Rose Ariadne's Chitchcraft Blog

Dear Friends,

It is that time of the year again; time to prepare the gardens for winter and put away our outside furniture for the upcoming cold months. I am looking at my herbs and feeling proud of the fact that they did so well this past summer. I have a little window unit that I will plant some in so that I can keep them inside and keep them growing throughout the colder months. I will go ahead and pick the ones that are growing outside, however, and dry them out and use them while I still can.

My sage is looking particularly bushy and healthy and I might be proudest of it the most. It almost got taken over by my blackberry bush so it fought a hard battle this summer.

Speaking of sage, this is an excellent time to talk about a smudging ceremony.

Smudging is simply a way to get rid of some of the bad energy that can hang around a place or a person. Negative thoughts, bad feelings, and even bad spirits can hang around a person and these can all be detrimental to both their spiritual and physical health. Negative energy can also surround a place or even an item.

As far as people are concerned, in the past one ceremony that was performed included burning certain herbs and then taking that smoke from those herbs and rubbing it onto the person in question. This was called “smudging” and we still do it today, although not necessarily in that manner. (Though you CAN do it like that.)

Sage is probably the most commonly used herb for this ceremony, although sweetgrass and cedar are used as well.

There are many different kinds of sage, but most of them can still be used in smudging. In smudging ceremonies, sage is burned to drive out spirits that aren’t up to any good. It also keeps spirits out during the ceremony. The sage can help repel negative influences and feelings, too.

If you want to use sage then you can either grow your own, which is very easy, or you can purchase a bundle at a health food store. Don’t head to the spice rack in your kitchen and get down a jar of it-it’s not quite the same thing. If you are using your own, make sure it has completely dried before you use it or else it won’t smoke the way you want it to.

You should then find a ceramic or metal dish to place the sage in. I put sand at the bottom of my dish first. Place the sage in the dish and light it with a match. You don’t want the whole thing to burn up, but you do want to give the flames a little bit of time to settle in. I usually let mine burn for about 15 seconds or so. Then, blow out the flames. You should have a pretty good smoke going at this point.

If you are trying to drive the negative energy out of a house then you can walk around with your dish to the rooms that you want to focus on. Make sure that you visit all four corners of the room. If it is a person that you wish to cleanse, then making a scooping shape with your hand and gathering up some of the smoke and running it down the person is one of the best ways to do this.

Be careful with the container, as it can get hot. This is particularly true if you use metal and you let the sage burn too long. You might want to place a towel or oven mit under it as you carry it. You don’t want to directly breathe the smoke in, either.

Sweetgrass is interesting because many people choose to burn it after the sage, or cedar if you are using it, as burned out.

You can tie the sweetgrass together in a cloth or string, or you can braid it together, as you would long hair. To burn it, you shave little bits of it over hot coals. You can also light the end of it and wave it around so that the smoke flies through the air.

Sweetgrass helps bring in the good spirits after the bad ones have been driven out. It also helps bring in the positive energy and positive feelings. As you are burning your sweetgrass, it helps to meditate or chant so that the smoke is carried to the places where it needs to go.

When I am finished with the herbs, I usually try to light a light gray candle. If I have been smudging a house then I do my best to place a light gray candle in each room. The color helps repel negative forces and helps neutralize a situation.

The trick to smudging is to go into it with good intentions and an open heart. Your own energy will work with the herbs in order to create the outcomes that you are looking for. Although the sweetgrass can be difficult to find, it is a good idea to bring in positive energy after you have sent out the bad stuff. This will help create a balance.

For now, I am sending positive vibes and energy your way, dear friend.

Brightest Blessings,

Rose Ariadne
Your Warm and Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”