Smudging is a process where you burn a portion of a bundle of herbs tied together with twine. It helps cleanse an area or a person, helps people relax, dispel negative vibrations, and many more natural ways of healing. These bundles of herbs are called smudge sticks. Many believe that this is just a trend, but there is a whole history of this process. To understand sage smudge sticks more, you should read the most misunderstood facts about it.
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Sage Is the Only Herb That You Can Burn
Sage is not the only herb that you can burn. Smudge sticks are made with different aromatic herbs, and it depends on what you need. However, sage is the most common herb that gets included in most bundles of herbs. Sage is associated with purity. Those who use it for smudging say that this herb has a strong and heavy presence, so you should use it if you want to do effective space cleansing.
Doors and Windows Need to Be Closed When Smudging
Smudging is usually associated with dispelling negative energy. So there is no logic behind the thought that all doors and windows have to be closed when smudging. Some say it is better to let the smoke settle in and wait for 30 minutes before opening the doors and windows. Others say that it is good to have a door or window open while smudging so the negative energy can go out from that open door or window. It depends on which of the processes you would follow, but what is important is that there is a place the negative energy will escape from.
Burning Sage Is Bad for Your Lungs
Another common misconception about sage smudge sticks is that it is terrible for your lungs. Experts say this is not true because as long as you only burn it for short periods, it will not cause any significant problems in your health.
However, if you have asthma or other problems related to your lungs, you can check in with your doctor before burning a sage stick.
You Need to Burn the Whole Stick
When you have a sage stick, you do not need to burn the whole stick. A little already goes a long way, so it is wiser to burn just a portion of a leaf every time you do smudging. Burning the whole stick will not make the effects of smudging more intense. Whether you burn a little or a whole stick, you get the same impact. The only difference is that you do not use your stick wisely if you burn it the entire way through.
Also, you help reduce the possibility of illegal harvesting of sage. Some sellers trespass in different properties to get sage to sell. If you use your sage sticks wisely, you do not contribute to the unreasonable demand that the sage stick industry needs to meet.
You Should Refrigerate Your Smudge Sticks
It is unclear where this misconception came from, but you do not need to refrigerate your smudge sticks once you receive them. They are ready for use, so you do not have to do anything else once you get it than to use it already.
There Is No Scientific Basis for Smudging
Researches already proved that sage and other herbs’ aroma increases the oxygen supply to a person’s brain. This then helps the physical relaxation of a person’s muscle tension.
Many are against smudging because they believe it must be appropriated only to Native Americans. Others claim that smudging should only be practised by certain religions or during important ceremonies. These are not true because smudging can be done by anyone as long as they have pure intentions to cleanse themselves, their spaces, objects surrounding them, and other people.