Why Smudge?

"Simply put, sage clears bacteria in the air. Sage smoke offers rapid delivery to the brain and efficient absorption to the body. Scientists have observed that sage can clear up to 94 percent of airborne bacteria in a space and disinfect the air. When sage is burned, it releases negative ions, which is linked to putting people into a positive mood. The Latin word for sage salvia stems form the word heal. Other qualities believed to be associated with sage when burned are giving wisdom, clarity, and increasing spiritual awareness.”  ~Colleen McCann - Vogue

How to Use

• open a window or door so the negative energy has a place to escape
• grab the sage as far from the end you are burning as possible
• hold the sage at a 45-degree angle
• light the sage and let it burn for about 20 seconds
• gently blow out the flame so that you see orange embers on one end
• start clearing your space by gently waving the smudge in the areas you want cleared
• if the smudge goes out due to being packed too tight, loosen the string to let the oxygen get in properly...this will keep your sage smoking
• if you also start to see the glow of the embers fading you can gently blow on the end that is lit but not too hard as you don't want lit ash flying off the end
• extinguish by pressing into a clay or glass dish...some douse the end with water as it will dry before the next use