Keep in mind that burning sage creates smoke and breathing in smoke carries some possible risks. While it is generally safe to practice around children and pets, be aware of any possible respiratory conditions they might have. Wait until the smoke clears before allowing others to enter the room. Although researchers haven’t studied burning sage specifically, experts from WebMD reports burning incense has been linked to lung problems and allergies. But as long as you burn sage for only short periods of time, it’s unlikely to cause any problems. “If you have allergies or respiratory concerns that smoke might exacerbate, then it would be advisable to consult your doctor first,” Brindle cautions. Although scant hard evidence supports burning sage as a means to better health, Brindle says: “It’s certainly becoming increasingly popular as a way to boost mood, relieve stress, and even improve sleep.” Colleen McCann is a big proponent of something called “spiritual hygiene.” She’s an energy practitioner, a shaman who specializes in clearing energy at home, mainly inside of closets, a space she knows well after working for many years as a fashion stylist. “I pass on sage or Palo Santo with every business card I hand out,” McCann says. “We take care of our bodies with exercise, good diets, and skin care, so why wouldn't we take care of our energetic body as well?” That’s where the aforementioned spiritual hygiene comes in. One good way to clear and clean out bad energy is by burning sage, or in some cases, spraying it. As with a lot of holistic healing methods that have gone mass in recent years, sage is a common household tool. But many burners don’t exactly know what they’re doing with it, or what it’s really doing for them and their space. Burning sage can give you a positive environment for meditation or other rituals. “Before the burning sage ritual, it is helpful to take a few deep, mindful breaths and set an intention of what you want to release from your life or even what you would like to attract into your life,” says Brindle. 3. Prep your surroundings

Smudging is a specific practice by natives and is deeply tied to spiritual ceremonies and customs. Cleansing, on the other hand, is simply the act of burning plant matter so that its smoke may benefit the space. According to one estimate , we will meet 10,000 (and possibly more) people in our lifetime. That’s a lot of people, and we humans emit energies- good and evil. Certain people radiate positive energy and others negative energy. These vibes can become infectious. Today, the smoke from white sage is most commonly used to cleanse you and your home of negative and stagnant energy - it’s like an energetic shower. Candle/ Matches - Either work but I prefer a natural candle to help achieve a healthy flame and a good amount of smoke to begin your sage ritual.

How does burning sage work?

Gutiérrez SLG, et al. (2014). Medicinal plants for the treatment of “nervios”, anxiety, and depression in Mexican traditional medicine.

Take the tallest, most mature stems, and leave the rest. Be careful not to shake away too many of the seeds and flowers. Use scissors or a knife to trim the stem as close to the ground as possible. [4] X Research source Sage has been used since ancient Egyptians and Romans to treat digestive issues, memory problems, and sore throats. Other benefits of burning sage include imparting wisdom and clarity and increasing spiritual awareness. According to Brindle, a burning sage ritual can be performed at any time, especially when you want an ‘energy reset.’ Burning white sage is a ritual that has been used for centuries throughout many cultures for use during religious and spiritual practices. The process of using medicinal smoke to cleanse an area is known as “smudging” or “cleansing.” It simply refers to the art of burning certain plants to create aromatic smoke. Popular plants for smudging include sage, lavender, sweetgrass and cedar. Traditionally, different herbs have been used for different purposes. Sage, for instance, is considered both healing and cleansing, while lavender has been used to guard against evil.While cleansing with white sage is ideal for clearing the air on an energetic level, it also has a few other practical uses. It releases negative ions that fight against things like dust and pollution. Research has also shown that it can clear 94% of bacteria (for up to 24hrs) which is why it’s great to use when you’ve not been feeling well. This shows that the smoke of this plant has been used to heal and purify energy ever since it was first named. Energetic and Emotional Benefits

Lopresti AL, et al. (2017). Salvia (Sage): A review of its potential cognitive-enhancing and protective effects. So, when you are using sage to purify the energy in your home, you should say that you're cleansing, not smudging. Want to learn more about energetic cleansing? Then you’ll love our New Cleansing Smoke E-Book Details Pandey AK, et al. (2017). The genus Artemisia: A 2012-2017 literature review on chemical composition,antimicrobial, insecticidal and antioxidant activities of essential oils.

You can leave your shell directly on the table but they include a wooden cobra stand to elevate your abalone shell. Cobra stands are three legs carved from a single piece of wood so that they are all interlinking. I don’t do woodcarving, but that sounds really difficult to me. The stand can fold closed or open up to hold your shell burner. In skincare, sage is widely known for strengthening damaged skin barrier s and clary sage extract (sclareolide). It’s proven to soothe, calm and repair weakened skin and improve its tolerance. Clary sage is the key ingredient in the Clarins Calm-Essential range . Genuine white sage has the botanical name salvia apiana , also known as California white sage, sacred sage, and bee sage. This sage is usually silvery-white in appearance and colour and can vary from light green, to lavender, to grey depending on the season and amount of rain. The wonderful aroma of salvia apiana smells earthy, minty, and herbaceous. Remember that the intention and cultivation of this product are just as important as buying organic food.”

If you or someone you’re buying for can’t be around smoke whether for health reasons like asthma (see the CDC’s guidelines on asthma and second-hand smoke) or simply personal preference, that doesn’t mean they still can’t benefit from smudging. This kit by Sage My Nest is a complete set of white sage wand-style bundle, abalone shell burner, and wooden cobra stand, but it also includes a sage and lavender essential oil room spray. Every human aura contains positive ions, but that does not necessarily mean positive energy. Positive ions behave like dust and influence our behaviour; our daily life can dictate our future. Burning sage gives off negative ions that neutralise the positive ions. Its name comes from the Latin words salvere (meaning “to heal”) and salus (meaning “salvation” or “well-being”). Finally, you'll want to have a flame to ignite the sage. Keep a candle handy so that you can light and relight the sage throughout the process without using a temporary flame such as a lighter or match. Setting Intentions Imported directly from a responsible and ethical specialist white sage producer in California, USA.Use sustainable wild-crafting practices. Never pull wild sage up by the root, and do not harvest the entire patch. Indigenous peoples believe that the most respectful way to harvest sage is to take only a few leaves at a time. [3] X Research source In its modern appeal, burning sage has been widely used as part of one’s self-care practice to purge oneself, their space, and their surroundings of negativity, including bad experiences, negative energies from people or past traumas. In addition, many experts recommend burning sage for relaxation, focus, and combating daily stress, frustrations, and anxiety.