What is Smudging and what does it do?
The act of burning herbs is common in many cultures throughout the world (most commonly associated with Native American traditions.) The ancient spiritual roots of this intentional act is believed to harness the spirit of sacred plants to cleanse a person, space or object of negative energies.
By repeating your intention in the form of an affirmation, mantra or prayer, either aloud or in your own mind throughout the ritual, you can shift the energy to release negativity and manifest positive changes.
White sage smudge sticks are the most commonly used tool for a cleansing ritual. It is said that the smoke from dried sage clears emotional and spiritual negativity as it emits negative ions and our aura is said to hold positive ions. Through the smudging process we can neutralise our aura or the energy of other spaces and objects to cleanse and renew.
Historically - Native Americans started the tradition of using White Sage, also known as Sacred Sage, to release lingering energies. White Sage has been used in ceremonies to seek blessings of health and prosperity, release spirits, encourage protection.
Sacred Sage has been known to amplify any clearing and protective techniques that you are already using. As a plant and a living being, Sage has a Spirit. The Spirit of Sage is also dedicated to offering protection, blessings, and clearing.
Sage can help us:
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Feel clearer
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Boost the energy in the room
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Reboot the spiritual energy in the space
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Ignite mental acuity
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Restore our intuitive balance and centre
PALO SANTO
Thanks to its high resin content, palo santo wood is believed to release its purifying properties when burned. In the Shamanic history of South America, palo santo is said to not only remove negativity and obstacles but also attract and welcome positive vibes and good fortune.
Palo Santo, translates to ‘holy wood’, and much like white sage, has a long history of use by the native people of South America as an essential tool in sacred shamanic rituals for its energetic cleansing and medicinal healing properties.
The calming and relaxing aroma of Palo Santo is even more present from the smoke of the smoldering wood. Today it is continued to be enjoyed for its cleansing and healing properties, much like sage, to release negative energies and negative thoughts and feelings. The smoke provides an uplifting sent that calms the mind and raises your vibration in preparation for meditation, providing a deeper spiritual connection and manifestation rituals.
SELENITE CRYSTAL
Also known as liquid light, Selenite is a crystallised form of Gypsum, which is used for good luck and protection. A soft but very powerful mineral which is said to be capable of removing stagnant energies, bringing good luck, cleansing toxic energy, protection from psychic attack and clearing the home and body of negative energies etc.
Selenite calms and soothes, bringing a deep peace and sense of tranquility.
Use Selenite in a grid around your home or in the corners of a room to create a safe and peaceful space. Meditating with Selenite is said to aid in access to past and future lives, bring mental clarity, clear confusion and reveal the bigger picture behind any problem.
At B ^ R E our mission is to help you turn daily habits into self care rituals, so while we know time is limited for many, we have bundled a blend of our favourite tools including white sage, palo santo and selenite crystal, filled them with Australian botanicals (sourced locally and added for their beauty and medicinal vibrations) bound them with loving intentions and twine to help you lean deeper into your sacred rituals and in turn expand your self care and self love experience.
We recommend to use your bundles in a ritual practice.
Here's a guided ritual created by our founder Annalisa to help cleanse, purify, protect and manifest.
- Begin with creating and clearing your space, place your selenite in the centre of your space or at the doorway
- You will need either a clay bowl or a large clam shell or abalone shell
- Wooden Matches
- Large Feather or your hand is fine to wave smoke
- Open windows if you are inside
- Unbind the bundle and begin with the white sage to clear the space
- Light the herbs with a wooden match for 20 seconds or until it catches flame
- Wave the herbs with feather or hand so the flame goes out and the smoke swirls
- Smudge yourself first, waving the smoke over your face with eyes closed, over heart and limbs, over crown of the head and under the feet (avoid inhaling the smoke) walk around the space and wave your hand in figure 8 side to side beginning from the top to the bottom
- When / if you smudge others, begin with the front body, then ask them to turn to do their back body, ask them to lift one foot then the other
- Have a clear intention to purify with your light and love anyone whom you are smudging, including yourself. This is very important
- If you are smudging a home or a studio (wonderful for clearing away negative energy or when moving into a new space) ignite your herbs if they go out and begin the waving of smoke until every nook and cranny of the space has been smudged
- Once you are finished, take the ashes of the burned herbs and return it to the Earth
- Now sit in your sacred space and take a moment to come into your natural breath, placing one hand on your heart and another on your lower abdomen
- Feel into the energy of your intention for the ritual and journal it down onto a piece of paper, this is your intention and it may be one of many things, as an example it may be : to cleanse and purify your space and self, perhaps it's to remove tension and anxiety, to come into a space of calm and clarity, to connect with your divine truth, to remove negativity from your life, to connect with your body.. etc.
- Once your intention is set, fold your piece of paper and place in the space in front of you, now can come into a gentle meditation, you can bring sound bowls or guided meditation into the practice or simply sit in silence for a further 5 - 10 minutes (longer if you wish)
- Light your palo santo stick and with a feather or your hand gently wave the smoke around you and your space with the focus on your intention and breath.
- Once complete (this could be anywhere from 1-3 minutes) place the stick in the clay bowl and sit in a comfortable position for a further few minutes to open your mind and open yourself up to the possibility that is you and your inner wisdom
- You can now responsibly burn your piece of paper and again return the ash to the Earth and end your practice by chanting thank you thank you thank you.
Click the link below to get yours today
https://baremovement.com/collections/connect-home-body/products/b-present-purification-ritual-bundle