Where to buy sage to burn

You don't just go and pick without giving something back. Courchene said prior to medicine picking, she will offer tobacco to the land to give thanks for what is about to be taken.

We never over pick. And the thing about picking medicine as well, you have to be in a good place [mentally] to be able to do that. You have to talk to that medicine because it's giving up its life, while you're explaining what it is that you need it for. Courchene said she does not feel it is up to her to judge who uses and doesn't use medicines like sage, as long as they are not abusing the medicine.

He has been an associate producer with CBC Indigenous since Follow him on Twitter: Lenardmonkman1. Burning sage has hit the mainstream, but should you buy it in stores? Choosing to engage in ritual can be the beginning of your change in mindset.

You can use this incense to smudge yourself or specific spaces. Or according to some sources, you can smudge specific objects. This can be useful with new purchases, gifts, or secondhand items. However, any item can be smudged. If you have any concern with negative history or energy attached to a new or unfamiliar object, smudging may help bring peace of mind and make the object more sacred to you.

Some research supports this. A study documented white prairie sage also known as estafiate as an important traditional remedy for treating anxiety , depression , and mood disorders in certain cultures. A research project for the University of Mississippi established that white sage Salvia apiana is rich in compounds that activate certain receptors in the brain.

These receptors are responsible for elevating mood levels, reducing stress, and even alleviating pain. Smudging has been traditionally used to safeguard against negativity that could interfere with sleep.

Some research suggests that sage contains compounds that could help ease insomnia. Classic garden sage Salvia officinalis is sometimes burned like white sage. In addition to dissipating negative energy, improving mood, and strengthening intuition, smudging with sage might improve your memory and focus.

Still, more research is needed. Ridding the body, objects, and spaces of bad energy can help welcome in newer, fresher, and more positive energies. In a way, this could have an energizing effect and help with fatigue. Some sagelike species closely related to white prairie sage are also used for smudging. Many have documented antifatigue uses. For some, this may be the best of all benefits: Sage is a lovely incense with a divine aroma, pure and simple.

To support and respect the cultures that developed the practice, purchase sage from native gatherers, crafters, and artists. Before burning sage, some recommend setting intentions if smudging for spiritual, energetic, and negativity clearing purposes. Remove animals or people from the room.

This allows smoke to escape. In this instance, direct sage smoke over all surfaces and spaces in your home or living area. Be thorough. Some recommend working in a clockwise direction around your home, ending back where you started, especially for spiritual purposes.

Others recommend counterclockwise. This can include unauthorized use of another culture's dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. It's most likely to be harmful when the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive, e.

These practices keep us strong as we continue to deal with historical trauma. It represents a continuing legacy of marginalizing and punishing Native spirituality. Keene, EdD. In a post on her blog Native Appropriations , Adrienne J.

Who is benefitting from the sale of these products? Not Native peoples. Let's take a lesson from eight-grade science class: Imagine that you took a bunch of chemical compounds and put them in a jar, sealed the lid, and shook the jar. You just created a chemical reaction, but the mixture has nowhere to go; so the jar could explode, crack, or not complete its chemical reaction because of the lack of oxygen, being compressed in a small space, and essentially not being able to change.

I use this example with my clients all the time because this experiment is the same as opening the doors and windows in the space you are trying to clear. When I get called by a client to come in and clear a space and I hear them tell me they have been sageing and it seems like the paranormal activity in the house only got stronger after they saged, I immediately ask about the windows and doors. Rookie mistake! If you are just getting into working with sage you can find sage kits easily online or in your local metaphysical shop.

Abalone shells are great because of the shape, they are easy to hold when walking around the space, and they can take the heat created from the burning herbs. Remember, you are lighting something on fire so making sure you have the right container is important.