When space clearing or energy clearing the SMUDGE FAN is used to direct the smudge smoke of burning white sage, herbs or incense. Space clearing is used to transmute or neutralise that “yucky” energy we can all feel or sense in our environment or around our body to support and nourish our soul. Many people call it “Smudging”.

“Smudging” is the name given to the powerful technique from the Native American tradition. The burning of herbs for emotional, psychic and spiritual purification is a common practice among many healing, religious and spiritual traditions. It is a practice that has been used for years in many cultures around the world in ceremonies to purify, cleanse places, people and objects of negative energies.

Smudging can be used in many ways:-

For rituals, ceremonies, before meditation.Cleansing your body and home, particularly when you are feeling angry, had a fight with someone, been around negative people, depressed or you are just not feeling your usual self.Used to cleanse CrystalsUsed to cleanse objects.Used to cleanse animals.

Products/herbs used for Smudging:-

Dried herbs Resins

Incense Sage

Sweetgrass Rosemary

Frankincense resin Lavender

Rose flowers and petals and many other products/herbs …

HOW TO SMUDGE

There are many different ways of doing this ritual. The following is a basic ritual to get you started.

Tools needed

Herbs – loose leaves or smudge stick

Feather fan

Shell (or dish) to hold herbs

Matches/candle

(Representing the four Elements - the herbs for Earth, feathers for Air, matches/candle for Fire and shell for Water)

Smudging yourself

Say a prayer or intention before starting. Using a small amount of loose leaves or your smudge stick, light the leaves or smudge stick with your candle/flame and let it burn until it is burning well, creating a smoke. Using your feather fan gently fan the smoke onto your body starting at the top of the body and moving in a back and forth motion down the body to the feet. Get the back of your body as well by turning into the smoke and working your way down to your feet. It is important to get smoke under armpits and bottoms of feet as well. If using the shell method you can place the shell on the ground and stand over the smoke, letting it waft over you.

Smudging your Home

Open up some windows around your house for the smoke to filter out. Once you have your smudge stick/herbs ready, start at the front door and say a prayer or intention and work your way around the house clockwise, wafting with your feather fan the smoke into the room, paying particular attention to the corners of the room and opening all wardrobes. Work your way around the inside of your house until you are back at the front door. You may like to return the ashes (when cold) to the earth. You are now complete.

Examples of Some Prayers/Intentions

Smoke of air and fire of earth, cleanse and bless this home and hearth.

Drive away all harm and fear; only good may enter here.

May your hands be cleansed, that they create beautiful things,

May your feet be cleansed, that they might take you where you most need to be,

May your heart be cleansed, that you might hear its messages clearly,

May your throat be cleansed, that you might speak rightly when words are needed,

May your eyes be cleansed, that you might see the signs and wonders of this world,

May this person and space be washed clean by the smoke of these fragrant plants,

And may that same smoke carry our prayers.

Into this sage smoke, I release all negativity that surrounds me,

I release all fears that hold me back, I release all energies that do not serve me. So it is.

Every house where love abides and friendship is a guest,

Is surely home and home sweet home for there the heart can rest.

Bless this home and make it pure, release all negativity – let it be gone

Positive energy will endure,

love, light and happy living, on …. And on

Below is a link for you to CLICK on which will take you to a video that I have made on "Basic Steps to Smudging"

For more ideas and information on smudging I suggest you have a look on the internet and find the way that resonates best with you.

Charlie Chaplin wrote these beautiful words on16th April 1959 on his 70th birthday. I absolutely love his wisdom so I am sharing this with you today.

Self love is so important but so often we put ourselves last. We need to remember that WE ARE IMPORTANT too and unless we look after ourselves properly we won't be able to give our best to others. As Eleanor Brownn says "You cannot serve from an empty vessel". When we are always giving, giving, giving it can create feelings of frustration and anger leaving us depleted which is not good for our health. Know that it is ok to say "NO". So look after yourself and make sure that you put aside time to pamper and nourish yourself on a regualar basis. SELF CARE IS IMPORTANT. Julia x

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is "AUTHENTICITY".

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody as I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it "RESPECT".

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it "Maturity".

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm. Today I call it "SELF-CONFIDENCE".

As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it "SIMPLICITY".

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health - food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is "LOVE OF ONESELF".

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is "MODESTY".

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it "FULFILLMENT".

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But as I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this connection "WISDOM OF THE HEART".

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born. Today I know THAT IS "LIFE"!