Cleansing Guide

Whether it's White Sage, Blue Sage, Palo Santo, Cedar or any other type of Smudge stick/bundle, use these instructions to Smudge your Home Office, car or any other personal space.

1. Start by opening a window just enough to get a very slight breeze. This will help dispel any smoke build up and will allow negative energy to leave your space.

2. Generally you should not need to untie the string from your sage for it to burn well, but if you have trouble, pulling it apart may help it burn better. (String is safe to burn, and small chunks can be burned separately). For Palo Santo, no special preparation is required to begin.

3. Begin by lighting your smudge stick for about 15-30 seconds while holding the flame to the tip of your smudge stick. Rotate it slowly to generate a nice smoldering ember. You can also gently blow on the ember in 1-second intervals to maintain it and remember to use caution.

4. It's perfectly natural and normal for any type of smudge stick to stop burning and go out within a minute or two. Just re-light as needed and understand that this is just the nature of these items. If you have a larger ember, gently blow on the smudge stick to make it last longer. (Tip: Make sure to never leave your smudge stick unattended and be mindful of any drafts or breezes - it can prolong the embers so keep a close watch.)

5. Be mindful of the ash forming on your smudge stick, you may want to use an ash tray, smudging bowl or traditionally an Abalone shell is used to hold smudge sticks before, during and after use. Tip:  When you are finished smudging, you can place your smudge stick in the shell or tray until you are ready to cleanse again. Be sure to avoid humidity when storing your smudge sticks.

6. When smudging, start in any room or area furthest from the exit. Move the smoke around the room from high to low, side to side, while making your way to the exit. Another method you can use is to begin near the exit and move clockwise or counterclockwise around the room and make your way to the exit. (Tip: Traditionally you can use a feather to waft the smoke, but that's optional and may not be included with your kit.

7. When you're ready, move on to the next area and repeat step 6. if you are smudging a person or object, you can slowly waft the smoke over the body or item from top to bottom and side to side.

One last tip: remember to always, always, always use caution!