Smudge Sticks!

Smudge sticks are considered a staple by people of many different spiritual paths. While Sage smudge sticks are often considered more traditional, there are lots of lovely options out there that include other herbs. Smudge sticks are used to cleanse and purify an area, as well as lending their lovely aroma.

I recently had the opportunity to use two smudge sticks made by “New Age Imports,” a California based company, and both smudge sticks are labeled as made in the USA. They smelled lovely, even through the packaging, and even better once they were opened.

These are quite large smudge sticks, both were just over nine inches long and around an inch and a half in diameter. They are bound very well, not too tight, so that they still burn nicely, but not so loose that the string is falling off.

As you can see, the herbs were still green in color, though definitely dried, leaving them pliable and not crumbly at all. There were a few loose bits that fell off the Lavender bundle when I first took it out of the packaging, but not much at all, and once I started using it I didn't have trouble with pieces falling off.

These smudge sticks smell just as amazing once lit, and produced a nice amount of smoke, as I tried to capture here in this picture! I had no problems keeping it smoldering as I was working with the smudge sticks. 

It is a good idea to use a dish or other fireproof container to catch any ash or cinders anytime you are smudging somewhere that a stray spark could cause a fire hazard.

I also pulled some of the leaves out, and burnt them loose, which worked out nicely. I did have to relight them a few times, but they could easily be sprinkled over a charcoal disk or onto a fire!

 

I like letting mine go out on their own, so I set them over a dish and they continued to burn for several minutes. Before I lit them again, I just used my fingers to crumble some of the excess ash off the tip, and had no problems relighting them.  You can also extinguish your smudge stick by pressing it into a bowl of sand (be sure to shake the sand out before reusing!) or by pressing it against a stone or other hard, fireproof surface.

The aroma of the smudge filled my house and was noticeable for several hours! Both my husband and son enjoyed the scent, and I loved how it made the house smell and feel clean and fresh.

 If you have never tried a smudge stick before, I highly recommend giving these a go!   Not only can they be used around the house, they are wonderful for using before a ritual.  We smudged everyone at the start of our recent Day of the Dead ritual.  It is a wonderful method for cleansing people before they enter circle.  Many people like to smudge their magical tools regularly as well.

Whether your are smudging a person, a place or an object, you simply light your smudge stick so that it is smoldering nicely then fan the smoke over the thing you are cleansing.  You can use your hand, a fan or a feather to direct the smoke where you want it to go. 

I got my smudge sticks from my local store, Green Earth Stones I love going in there, the owner Kathryn is very friendly and always willing to help. I highly recommend anyone in the Bowling Green Kentucky area stop by and check it out, there are often events and classes held right in the shop.  To find out what events are happening or to see newly released items, be sure to follow them on their Facebook page.  If you aren't in the area, you can also order from the Green Earth website, which has a great variety of products.  

These are the specific smudge sticks I used.  Mugwort JUMBO (Black Sage) Smudge stick and Lavender Smudge stick JUMBO