Smuding &
House Cleaning
Smudging: How to do it.
I came across a very interesting article from "Shaman's
Drum" which was reprinted for Vision Quest Bookstore.
I will attempt to convey the gist of it, along with my views,
as a student of the Ways of the Teneh, about it. Smudging
is a way of using the smoke from burning herbs as a way to
cleanse the body, an object, or a given area of negative influences.
I myself use smudging to "cleanse" crystals before
using them in jewelry projects I may do, and for protecting
my home from some recent "bad vibe"-producing events.
(landlord troubles!) I imagine that the skillful use of the
proper herbs could help in warding and banishing ceremonies
as well, if used properly and with reverence. The three most
used plant material for smudging and house cleaning are sage
of all types, cedar, and sweetgrass.
Sage
There are two major genii and several varieties of each genus
of Sage that are used for smudging. Salvia, or the herb sage
used for cooking, comes in two major varieties: S. Officinalis,
commonly known as Garden Sage, and S. Apiana, commonly known
as White Sage. Salvia varieties have long been acknowledged
as healing herbs, reflected in the fact that its genus name
comes from the Latin root word *salvare*, which is the verb
"to heal" or "to save." Artemisia is the
genus commonly considered "Sagebrush", and is more
common in the wilds out here in California. There are two
major varieties to the Artemisia genus:
A. Californica, or Common Sagebrush, and A. Vulgaris, or Mugwort.
There are many other varieties of both Salvia and Artemisia,
and all are effective in smudging. Sage is burned in smudging
ceremonies to drive out evil spirits, negative thoughts and
feelings, and to keep Gan'n
(negative entities) away from areas where ceremonials take
place. In the Plains Sweatlodge, the floor of the structure
is strewn with sage leaves for the participants to rub on
their bodies during the sweat. Sage is also used in keeping
sacred objects like pipes or Peyote wands safe from negative
influence. In the Sioux nation, the Sacred Pipe is kept in
a bundle with sage boughs. I would think special crystals
could be so protected this way as well.
Cedar
True cedar is of the Thuja and Libocedrus genii. Some Junipers
(Juniperus genus) are also called "cedar", thus
complicating things some. Some Juniper varieties ARE cleansing
herbs, especially J. Monosperma, or Desert White Cedar. But
for smudging, the best is Western Red Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
and California Incense Cedar (Libocedrus descurrens). Cedar
is burnt while praying to the Great Spirit (Usen', the Source--also
known to Plains nations as Wakan Tanka) in meditation, and
also to bless a house before moving in as is the tradition
in the Northwest and Western Canada. It works both as a purifier
and as a way to attract GOOD energy in your direction. It
is usually available in herb stores in chipped form, which
must be sprinkled over a charcoal in a brazier. I like a piece
of charcoaled mesquite for this purpose, rather than
the commercial charcoal cake.
Sweetgrass
Very important to the Sioux and Cherokee nations, its botanical
name is Hierochloe Oderata. In these tribes, the sweetgrass
is braided like hair braids. It could be burnt by lighting
the end of it, or (more economically) by shaving little bits
of it onto charcoal in a brazier. Again, use charcoaled Mesquite
(I believe it comes packaged for barbecue use under the brand
name "Red Arrow") to burn it, not pressed charcoal
tablets. Sweetgrass is burnt after smudging with sage, to
welcome in good influences after the bad had been driven out.
Sweetgrass is very rare today, and traditional Plains people
have been attempting to protect the last of it. Myself, I
believe that Cedar, which is not endangered, can safely be
used this way. Also Pinon pine needles (used more frequently
by the Southwest Teneh, like the Navajo and Apache as well
as the Pueblo people and the Zuni) and Copal (used by the
Yaqui and in ancient times by the Azteca and the Maya) have
similar effect. The three mentioned here are redily available
either through gathering yourself or, in the case of copal
resin, from any good herb shop.
Using Smudging
Burn clippings of the herb in a brazier...not a shell as some
"new age" shamanic circles do...it is an insult
to White Painted Woman (The Goddess) to do this, especially
with the abalone shell which is especially sacred to Her.
If the herb is bundled in a "wand", you can also
light the end
of the wand that isn't woody and use that. I like the latter
way. Direct the smoke with your hands or with a Peyote (feather)
wand over the person or thing you wish to smudge. If you can
see auras, look for discolored places in the aura and direct
the healing smoke towards those places on the patient's body.
For cleansing a house, first offer cedar smoke to the four
directions outside the house. Then, take a sage bough and
go throughout the inside of the house, making sure the smoke
penetrates every nook and cranny of the house. It might help
also, if you have a power animal, to visualize your animal
doing these things, to also dance your animal, and if you
have a power song, to sing that too. Then finally, run through
the house with a white candle that is well protected, to "light
up" the house. Careful not to burn it down when you do
it!!!
Final Thoughts - Smuding &
House Cleaning
Smudging should be done with care, with reverence, and in
an attitude of LOVE. Show your respect and honor to the plants
that Usen' has given us for our healing, and they will return
the favor by keeping us well and free from disease and negative
energy. Aloe Vera plants, though not to be burnt, are good
for the cleansing angle as well. Keep one or more potted Aloe
Veras in the house (modern varieties are too tender to plant
in anything but full shade outside) in organic (wood or ceramic,
never plastic or metal) pots. To honor the plant when you
transplant it, sprinkle the roots with corn meal and smudge
it with cedar once it is transplanted. The spirit of Aloe
Vera is a good protective spirit, and if you burn yourself,
can also be used to heal your skin. BE SURE TO ASK THE PLANT'S
PERMISSION before cutting part of the leaf off for the healing
juice. If you don't, the protective power of the plant will
cease, and you will be left with but an inert houseplant...and
perhaps some bad karma to boot. Hi-dicho, it is finished....ENJU!
Authors Details: Smudging and House
Cleaning
Michelle Chihacou White Puma Klein-Hass - Unknown Web
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