Sacred smoke helps us clear our space energetically–

cleanse to see what is really there.

burn to have room to rebuild.

 

Smoke in many forms has been an ally for for me as these themes swirled through my 2016/2017. After experimenting with my own mugwort and sweetgum bundles made from Prospect Park, I've become interested in exploring the history of smoke as ritual. This cleansing is much more than figurative. Scientific studies confirm ancient wisdom: smoke of antimicrobial plants can kill airborne bacteria and even some viruses. As this practice has come into vogue again, it is so important that we use the plants that grow abundantly. While white sage (a sacred plant to indigenous communities) is popular, its popularity has actually lead to it's endangerment. 

I gathered the herbs used in these smoke wants locally, through farmers markets, ethical wildcrafters and even my corner bodega. They included lavender, rose, rosemary, thuja, juniper, fir, pine, and artemisia, all tied with a bit of linen. I offered these to clients and at local markets during the 2017 holiday season. I recently learned the word "smudge" comes from colonial description of native practices, not a translation of any word traditionally tied with the practice. It is therefore disrespectful to the sacred practice of smoke clearing (which exists in almost every culture) and  inaccurate, so I've discontinued the use of the word.