Smudge Stick

[dharma-girl.livejournal.com]

I took some photos of my smudge sticks this afternoon. These are made with South Dakota sage and white sage and have hemp or cotton binding.

To make these, I cut the South Dakota sage down to the stick size I wanted and put the pieces on a sushi mat. Then I put down a layer of the white sage leaves, then another layer of the South Dakota sage. Then just like rolling sushi, I rolled the mat to make the stick. It might take a while to get to the thickness you want as it all smushes down during the rolling process. To finish, I used hemp or cotton thread to wrap around or bind the stick.

Smudge sticks are burned to create sacred space or clear energy. Fan the smoke with a smudging fan or with your hands throughout a room or around your body. You can also add other herbs like dried rosemary, lavender or cedar tips. If you use fresh herbs, you will want to roll them in newspaper and let them "set" for three months in a cool, dry place.

All content and photos copyright 2008 Turtle Medicine, LLC.