On my journey to finding all the natural ways the earth has provided us for wellness and self-healing, Sage has been my absolute FAV herb to work with! The benefits to sage burning and sage in general is crazy good and honestly more beneficial and effective than most people may know. I have studied the practice of sage smudging for more than a few years now and I have become so fond of it I even took on the hobby of making and perfecting my own bundles of joy. I use the smudging method daily and I must say it never falls short of being able to manage my anxiety levels with ease!
What is Sage and Sage Smudging?
Sage is a Herb that is native to the Mediterranean Region. It was used originally by the Native Americans in rituals including smudging (a practice of burning medicinal or sacred plants). And was used to than cleanse, purify, bless, heal and rid negative emotions, energies and spirits from you and your surroundings through the herbs sacred smoke.
Smudging has been preformed for over 4,000 years for medical, cultural and spiritual purposes. Smudging is an art that includes taking the leaf of the sage which is where all the medical properties are found, and wrapping the damp leaves together to form a bundle. After the bundles are created they are hung upside down for about 7-10 days until the leaves are fully dried. Once dried, the sage bundles are burned to release it’s sacred smoke into the air.
Burning sage has multiple healing benefits, not only does it trigger the Central nervous system to calm Anxiety, depression and stress. Sage is also know to release negative ions into the air when burned that can help fight against things such as dust, bacteria and pollen. Sage is also known to be used in different food recipes as well such as soups and pasta’s. There are also some great sage based teas out there as well and I absolutely LOVE a good tea!
This herb certainly has a multi-purpose use. There are many ways that sage and it’s healing powers can be incorporated in our everyday lives to achieve that total balance of mind, body and spiritual healing.
The Different Kinds of Sage
Believe it or not there are over 900 species of sage found in the world today! Unfortunately we are not going to be covering each specie, simply because there is just enough time or space in this article to do so. But I am going to cover the best sages to smudge with, that has worked best at keeping my mental calm and helps me fight through my everyday anxiety struggles.
White Sage
This Herb is the most commonly used sage. Not only can you find this sage in bundle form, white sage is what you will find mixed up in a pretty pitcher of Tea and in lots of different food recipes as well!
This Herb is typically used to cleanse a person or a space of negative feelings, emotions or energies. This Herb is also known to improve and brighten your overall mood.
Smudging with white sage has also been known to reduce inflammation in your nose and chest with its smoke. Making it great for allergies or a bad case of sinuses. Inhaling just a little of the smoke once the bundle is burned can help open up your airways Naturally.
White sage is also known to be an antibacterial herb, It has actually been proven to reduce the bacteria that floats in our air when it is burned. Allowing the smoke to seep out and kill all the yucky germs we breathe in daily. Which is a reason why smudging is a GREAT alternative method to detoxifying your air.
All that bacteria that hangs out in the air that we breathe in all day long most certainly plays a major role in our overall wellness. So being able to not only relax your anxiety while burning this lovely herb but working as an air purifier at the same time is definitely a win win.
This Herb can also be used and burned as a floral sage bundle. Floral Sage is wrapped in dried flowers and other herbs such as roses and lavender. This usage of sage is used as a way to incorporate positivity and self-love within your bundles. Floral sage is ABSOULTY gorgeous and not to mention the smell of the burning lavender and floral petals are almost too much to handle!
Palo Santo
Palo Santo is a unique bundle, this particular sage is made from the wood of a Bursera Graveoleons tree. The term Palo Santo when translated means ” Holy Wood.”
This Sage is a tad different from your normal bundle. The Palo Santo is a piece of wood that when burned has the most heavenly aroma. So heavenly in fact the scent itself has been known to reduce the feeling of anxiety almost instantly. The reason that happens is certain scents will trigger a reaction to our brains that send signals to our bodies that controls our emotions. Which explains why something so simple as a smell can send us so quickly into a space of serenity.
The healing properties that come from the Palo Santo sage is quite impressive for a piece of wood. It is known to enhance clarity and concentration, relieves symptoms that come from our troubling asthma, reduces headaches and relieves some pain from inflammation as well.
This small piece of “Holy Wood” has definitely proven itself to be a MUST GRAB for your next natural anxiety reliever!
In Conclusion
Rather you use sage in a nice cold glass of tea, sprinkled in your favorite dinner dish or simply wrapped up and burned to smudge away all that unwanted anxiety, stress and negativity of the world we spend so much time in. This is definitely your go to herb.
For any question you may have please feel free to leave a comment below tell me some of your favorite bundles and the methods you use for your sage!
