BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Wicca Purification and cleansing techniques

Hi all <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I noticed that in another forum Wendy talked about a sage smudge bowl - and I was wondering if anyone here could tell me how to make one, and if there were any other good ways to cleanse a house of negative energy, and how often this would be necessary? I use incense a lot, crystals washed in water, salt and so on... but I'm not really very well informed about the subject in general <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Any tips, pointers would be most appreciated <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thank you! - Jane <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

saltwater is a good all around cleansing. Since I am sort of allergic to most incense or smudge sticks I sometimes use a bundle of fresh sage to sprinkle the saltwater around the area I want cleansed - including myself if thats what I am trying to do, like before ritual.

Or you can also soak fresh sage or add a few drops of sage oil to clean water before adding the salt to get the same properties.

sage can be burned in any heat proof container but many people use an abalone shell. One inexpensive way to do it is to get a terracotta saucer like you would put under a potted plant. Put a layer of sand or dirt in the bottom to help absorb some of the heat and use that as a smudge bowl. You can even paint the outside of the saucer to make it more beautiful.

Thank you so much Fiona - that's really helpful <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'll have a go at that tomorrow - but if I can't find fresh sage, it'll have to be dried <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. I've been burning bay leaves a lot for mental clarity recently - they smell lovely !

I'm really grateful for your help - thank you <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Jane

No problem!

rosemary is good for purification as well, and may be easier to find.

Most any metaphysical type shop should havve sage, and the sage in particular used for cleansing by many Native Americans is called White Sage.
You can also probably finnd it online. A good place to try out is www.wanderingbull.com I get alot of my regalia building pieces there.

One time in a pinch I needed to do a cleansing and I had NOTHING... SO I sang! And I sang LOUD!

Worked marvelously LOL!

I usually like to use sage though. It smells SOOOOO yummy! I love incense too! Especially Lavender and Rosemary.

This is going to sound dumb...

But why are sage and rosemary supposed to be good for cleansing? I would have thought that just clear water, possibly salt, adn clear crystals (all being clear and therefore clean themselves) would be purifying.

But I don't understand why making smoke of anything helps to cleanse. Smoke tends to make me think of soot which is dirty.

<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Bad spirits don't like the smell of sage. However, they love sweetgrass, so if you burn sweetgrass, you have to burn sage first to make sure the bad spirits have gone away.

I've used salt, water and crystals too, and they all seem to work equally well. I guess it just depends on what I'm in the mood for <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Is there a specific tradition that you can equate that rule to? Or someplace that can be referenced? I've never heard anyone say that before and I'm sure there are folks who would dispute it.

In my research and experience with native culture, ie the abenaki of northern new england, sage and tobacco are burned to cleanse and clean and also to carry prayers up to the creator...hence why smoking is so sacred, it takes a part of you with the prayer up to creator. then cedar or sweet grass are burned to call in protective spirits.
If you ever go to a pow wow, youll hear the mc call for the dancers to get 'smudged' and there will be a long line of them all in their regalia, there will be the fire keeper often with a large abalone shell full of smoking sage to cleanse the dancers before they go in to dance for the spirits, ancestors and creator

I've seen in in several books whihc are upstairs in my library....i will look later and get back to you with names and authors.