Basic Smudging Ritual

Smudging is a traditional way to clear the energy of your space.  It started as a Native American ritual, but is now used by many other spiritual practitioners as well.

The most basic supply is a sage smudge stick.  A small one will cleanse a large area and can be reused multiple times until it burns away.

Start at the front door of the building, if single story, and move in a large clockwise circle around the first room, then continue until all rooms on that floor are done, working in a clockwise circle from the entry doors.  On multilevel buildings, start on the bottom floor, perhaps the basement, and work up.  Get all the dust bunnies (and bad energy) on the main level at the front door then sweep them out.

A smudge fan or feather is useful for moving the smoke from the smudge into all the nooks, crannies, closets, and corners.  Sage tends to smolder more than burn, so I carry a white candle around to relight the sage, as well as to introduce white light into all the areas.  Be careful around combustibles, though!

After you clean the energy with the sage, you should bless the area.  You can do this with sweetgrass, or any of our Moon Magick incenses or sprays.  Divine Love is an excellent choice, as is Hearth, Peace, or Protection.  To do the blessing, repeat the pattern, bottom to top, introducing the smoke or the spray into all your spaces, and finishing at the front door.

You do not have to say anything specific as you do this, but you may certainly cleanse and bless the areas by the power of the deities with whom you work, by the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, or by the energies of the directions, calling each as you work in their direction.  Don't forget energies of above and below.  A sample would be, "I cleanse and bless this area by the Powers of the East," and so on around the building.  Be sure to say thank you to any powers you have enlisted after the working.

It is useful to seal all entries with Protection Oil or salt water.  Trace a pentagram, cross, or other protective symbol on each window, the exterior doors, and hearths or fireplace surrounds if you have them.  This helps keep the bad energy from coming back in.

Like sweeping and mopping, this is not a one and done situation.  You have to repeat it from time to time.  Once a month is a good minimum, but it can be done more often if you feel the energy getting dark and heavy again, or after a problem guest leaves.  Summer and winter solstices and spring and fall equinoxes are also good times to do this.

Be sure you start with the house literally clean.  Sweep and mop, dust, and get the dirty dishes and laundry taken care of.  Make sure pets, especially birds, and children or those sensitive to smoke are in a safe place.  If you have birds, sensitive people, or cannot use fire for some reason (Looking at you, apartment managers), you can also do this with sprays.  Go around the house as above with the Energy Cleansing Spray first, then follow with Home Blessing, Protection, or an Archangel spray.

It is important to practice energetic hygiene for your space as well as for yourself.   Smudging can clean out stagnant, dull energy, as well as that from unpleasant emotions, trying situations, and energy vampires.  Do it at least once a month, or more often as needed.  It can help perk up your space, calm the people and animals who live there, and generally make things lighter, fresher, and more relaxing.

Don't use sage to get rid of ghosts.  The results are often poor.  Check out the Cleansing and Purification Ritual for a more in-depth way to clean, or, instead of sage, do the same things, but use our Banishing Incense.  It is designed for just this situation.

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