{"id":31913,"date":"2018-12-11T11:24:57","date_gmt":"2018-12-11T09:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/blog\/?p=31913"},"modified":"2018-12-19T08:57:40","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T06:57:40","slug":"diy-floral-smudge-stick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/blog\/diy-floral-smudge-stick\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Floral Smoke Sticks for Fragrant Summer Cleansing"},"content":{"rendered":"

The year is speeding to an end and soon the festive season will be in full swing. While this brings loads of excitement to our lives, it can also make things feel like they\u2019re spinning out of control. Now, more than any other time of the year, we need to protect our energy by setting clear boundaries \u2013 especially with those around whom we tend to feel drained. Similarly, since many of our homes might experience an influx of guests, it\u2019s the perfect time to freshen things up and make sure that any stale negativity from the past year isn\u2019t lurking in the corners. This is where smudge sticks can play a role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Burning fragrant herbs in the home is an ancient practice present in many cultures to help freshen and uplift spaces. In some cultures it was used purely as a practical means of chasing off unwanted guests of the insect kind, while others took a more spiritual approach, using smoke to help purify or bless spaces and people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smudging is one form of smoke cleansing that has gained quite a bit of popularity in recent years. Rooted in Native American customs and cultures, smudging ceremonies are normally performed using a bundle (or \u2018stick\u2019) of sacred herbs, of which white sage is the most important and prominent ingredient.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, there is some controversy around the cultural appropriation of this practice and, if it is something you\u2019re interested in doing to help purify or bless yourself or your home, it\u2019s worth doing a bit of research to make sure you\u2019re going about it in the most respectful way possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

One way of doing this is to keep things earth-friendly by harvesting herbs from your own backyard (or, if you don\u2019t have one, a generous friend or family member). This also adds an element of creativity, as you can make a smudge stick according to your own preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though sage is most commonly associated with sm<\/a><\/span>oke cleansing<\/a>, we quite like the idea of doing something a little different and bringing some floral flare to the mix.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a little recipe to kickstart your DIY Smoke Cleansing experiment:<\/b><\/h1>\n

WHAT YOU NEED: <\/b><\/h1>\n
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  1. Freshly-harvested herbs:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n