Many people go to the store and buy sage bundles. But why not try and grow and make your own? This way you can also add in other herbs (like lavender and rosemary) to add to the aroma and cleansing properties. These plants grow quickly, and will need to be trimmed anyways. So what better use to put these plants than drying them to use them to cleanse your house, crystals, or anything else that might need negative energies removed!
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Another great thing about growing your own plants is that you don’t only get the aroma and cleansing power once they are burning, but also added benefits while they are alive. All you have to do after growing these plants is cut the leaves off, wrap them in a rubber band or string, and allow to fully dry in a low humidity spot.
Why not call it smudging?
This post had another option for a title: smudging plants: grow your own smudge sticks. But smoke cleansing is a much better term for an important reason: smudging is a sacred tradition for Native Americans, and other people using smudging is a cultural misappropriation. This does not mean that the sage bundles cannot be used for cleansing rituals, it just needs a different name.
Why Make a Sage Bundle?
Sage bundles are so good for cleansing and removing bad energy from the air. It can also help amplify positive energy in the air.
Read more about how to cleanse with sage here!
What I like about being able to make your own sage bundle, rather than purchasing one, is that you have more control over what goes in it. You can always try different herbs in your bundles, and see which appeals to you the most.
It’s also cheaper to just make your own than purchase one! Especially if you’re already growing herbs in your garden. This way you can have them to flavor your food as well as bundle with sage.
Herbs For Sage Sticks
Sage – The Most Important
Sage is the most common plant used for smoke bundling. Typical smudging sticks use white sage, and it is one of the sacred herbs of Native Americans. However, it is on the endangered species list, for being over picked. So the better option to grow in your garden instead of white sage is to use in a sage bundle for burning is common sage.
Common sage plants work just as well in a smoke cleanse as the backbone to the bundle, or the only herb that is burned. Another pro about growing common sage is that you can also use it for cooking if you feel the urge. It can have beautiful purple flowers.
Sage leaves are really all you need to burn to cleanse objects. However, there are some other common plants that can be dried alongside sage to create an even more amazing aroma and add different properties to the cleansing ritual!
Lavender – Calming
Lavender is the second plant to discuss. This would be added to a sage bundle in smaller quantities to create a new aroma. Lavender is a calming plant, and will add a sense of soothing when being used for cleansing the area, crystals, or anything else you might feel necessary to be cleansed.
Lavender is also a great plant to have growing in general, because every time you go by, you’ll be able to run your fingers across the leaves and have a calming scent linger on your fingertips. You can easily grow lavender indoors too. It also adds a vibrant touch of color to your garden, and will attract bees, helping them survive as well.
Keep reading: 5 uses for fresh lavender
Rosemary – Love
The other common plant that is used in sage sticks is rosemary. It is not suggested to put both lavender and rosemary together, because the scents might compete. According to Gardening Know How, rosemary was once used as a love charm. If you decide to burn rosemary alongside sage in your smoke cleanse, then not only will you be able to cleanse, but also add love into the space or object.
Rosemary is another great plant to grow at home because not only can you easily add it to a sage bundle, you can also add it to so many meals. It’s a very versatile flavor that will work great in many dishes. And be sure to look at rosemary companion plants if you do choose to grow this!
How To Make Sage Bundles
So now it’s time to learn how to make sage bundles! Gather your fresh herbs including fresh sage, and optional other herbs like lavender sprigs and bundle them tightly. If you’re interested, you can also add in rose petals for a feminine, light scent.
Use a cotton string that can burn when you’re doing this, or just bundle tightly with a rubber band that you can later remove.
Once your fresh herbs have been bundled, tie it off with a secure knot, and leave some excess string to hang this bundle upside down to allow it to dry out.
Hang these herbs in a dry place where there’s low humidity, so it can actually dry instead of rot. Make sure that your sage bundle is completely dry before using.
Once your sage bundle is dry, cut off the excess string, and start burning! Light the end of the bundle farthest away from your hand, and make sure to have something underneath to catch any falling ashes.
All of these plants can be grown in pots indoors, or outside in the garden. They add a pop of color, and don’t take much work. So it makes sense to make your own sage bundles! Not only will you be able to perform smoke cleanses with these herbs, but these plants will be a great addition of scents and flavors to your life while they are growing.
While burning sage on it’s own is a great option, try adding in rosemary or lavender to add that extra scent and layer to the cleansing!
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