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Many older, traditional home practices have become more accepted in recent years. For example, the ancient art of smudging has seen an upswing in popularity with people interested in more ancient religious ceremonial ideas. If you're interested in blessing your home before or after a move, you may find smudging makes your house feel more welcoming.

What Is Smudging?

Smudging is a traditional ceremony designed to help clear the soul of negative thoughts or ideas associated with a specific place or person. This traditional Native American concept has become popular in recent years to clear a room or home's energy. Even if you don't believe in the process literally, the smudging ceremony is a calming and soothing one.

Even better, the process involves burning calming herbs or minerals, which can also soothe your mind and minimize anxiety. People can smudge in many environments, including smudging specific rooms or people. They can even smudge themselves, removing negative thoughts and ideas about themselves and their home.

Common Smudging Materials

Smudging requires a handful of simple materials that help direct this process. First, you need a small container, traditionally a shell. The shell represents water, the first element. You then choose the four sacred plants, cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and tobacco, representing the second element. Next, you'll need matches or a lighter to light the flame, representing the third element. The smoke caused by burning represents the fourth element.

Place your shell in a small clay bowl with a fire-proof element. Place the smudging stick inside of this shell and light it on fire. Always use this shell for smudging, as it helps keep the traditional element in place while burning. Most people who smudge also include a bowl of sand to safely put out the smudging stick when finished.

How to Smudge Your Home Safely

You may smudge your home whenever you like, including when moving in or out of a house or when something negative affects your life or your home. Place your smudge stick in your shell and follow these steps to smudge your home safely:

1. Meditate for five minutes to calm your mind and heart
2. Contemplate your wish for your space and family
3. Clear the area where you plan on smudging
4. Invite anyone else to join in the ceremony
5. Stand at your home's front door and light the smudge stick
6. Move through the house carefully, walking clockwise around its perimeter
7. Let the smoke drift into closets, basements, and other hidden spots as you walk
8. Keep moving clockwise through your home in this way
9. Say a prayer or chant a mantra as you move through the house
10. Move through each room of your house in this way as you go
11. End at your front door and speak your final prayer and intention
12. Put out the smudge stick with sand

During this ceremony, you may also invite a second person to help direct the smoke through your home, chant prayers with you, or ring bells. The bells help add a little more harmony to the process and represent the sound of the universe and may calm you even further.

List of When to Smudge

There are many times when you may wish to smudge. Some examples include:

• Whenever you move to make your new home feel more connected and comfortable for you
• Whenever you need or want to overcome trauma, including emotional or mental trauma from a long process of any type
• To alleviate sadness, whether you know where that sadness or feeling comes from or you do not
• When you want to experience spiritual energy and a better connection to Mother Earth, the Creator, Spirits, or Ancestors
• Daily for some people, smudging your space on a daily basis can help to purify the air and help to make it easier for you to breathe.

How Often Should You Smudge?

Smudge as often as you feel the need to do so. Some people do so on a daily basis, and that can help to provide them with the relief they need. Other people do so only when they feel a shift in the energy around them.

There are no hard and fast rules that you have to follow here. Rather, you should smudge your space or yourself when it feels like you need to, which often means you feel some type of negative energy around you. If you are worried or feeling stressed, you may use that feeling as an indication that it is best for you to smudge now. Look for signs that you need to cleanse away the fear, worry, anxiety, or other negative experiences you are having.

When Is the Best Time to Smudge a House?

If you are moving into a space, consider the value of smudging before you move in. After the previous family leaves, that is the ideal time to smudge a house. This gives you enough of an opportunity to cleanse the air and feel of the home before you move all of your belongings into the space.

You can smudge your home at any time of the day and night. It is not necessary to wait for a specific time of the day to do so. Rather, it should be done when you feel it is right to do so. You can also smudge your home at any time of the year. There are no limits on when you can take this action.

In addition to this, it is also a good idea to smudge your home as things change. For example, many people find that smudging their home at the start of the seasonal changes is a good way to help them to move beyond the past and into the next season with clarity. You may also wish to do so when you are experiencing changes in those who are living in your home, such as someone moves out of your space or someone moves into it.

Many people also find benefit in smudging their home before they return from a vacation or any other period of time when they have been away. Do so before moving back into the house.

What Does Burning Sage Do to Dogs? Is It Safe?

Sage is not toxic to dogs. It is a spice that is commonly found in many cuisines. Sage even has some anti-microbial properties associated with it. If it was in your dog’s food, it would be safe for them to consume.

However, burning sage around your dog may not be desirable. Like people, smoke is dangerous for dogs, and even in smaller amounts like what is created by saging the home, there can be some risk of health complications and respiratory distress to your pet.

If you plan to smudge your home and then allow it to air out – without a continuous burn – you should have no problem with using sage when your dogs are nearby. Or, leave your dog outside of the home until you have completed the process. Then, bring them back home after completion. The key here is that you do not want them to be around sage that is burning consistently because it can create a high level of damaging smoke.

Pet Friendly Smudging Alternatives

Whenever possible, turn to an alternative product for sage instead of allowing your pet to be exposed to it. Other options are available that can help you.

Use a liquid spray version instead of burning. This is the easiest alternative for those who want to find an effective way to eliminate the negative vibes they feel without the actual use of smoking products.

Another option is to use sound vibrations. Sounds vibrate through spaces and can work to bless and purify those areas. There are various ways to do this, including using gongs, glass, crystal, and metal, for example. There are various tones that can be used, including pre-recorded sounds that work in the same way.

What Are Smudge Sprays?

Smudge sprays are an alternative option to burning sage, and for many people, they can be the ideal choice for smudging the home. They are smokeless, which means they can create the same effects without creating a smoky smell in that space. It takes just a few sprays of these products to provide the same type of cleansing and protection desired. This can be a way to clear energies. Choosing these products may be a good alternative for those who do not want to use burning sage due to respiratory issues or because they do not want their pets exposed to it.

Different Smudging Herbs With Meanings

You may smudge your home using many herbs to create different effects. The options here vary depending on your smudging purpose. Here are a few options to try, with meanings:

• White Sage or Salvia Apiana: This popular smudging herb is a powerful option for removing negative energy. It can also provide antimicrobial benefits, including removing airborne pollutants and minimizing your allergies.
• Desert Sage or Salvia Eremostachya: Designed to help with purification, protection, mental clarity, positive energy, and healing, Desert Sage is an excellent smudging option.
• Blue Sage or Salvia Azurea: Blue Sage helps with soothing, healing, and cleansing. It produces a blueish smoke with a herbal and floral smell that should be quite pleasant and help with meditation.
• Dakota Sage/Prairie Sage or Artemisia Ludoviciana: Dakota Sage helps with cleaning and purification and can clear negative spirits, emotions, intentions, and energies from your house.

Other popular smudging options include Palo Santo (energy clearing and spiritual cleansing), Eucalyptus (decongestant, muscle relief, and concentration), Rosemary (healing and protection against physical illness), Sweetgrass (protection, love and honesty), Bay Leaves (success and abundance), and Juniper (protection, purification, and abundance).

Smoke-Free Alternatives for Smudging

If you'd rather not spread smoke in your home, here are a few smudging alternatives that may work well for you:

• Essential Oils: You may spray Palo Santo, White Sage, and other essential oils in a mist. Add these oils in a spray bottle, dilute with water and alcohol, and follow the smudging routine, spraying instead.
• Oranges: Peel oranges and squeeze the peels to release oils and energy into the air. You can also use the orange oil in a mister and spray them, as you would essential oils.
• Black Tourmaline: Place this beautiful gemstone in a small, filled water bowl. Smell deeply off its odor or collect the water and spray it in a mist.

Prayers to Say While Smudging

Here are a few simple prayers to say while smudging:

“I ask for Angels and Ascended Masters to enter my space and release negative energy into the divine light. Help me find my positive energy and peace.”

“Release any negativity, density, or attachments into the light. Help me shine with higher vibrations and guide me with a team of Angels and guides.”

“I open this space to love and enter all positive energy into my space. Come into it with nurturing energy, compassion, love, and truth.”

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