Smudging Sticks

Jordene Longfellow. Fort Albany, Ontario, Canada

 

 

Smudging sticks are of Shamanic origin and many Neo Pagan and Wiccan groups use them today.

 

These sticks are used to clear, banish and cleanse negative energies.

 

Smudging can be done to create ritual space, to cleanse person /s instead of ritual bath, to cleanse objects, also used in healing ceremonies and path working and trance states. Each bundle contains one or mix of three herbs, coloured thread is a modern application, traditionally gut or a type of grass was used to bind the bundles. The length of the bundle varies from length of hand to length of forearm.

 

Use	Herb	Cords
General purification	Sage, Lavender	Yellow or White
Offering to Deity and Plant Devas	Tobacco and Sage
Hex breaker or Banishing	Rosemary, Rue, Vetivert, Basil, Fern, Juniper, Buckthorn, Witch grass and Yarrow	Black
Healing	Eucalyptus, Fennel, Rue, Lavender, Hemp, Hops, Wintergreen, Angelica, Tobacco, Flax, Willow, Rowan, Mints, Plantain and Rosemary	Green or red

 

The herbs are gathered at dawn or sunset and tied while they are wet, each bunch is tied with 3 or sets of three cords, each cord is tied with 3 knots.

 

The herb bundles are dried away from direct sunlight and must be turned daily.

 

When dry they are kept wrapped in a skin or dark cloth.

 

As each herb is gathered, the plant Deva is contacted and an explanation of the use of the branch / leaves is explained to the plant. After a brief interval that which you need is taken, the Deva is thanked and an offering of Tobacco or Cornmeal is left at the base of the plant / tree / bush.