How Can Smudging Help Empaths?

How Can Smudging Help Empaths?
by Diane Kathrine

You may have heard of the term smudging but not quite sure what it meant, so what is smudging and how can it help those of us who are Empaths?

Basically, smudging is the practice of burning of herbs and using the smoke to remove negative energy from people, places or objects. For the Empath, smudging can be a great tool. It is a quick and easy method to help remove negative energies picked up when being out and about in ‘peopled places’ or just to clear one’s energy field.

Smudging has been used for centuries all over the world. Today it is mainly associated with Native North Americans who use it in their healing ceremonies. However, many other countries burn herbs for cleansing: In India they use incense, in Chinese acupuncture Mugwort is used, in Africa varied herbs are burnt, even the Christian Church burn herbs in their ceremonies. And although many of these actions have become ritualized, their basis stemmed from using smoke to remove negative energy.

There are numerous herbs that can be used for smudging, sage being the most common, but cedar, lavender, sweetgrass, mugwort and ladies’ bedstraw are also popular herbs used.

The most popular ways of smudging is by using a smudge stick, a bundle of herbs usually bound by string, or incense sticks.

It is important to find a smoke aroma that you like. If you don’t like the smell of the smudge or incense it can make you feel heady or nauseous.

Being a yogi, I tend to use the smoke from incense to smudge; my favorite being Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa. When used in conjunction with my yoga practice, I can feel a real lightness in my energy field from the musky wood-scented smoke (although I’m not too keen on the scent it leaves in my hair).

How to Smudge

To cleanse yourself of negative energy, using incense or a smudge stick, start at the feet and work up over the head, front, back and sides of the body, under the arms and feet.

To cleanse a room of negative or residual energy: waft the smoke from the incense or smudge stick from the floor up to the ceiling and into all corners of the room (remember it is smoke so it can set off smoke alarms). You will normally feel a shift in the energy when the room is sufficiently cleansed.

To cleanse objects, such as crystals, simply hold the object in the herb smoke until you feel the negative energy has been removed.

Make sure smudge or incense is not still burning before leaving it. As the old saying goes: never leave burning things unattended.

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About the Author: Diane at Just Be is an Empath and has spent the past 15 to 20 years ('since waking up') researching and learning ways to make life as an Empath easier. She has discovered many ways for the Empath to stay healthy and in balance and shares her findings on her blog.Articles written by Just Be were published on Awakening People with the author's explicit written permission.