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burning sweetgrass and palo Santo

Smudging

Smudging is a commonplace practice used in healing and purification ceremonies within Indigenous communities. Burning herbs and plants such as dried sage, palo santo, cedar, or sweetgrass creates the smoke used for smudging. As a powerful cleansing spirit, the smoke is used to purify people, sacred objects, and spaces such as homes or ceremonial grounds; it can also be used as a way of sending spiritual messages. The plants and herbs burned for smudging are different based on the type of ceremony and the community.

Health Benefits:
Respiratory illness relief
Health Condition:
Cough Congestion
Method of Use:
Ceremony Burn/Smoke
Related Themes:
Ceremony

Cultural Narrative

Smudging can help the healing process by expelling negative or harmful energies and drawing in positive or supportive energies. Several community members share medicine stories using the practice of smudging. 

One community member explains the significance of smudging as a cultural artifact that helps with centering and reconnecting to a sense of self and who you are.  

Related assets

Story
Smudging
David describes the practice of smudging as a way to connect with one's self and to bring presence.
Story
Smudging
Diane shares a medicine story with the practice of smudging.
Story
Smudging
Sasha describes how she uses cedar in smudge, which she uses to cleanse a space and clear energy. She describes it as an important way to bring young people into health cultural traditions.
Story
Plants is Medicine
In describing plants as medicine, Elton describes how certain herbs can help with certain ailments prescribed by traditional healers. For example, Elton shares how eating bear root, burning or boiling sage and drinking sage, or smudging can help with coughing and congestion. However, if these herbs do not help, there may be more or something deeper happening and needs to be done, like going to ceremony.
Story
Cleansing
In describing plants as medicine, Liz describes how she uses various plants like sage, palo santo, and cedar when smudging to support cleansing and releasing.
Story
Plant is Medicine
In describing plants as medicine, Liz describes how she ingests dandelions and cinnamon to support cardiovascular health concerns and diabetes.
Story
Cedar, Tobacco, and Sweetgrass for cleansing
Miriam describes cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass and the use of smoke as cleansing practices. Connects to learning from Elders in Washington.

References

Rybak, C., & Decker-Fitts, A. (2009). Understanding Native American healing practices. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22(3), 333–342. https://doi-org.du.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/09515070903270900 

Portman, T. A. A., & Garrett, M. T. (2006). Native American Healing Traditions. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 53(4), 453–469. https://doi-org.du.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/10349120601008647 

Related community member(s)