White Sage
White Sage
Have you ever walked into a home or space and been immediately calmed by a faint and deliciously smoky aroma? No, it wasn’t the smell of burnt toast, but probably that of White Sage, a bundle of white sage sticks with an ancient history of cleansing crystals and people, purifying spaces and clearing the auric field. I love burning Shiny Storm Palo Santo as it reminds me of my home in Brazil, but White Sage is just as good for clearing negative energies and purifying my home and workplace. Burning sage is a practice dating to prehistoric times and has been documented as having been used in every corner of the world by our ancestors.
The history of White Sage
In ancient cultures, burning incense, plants or resin has been used to clear negative energies or spirits from people and spaces for centuries. Burning White Sage, or smudging, is an ancient spiritual practice used traditionally by Native Americans. White Sage is native to high deserts and is most commonly found in the mountainous regions of America’s west. Native Americans used White Sage in ceremony to cleanse unwanted and persistent energies, or to ask the spirits for blessings, abundance or protection.
What is White Sage?
White Sage is an evergreen perennial shrub which is harvested and wrapped for smudging in rather fat little bundles. It will contain a number of sticks, where the long and narrow sage leaves grow close to the stem. This makes it easy to bundle together and perfect for releasing cleansing smoke without having a wildly burning torch in your home!
Why is smudging with White Sage beneficial?
The benefits of burning White Sage are endless, but first and foremost, the antimicrobial properties of the plant itself, mean that it will cleanse the air of impurities, pathogens and even insects.
Smudging is also said to help:
- connect the user to the spiritual realm,
- enhance intuition,
- clear negativity energy
- empower specific objects, (including your Shiny Storm crystals)
- boost your mood,
- soothe stress,
- increase your brain power,
- release a beautiful aroma into your space.
How is White Sage used?
Please be aware that smudging with White Sage is a Native American ritual: you must treat this spiritual practice with respect and honour.
Before you begin to purifying and energising your home, spaces or objects, you will need a few basic items:
- a Shiny Storm sage bundle (or smudge stick)
- a shell or bowl of ceramic, clay, or glass to hold the burning sage and capture its ash.
- matches.
- perhaps a feather or fan for fanning smoke.
Clear the space of people and pets and open at least one window or door in the space you wish to purify: this is an important step for two reasons. Firstly, it allows the smoke to escape without causing discomfort to you and secondly, allows any impurities or negative energies and spirits to float away as well.
Once you are ready to smudge your space, self or objects with White Sage, follow these steps and smudge as often as you like:
- Set your intentions for this cleansing ritual in a meditation.
- Light the end of you Shiny Storm White Sage bundle with a match. Blow out quickly if it catches on fire.
- The tips of the leaves should smoulder slowly, releasing thick smoke. Direct this smoke around your body and space with one hand while holding the bundle in the other.
- Allow the incense to linger on the areas of your body or surroundings you’d like to focus on. Using a fan or feather can also help direct the smoke.
- Allow the ash to collect in a ceramic bowl or shell.
The aroma will linger and leave you feeling calm and cleansed.
Please be aware, large commercial vendors aren’t always concerned with buying a high-quality sacred and ceremonial product that has been ethically sourced. I would only ever use White Sage which I know is ethically sourced and of a high quality, and I would only ever provide this to my amazing Shiny Storm clients too.