Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sacred Sage - The Art of Smudging


In keeping with the theme of November being National American Indian Heritage Month, I thought I would share something about the healing power of sage.

There was a time when I was going through a lot of pain and as part of my healing I started performing a Native American Tradition….Sage Smudging. I used it to clean my negative energy and I highly recommend it to everyone. When I start feeling low, stressed out or mad, I light up a small piece of sage and perform a sage smudging ceremony. It works immediately and I feel so wonderful and recharged.

The Spiritual Art of Smudging…What does that mean and how does it benefit me? White Sage or “Sacred Sage” has many healing properties that benefit not only the body but the soul. Native Americans started the tradition of using Sacred Sage to ward off evils spirits and negative energies. This process of smudging is used to seek prosperity and fertility. It is used in rituals to draw money, banish negative energy influences, protection, longevity, immortality and blessing.

The ritual of smudging creates a smoke that attaches itself to the negative energy. As the smoke clears, the negative energy goes with it, releasing it to regenerate into something positive.

If you would like to cleanse a home, personal items and the physical body, begin by lighting the “smudge stick”. Once it is catches fire, gently wave the “flame” to extinguish it. Then gather the smoke with you hand or using ceremonial feather to guide the smoke and draw it to the perimeter of the body. To cleanse a room or living space, begin in the doorway and work in a clockwise direction. Be sure to go around the door frame, all the walls and window frames; particularly in the corners by the ceiling.

When you cleanse your living space, body or items; this will allow for purification and cleansing properties of the sacred sage to make way for new awareness and direction to take place.

Smudge sticks are hand-made and rolled dried white sage, and tightly tied together by yarn or string.

Smudging Prayer

"Negativity that invades my sacred place; I banish you away with the light of my grace. You have no hold or power here. For I stand and face you with no fear. Be gone forever, for this I will say, this is my sacred space and you must obey."

Sage Tea

Someone showed me how to take this tea to lift my spirits when was feeling down and in a dark place. What you do is take about 3 leaves, crumble and break them up and then pour boiling hot water over them. Steep the tea for at least 10 minutes. You can also take this tea if you have congestion, a fever (it will create sweat to break the fever). Drinking the tea and eating the leaves will help cleanse inner negativity. Be sure to only drink one cup in a 24 hour time frame.

To Heal a Headache

If you are suffering from a headache here is a recipe for an ointment to rub on your temples, forehead and between the eyes as a natural pain reliever.

1 Cheesecloth

3 Vitamin E capsules (used as a preservative)

.5 oz Beeswax

1 oz Fresh or Dried White Sage

1 oz Fresh or Dried Eucalyptus

1 oz Fresh or Dried Lavender

8 oz Organic Avocado Oil

In a glass baking dish, add the herbs and oil and bake in the oven for 3 hours at 200 degrees. This will infuse the herbs the oil. Let the oil cool and then strain out the herbs using the cheesecloth. Squeeze the oil from the herbs.

Using a double boiler, and a stainless steel bowl add the oil, bees wax in the steel bowl. Poke a hole in the vitamin E capsule and squeeze out the vitamin oil adding it to the bees wax. Slowly stir on a low heat until it is all melted and mixed together. Remove from the heat and let it sit or about 5 minutes.

While it is still warm, pour the mixture into some empty cleaned cosmetic containers and allow it to cool completely.


I hope you enjoyed these tips about how sage can help heal you. Be thankful and as always....Many Blessings

Stormy





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