attitude, CLEANING

Why you should be smudging your home

May 31, 2020

Have you heard of ‘smudging’?

I started smudging my home about 3 years ago – my husband thought that I was a bit crazy but after the first time I smudged our home he noticed a difference too!

Smudging is a common practice in feng shui and many Native Americans as well. You will also hear followers of alternative healing mention speak of this practice, too! In short, it involves burning certain herbs (I will explain more about the types of herbs , keep reading). The smoke from burning these herbs will fill the air and it helps to clear out negative energy. Don’t be intimated by the practice – it’s quite simple!

The benefits of smudging

I try to smudge my home once a month but we are a busy family and if I’m being totally honest it doesn’t happen every month. One routine I do try to stick to with this practice is – to smudge after having guests over. Why? People carry energy with them and you never know what energy they are surrounded by….so we like to clear it all out!

Photo credit: Apartment Therapy

Clears out negative energy.
Improves mental focus
Clears the air from pollutants
Relaxing effects
Increased energy
Improved sleep

Everytime I smudge my home we all notice a big difference. Everything in the house feels lighter. If you want to read more about the practice and it’s benefits – I found this article to be very useful – 8 Reasons You Should Try Smudging

How to smudge and what you need

There are different herbs that can be used to smudge and they all deal with different aspects that affect your home’s energy in a negative way.

Cedar is said to be calming, purifying, comforting and protect.

Juniper is clarifying, cleansing, helps with focus and centering.

Pine is for renewal, strengthening and cleansing.

Sweetgrass is for healing, purification and encourages positive energy.

Sage is for clearing negative energy and encouraging balance.

Personally I use White sage most of the time. If you are wondering about the smell when you cleanse your home with buring white sage – I don’t mind it (it smells a bit spicy, like Christmas spices).

Photo credit: Cedar Lake

You will need a bundle of dried herbs also known as a ‘smudging stick’. You will also need matches, a candle and a fireproof bowl (if you look online you will see a lot of sheels being used but any fireproof bowl is fine). Some sand – you will spave it in the fire proof bowl (I don’t always use sand, to be honest). You might also see feathers used in smudging. You don’t have to use one (I don’t) if you carry the smoking herb bundle (aka smudge stick) around the home with the fireproof bowls in the other hand (to catch any falling embers that’s just fine). I also keep my windows open while I smudge the house – this allows the negative energy to be released from the home. I’m not sure if this is how everyone practices but this is how I was taught.

So how do you smudge your home?

Start by getting out all of the supplies you need.

Next light your candle with a match – you will use the candle to light the smudge stick. It’s not a torch you want it smoldering. So once lit wave it around. Be sure to have the fireproof bowl under the smoldering smudging stick – for safety reasons and for catching embers that may fall off.

I circulate around my home – smudging room by room and waving the smudge stick around (some use a feather to circulate the smoke but I like to keep it simple). Be sure to focus on corners – it is believed that negative energy ‘sticks’ in the corners of a room. Pay attention to all rooms not just the main or mostly used rooms – laundry rooms, closets and even the garage can have stagnant energy.

So now that you have circulated around the entire home – you need to conclude the session. You will put out the smoldering sage stick in the sand in the fireproof bowl. You can keep the candle burning (I ujsually do for anothwr 30 mins or so). When it comes to smudging be sure to set aside enough time – this process shouldn’t be rushed (15-20 minutes is usually enough time – the time depends on the size of your home).

Shop – Home Smudging

Smudging Kit

Pack of 3 Smudging sticks (white sage) – this is the one that I like to use!

Smudging stick with copper bowl and sand

Smudging your home is a great way to start the new year – a clean slate, a clear energy in your home and peace of mind. I will be smudging this week and I know you will enjoy this practice too!