The Smudging Ceremony
This is a Cleansing Ceremony. It opens most of our activities and
helps transport one into the calm focused world of spiritual gatherings.
A smudge is made by lighting a match (preferred to a lighter) to a ball
of dried plant medicines so that it smolders. The material is often held
in a shell or ceramic bowl. It is most common to use: tobacco, sage,
cedar and sweetgrass. *
*- Tobacco is used as an offering before you harvest anything from
Mother Earth. It is believed to open the door between our world and
the Spiritual World and carries our prayers to the Creator in the sky.
- Sage is believed to be a masculine plant and it reduces or
eliminates negative energy.
- Cedar offers protection and grounding. It can be placed at
entrances to a home. For extra grounding it is placed in shoes for
daily wear.
- Sweetgrass is a feminine plant that teaches kindness because it
bends without breaking. Because sweetgrass is considered to be the
hair of Mother Earth, we show respect to her by braiding it before
it is picked. In a smudge it is used to attract positive energy.*
* The smoke from these four dried medicines is pushed forward with an
Eagle Feather. When we smudge, we first cleanse our hands with the
smoke rising from the smudge bowl as if we were washing our hands. Then
we draw its smoke over our hearts, our mouths, eyes, ears, small of
back and our feet. *
*- We cleanse our heart to clean it of resentment and ill will and to
open it to compassion.
- We cleanse our mouth so that what we speak will be truthful and
honest and said in a caring manner.
- We cleanse our eyes so that they will see the Truth in the world, the
beauty of Mother Earth and the gifts of the Creator.
- We cleanse our ears so that we will clearly hear the messages of
others and understand the truth.
- We cleanse the small of our backs so that we will release anger
gathered there, open ourselves to positive energy and heal.
- We cleanse our feet so that we will walk the True Path, walker
closer to our friends and families and easily flee our enemies.*
This is what was taught me by my Navajo medicine man teacher, i hope you all enjoy it.