Beliefs that burning sage clears out spiritual impurities, pathogens, and even insects have been fundamental to the practice. A tea from the roots is traditional among the Cahuilla women for healing and strength after childbirth. If you have an established white sage plant that’s at least a couple years old, you can opt to take a young cutting and try to coax it to take root. the main thing we’ve discovered, after trying everything it seems, is surface-sow on sand and keep in the light.

While in modern times, black sage is spreading northward and taking over the habitats where white sage once grew, it is not used in precisely the same way. Smudging refers to a specific cultural and spiritual practice, but smoke cleansing offers an alternative to smudging for folks who aren't Indigenous. With the Align II, ventilation appears to have been improved (well, I didn't have an issue with it), and it now features the added safety of Mips.Leaves are thickly covered in hairs that trigger oil glands; when rubbed oils and resins are released, producing a strong aroma. White sage has become particularly popular with those who practice witchcraft or witchcraft-inspired wellness rituals. Gently tap the cutting against the side of the container to knock off any excess, then place it into your prepared pot.

White Sage ( Salvia apiana) is a plant native to high desert ecosystems and grows prevalently in California and in the Mountain West.I have an older plant in a deep paper pot and it does pretty well against the house on the southern side during the rainy months. If its an apartment-type situation, which is what a lot of people mean by “indoors,” then you can limp along with a T-5 grow light, fans to circulate the air, and plants in gallon pots or larger. It is a good distinction to make, especially because some people like to play with fire and some people would rather not. It’s exploitative and amounts to silencing Native voices and erasing our cultural heritage,” Hopkins says.

So if you have children or others present and feel comfortable, invite them in the process if they want to be involved, it takes less time when more people sage, especially if the property is large. The past few years have certainly left many folks with the desire to rid their homes of negative energy. White sage the ideal plant if you’re doing xeriscaping because it doesn’t need much water and it looks great next to broadleaf desert plants such as aloe and yucca. For Hopkins, the appropriation of white sage is made worse because the plant is often not being harvested correctly.Choose a spot on the southern exposure of your house, underneath the eaves, and make a sand bed there and plant the white sage starts in that. When planting your seeds in the spring, it’s easiest to start white sage in seed starting trays or pots rather than direct-seeding it. Once you reach the top come back down with the twine pointed in the opposite angle, so that you form x’s with the twine. If you have worsening conditions from any of these pests, you can opt to use an insecticidal soap with neem oil blended into it and coat all surfaces of the plant. First, for a total cleansing, open all doors and windows of space to be cleared, providing an exit point for old energies.