Smudging Ceremony

The Native Elders have taught that before someone can be healed or heal another, one must be cleansed of any negative feelings, thoughts, and energy. Smudging cleanses both spiritually and physically. This assists the healing to come through in a clear manner, without getting sidetracked by negative things in either the client or the healer. The Elders teach that all ceremonies, tribal or private must be entered into with a clean heart in order to be able to pray, sing and walk in a sacred manner. The Natives across the world use herbs to smudge. A common ceremony is to burn certain herbs, taking the smoke into their hands and brushing it over their bodies. This is what we call smudging. There are three plants most often used in Smudging, these are Sage, Cedar, and Sweetgrass.

Sage

The botanical name for "true" sage is Salvia. Garden sage is Salvia apiana or white sage. Salvia comes from the Latin root Salvare which means "to heal" There are many varieties of sage and most of them have been used in smudging ceremonies.

Sage is burned in smudging ceremonies to drive out negative feelings, influences and energies and is also used to protect the sacred space from any negative energies from entering the ceremonial area. In a Sacred Sweat Lodge it is used frequently to cover the ground of the lodge and participants rub the leaves on their bodies.

Cedar

Cedar is burned while praying. The prayers rise on the smoke of cedar and are carried to the Creator. Cedar is often spread along with sage on the floor of the Sacred Sweat Lodge of some tribes.

Cedar branches are brushed in the air to cleanse a home during the House Blessing Ceremony of the Indian Nations. Cedar can be burned for purification the same way as Sage. It drives out negative energy but it also bring good energies. The spirit of Cedar is very ancient and wise.

Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass is one of the most sacred plants for the Plains Indians. It is a tall wild grass with a reddish base and has a sweet, musty smell. It grows mainly on the Eastern side of the Rockies in Montana and adjacent Alberta, Canada but can also be found in Wyoming and South Dakota.

It's botanical name is Hierocloe odorata, some common names are Seneca grass, holy grass and Vanilla grass. Sweetgrass is usually braided together in bunches similar to the way we braid our hair. It has also been used bunched up and wrapped. It is good to burn sweetgrass after sage or cedar has driven out the negative energies. Sweetgrass brings in the good spirits and the good energies. Like the cedar, sweetgrass smoke carries prayers to the Creator.

Smudging

Light the dried herb and rub your hands in the smoke, gather some smoke into your hands and bring it to your body, try to get the smoke to all body areas. Keep praying all the time you are in ceremony. The powers of the plant will cleanse your spirit. One person can smudge another using hands or sometimes a feather to lightly brush the smoke over the body, first the front and then the person turns around (clockwise) and then the back is smudged. A person can cleanse their home with sage and/or cedar of any negative energies. Smudge the doors, windows and all corners of the home. This will clear the negative energies. Smudging is a sacred ceremony that must be done with respect and honor. We should always give thanks to the herbs for their unseen powers.