We Don’t Call It “Smudging” Anymore
This was going to be a simple article on the benefits of smudging; what it is now is an opportunity to learn and do better. “Smudging” is a term that is being used by alternative healing practitioners. I have used the term myself for years. Smudging is, in fact, a religious and medical practice used by many Indigineous peoples of this land; the White Sage they use is a sacred plant and the act of smudging is an integral part of their ceremonies. By appropriating the term, we are taking away their faith and practices.
In doing research for this article, I found something awful: in 1883 Congress enacted the Religious Crimes Code of 1883 which “bans all Native dancing and ceremonies, including the Sun Dance, Ghost Dance, potlatches, and the practices of medicine persons. The Code gives Indian agents authority to use force, imprisonment, and the withholding of rations to stop any cultural practices they deem immoral or subversive to federal government-mandated assimilation policies.” Ninety-five years later, in 1978, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was signed. Ninety-five years they had to deny their faith or risk being imprisoned. Unless a person is trained by an Indigineous person, they have no business calling burning sage “Smudging''. So what do we call it? One of the terms referenced as being preferable is “Smoke Cleansing”; this is a much more accurate description of what is occurring.
There is plenty of research to show “smoke cleansing” being very effective in killing bacteria and some viruses in the air and on surfaces. Yes, sage is an incredibly powerful herbal remedy, however, with the increased interest in Indigineous traditions and “Woo-Woo culture” that is thriving right now there is an over-harvesting of the sacred White Sage to satiate the wanna-be shamans. Below are some suggestions of herbs other than White Sage to use for Smoke Cleansing:
Rosemary - burn for new beginnings, breaking habits, opening up your creativity.
Sage - there are many varieties of sage that you can grow (not culinary) in pots. Trim the plants, tie up the bundles and hang in a dry space.
Cedar - this is best used when decluttering your space or if you’ve purchased stuff from a garage sale/antique store/thrift store - helps clear out the energies of the previous owner.
Mugwort - burn this herb in your room before bed to clear the space
Sandalwood - be certain it is pure and ethically sourced
There are many other herbs with wonderful healing properties. The best option is to grow your own, trim before budding, then bundle and hang to dry. If you decide to purchase herbs, please do your research to ensure they are ethically sourced, wild-harvested if possible, grown or supplied by Indigineous Peoples would be the best option.
Resins also makes wonderful healing/purifying smoke; Frankincense and Myrrh are widely available, but again, be certain of the sourcing.
There has been a lot of talk around “cancel culture”, a term coined around a growing movement to stop “allowing” the continuation of bad behavior. For the purpose of this article, I am going to call it “when we know better, we do better”. We, as in Americans, are