More Smudging and Clearing Ways!

More About Smudging and Clearing!

 with Azurae Windwalker
 

We will discuss smudging which is a form of ritual cleansing using a variety of herbs and/or incense in more detail because it is so important to your healing practice.  Coming from a Native American background myself and because these herbs are so available locally in Nature, I suggest you use a mixture of sage, cedar, and lavender. (I make this and sell it. It's called Dreamtime Smudge) There are other herbs which do the same thing in other cultures such as mugwort or copal. Use those if they are your culturally accepted herbs.  However, a basic natural law of Herb Medicine is to use herbs from your own Medicine Wheel, which is a fifty mile radius of you home.  This is because the Earth energy of the plants is the same as you and your home and will be more in harmony with you.

I use the sage, cedar, lavender mixture because it works on several levels for shamanic healing and purification.  Sage Cleanses and purifies any negative energy.  Cedar purifies and offers a protective shield. Lavender is also a powerful antimicrobial, it kills germs.  It has also been noted that the lavender essence attracts the Mother Mary/White Buffalo Calf Woman energies and releases stress!  It also helps you to connect to your spiritual guidance teams. All are very beneficial to our shamanic practice.

Put your smudge mixture in a large shell, a pottery dish, or a turtle shell.  If you use a turtle shell, line the bottom with a small pot pie tin so you won’t burn the bottom.  I use a turtle shell because it is taught that herbs mixed or otherwise used from a turtle shell are more powerful.  Many traditional American Indians teach that the smudge mixture is not to be blown on just to be fanned with a feather.  If this is your philosophy, follow it.  However the cedar, sage, lavender mixture is sometimes hard to start.  So, if you use your breath to start the fire, set you intention first for cleansing, protection, peace and love.  The breath is a powerful tool for shamanic healing.  Do not use it carelessly.
 

Power Up With Earth Sun Breathing

 As you are conducting your smudging activity, use the circular breathing technique.As you noticed from a previous post, we discussed Circular Transformative Earth Sun Breathing.  This practice is the foundation of all others.  First the circular transformative breath work helps you stay in balance with the energy of the Earth and Sky thus avoiding much of the chaotic energy prevalent during these Earth Changes and the Rising Shift of Earths Ascension.   Second, circular Easrth Sun Breath Work helps you “power up” so that following the breath work, you can do more advanced practices.  How can you get to the top of the mountain with no gas?  Third, by visualizing the circle of energy flowing around your body and letting your breath and vital life  build,  a River of Life eventually opens up your higher consciousness and improves your gifts of vision and healing. So remember...... as you are conducting your smudging activity, use the circular breathing technique for a much stronger shamanic practice.

Pause now to practice your circular breathing and then proceed! Now that you have powered up, let’s work on the practice of cleansing your bedroom or other sacred space where you do meditation or healing.

  Smudging Your Space to the Seven Directions

First, you power up using circular breath and affirmation.  For this technique I power up using the affirmation “I invoke the light of the Christ within.  I am a clear and pure channel.  Light is my guide”.  The more you say this, the more you open up to be a hollow bone for Spirit’s power to work through you.  Lighting your smudge bowl of cedar, sage and lavender, you fan the fire and release a good smoke.  Then, starting at any corner of the room, you go around the room clockwise, corner to corner making a wall of smoke to clear the room of any negative energy or entity.  As you offer the smoke to each corner you say, “Any energy or entity which is not for the highest good, be gone and go to the light!”

Say this with power, focused intent and conviction.  You might see or feel a dark shadow in human or animal form or a dark blob of thought form energy.  If so, just help this energy to the light.  I imagine a doorway of bright light to the heavenly planes above my head and using my feather I help move the energy through the doorway.  This is not that big of a deal!  I’ve taught all kinds of beginners this and they all do well!  If you sense the entity is a ghost they will be released easier if you give them the opportunity to speak their peace.  Then imagine them shrinking to a size that fits your hand and send them through the Doorway of Light.  You may mention to them that friends and loved ones are waiting for them on the other side of the Doorway of Light.  

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Now after you’ve cleared the room, walk to the center of the room, holding your smudge bowl up to the ceiling and say, “I honor Father Sky”, now to the floor, “I honor Mother Earth”, and finally to your heart, “I honor the Spirit Within”.  So with this completes the Smudging Room Clearing to the Seven Directions.  Now Practice.

Liquid Smudging and Uplifting Spray

Many of us work in situations where it is not possible to use smoke.  Many nurses, counselors and teachers may find these techniques useful.  Others may have allergic reactions to the smoke.  If you are allergic to sage try using just cedar.  If that doesn't work I am now making a liquid smudge spray using Flordia water cut into a third. (otherwise its much too strong). In my recipe I use dowsed water that has been returned to it's perfect state full of life-force energy and health..  Then I add the essential oils of Cedar, Orange and Rose. It is further energized in the bottle by tiny peridot, carnelian, rose quarts and lapis crystals.  It clears the environment of non-beneficial energy and also uplifts it to a love vibration of the rose essences. It also is an olfactory cue to change your negative  patterns and return to the positive.