Smudging is a smoke purification ritual used by indigenous peoples of the Americas and adopted by non-natives. Herbs like sage, cedar, and sweet grass are burned to purify spaces and objects. Smudging is believed to ward off negative influences and attract positive energy.
Smudging is a smoke purification ritual, common to most indigenous peoples of the Americas. It has been widely adopted by many non-natives.
All ancient cultures burned things of various kinds for spiritual reasons. Frankincense is thought to “please the gods” with its scent, and resins such as frankincense and myrrh are considered suitable gifts. Native Americans use various herbs that are thought to purify a person, place, or thing by virtue of the smoke’s interaction with the object. A space where a ritual is to take place is stained with smoke, as are all ritual implements and people who pass through it.
The herbs used in smears are typically sage, cedar, or sweet grass. Central and South American tribes also use copal, resin from a variety of different trees, which has a pleasantly sweet scent when burned. The herbs are typically tied into hand-sized bundles called drying sticks. Sweetgrass, a tall lowland grass with a sweet vanilla scent, is woven into “whips.”
In a purification ritual, the smudge is lit with a flame. After a few moments, the flame goes out and the herb continues to burn, releasing quantities of smoke into the air. If a space needs to be purified, the smudge is brought to all parts of the space; if necessary, the smoke can be directed into the corners with a feather fan. Smearing an item simply means passing the item through the smoke several times. People can be spotted by waving smoke over their bodies while standing.
Sage is believed to ward off negative influences, surely a wise precaution to take before interacting with the supernatural; The sweet herb is said to attract good spirits and energy, so sage is typically burned before the sweet herb. Natives of the Pacific Northwest use cedar for both purposes, expelling negativity and attracting positive forces. Smearing with cedar is sometimes called “cedaring.”
Many people from all cultures now love to drool. If they feel “bad vibes” in their home or on an object, staining it, they say, will dispel the negative energies. They are right? Who can tell? However, if you find yourself arguing with your family over trivial things or buying something at a flea market that gives you the creeps once you get home, try staining your house or the item. It might not help, but it certainly can’t hurt.
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