I can’t wait to continue this series with you! For now, I hope you’re all doing well and taking care of yourselves during this upheaval of the world! Clear out that bad energy and bring in the good. Happy Smudging!

-Your Sage Buddy,

Dannika