Smudging has been widely adopted from Indigenous Practices of North America, and many of those plants are harvested irresponsibly, causing harm to the planet and the people in the supply chain. By learning about the roots of smoke cleansing closer to home, and harvesting local herbs for ritual clearing, we can honour and respect  cultures and plants which do not belong to us, as well as sharing kinder possibilities with our local community.

The word “smudge” was used in the 18th century to refer to using smoke to clear a space of insects, or protect plants from frost. It was later used to describe ceremonial practices that Western Anthropologists observed in First Nations Countries, and became the way in which much of the world refers to these ritual acts. There is much to reflect on in the way anthropologists acted within their research, to learn from and repair.

Fire Saining is a Celtic tradition;

Fire and water were used to bring the Spirits of plants as allies. Events of the Celtic Wheel of the year - like Belthane, as well as passages and thresholds of life (birth, adolescence, handfasting, death) were all times when smoke would be brought in for cleansing, healing and protection.

This could be for individual beings, or a whole community, done in ceremony together or in simple day to day life.

Jumping the Fire was often a ritual act to call in protection and healing, or cattle would be run through the smoke. Plants were often sage and rosemary.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, people burned rosemary in their homes to protect from bubonic plague and other cviruses in the air. Into the 20th century, French doctors recommended burning rosemary and thyme in sickrooms and hospitals to purify the air.

They also recommended herbal smoking mixtures to address respiratory problems.

These herbal blends would be burned on charcoal or thrown into a heating or cooking fire to fill the space and be inhaled.

These notes were nspired by this post https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/smoke-cleansing

Cleansing your home:

It is good to have your home clear of clutter you don’t want - loved clutter is beautiful, clear of dust, ready to be reset.

Allow yourself to be present, clear minded and open to the act you are beginning.

Start from the furthest from your front door, the top room if you have more than one floor.

Carry your wand, a lighter / candle if possible, and something to catch any stray embers if you need to (a shell, tray, banana leaf, bowl) (I have wooden floors so just let the ash and embers fly!

Begin in this farthest room, take the wand to the dark corners, walk around the whole room, allowing the smoke to billow, or using a feather / leaf tool to guide the smoke. There may be l=places you feel to spend more time to allow the smoke to weave through and clear.

As you come to the front of the home, open the front door and walk to guide the smoke out of the front door, around the doorframe and close. If you live in a flat you can stop there, or you may want to go all the way to the entrance.

Sometimes it is just a room you feel to smudge, and thats great too.

Cleansing yourself:

I like to walk in a circle around my spot to clear the space before myself, as I create clear space around my physical and spiritual being I want to space around me to be clear.

Allow yourself to be present, clear minded and open to the act you are beginning.

You can set and intention, something to call in, a feeling or desire, or something to clear, or simply clearing the space of negative energy and spirit.

Use a feather or leaf tool to guide the smoke towards yourself, starting from your crown (above your head), work slowly down the body, you might want to consider the chakra points as you do this. You can guide the smoke around your body, towards the back of the body.

Once you come to the feet, you want to lift one foot at a time and guide the smoke under the feet.

If someone can do this for you it can be a beautiful experience to give and receive this ritual.