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Leah Russell2 min

Using a Smudge Stick: The Do’s and Don’ts

November 14, 2019

By Liz Roberta

New to smudging? Make the most of this ancient calming practice with these practical tips from Liz Roberta, the Millennial Manifestor.

Whether you already use a smudge stick or not, this Native American tradition of burning sacred herbs such as sage can work wonders for your mood and manifesting by clearing out old energy that’s lingering in your home. Here are some practical tips to help you get the best results from your smudge stick.

DO: Use it to cleanse your crystals

A lit smudge stick is one way you can cleanse your crystals to keep them vibrating at a high energetic frequency. As crystals are natural amplifiers, they can start to radiate lower vibration energy if they aren’t regularly cleansed. Hold the smudge stick near your crystals (not touching) and set the intention that the smoke is purifying the energy from your crystals.

DO: Open the windows afterwards

After a smudging session I like to open up all of my windows so that the old air I’ve just cleansed has the opportunity to leave my home for good. This allows fresh new air to come in and make the room feel even lighter while releasing any leftover smoke.

DO: Use the same stick more than once

When I first started smudging I was really surprised at how little of the stick I actually burnt through during a single session. How much you use will vary depending on the size of your home, but you’ll easily be able to use the same smudge stick for multiple different uses. When you’ve finished, make sure that there are no embers still burning and store it away for you to use again another time.

DON'T: Wave it near a smoke detector

This can be really easy to forget if you’re not careful! Notice where the smoke detectors are in your home and don’t stay near there for too long with your smudge stick. I prefer to quickly walk under them rather than putting the smudge stick out completely, and then just focus more on the rooms where there isn’t a risk of setting off the fire alarm.

DON'T: Forget to take an ashtray

And a lighter! Smudge sticks burn down with a slow ember rather than a lit flame, so you will need to keep relighting it once you notice that it isn’t letting off any smoke. As the leaves burn they will also create ash so carry an ashtray or something similar with you in the opposite hand to keep your carpets clean and ash-free.

DON'T: Pay over the odds

The prices that you can pay for a smudge stick vary wildly. Many of the high-priced options simply have a small crystal tied to the string or are imported from another country. Make sure to shop around so that you don’t pay over the odds because any smudge sticks with the genuine leaves will all have the same effect anyway.

Happy smudging!