A Little Bit of Smudging History

According to Clarietha Yeager, Dr. of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Native Americans and other indigenous peoples have burned sage for centuries as part of a spiritual ritual to cleanse a person or space, and to promote healing and wisdom. It's been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Romans to treat digestive issues, memory problems, and sore throats.  It's been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Romans to treat digestive issues, memory problems, and sore throats. The name sage comes from the Latin “salvia,” which means, “to feel healthy.” The practice of "smudging" has more recently become popular in other cultures, too.

Anthony Fleg, MD, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of New Mexico, says, "It is seen to metaphysically un-cling the things that cling to us that are no longer needed -- spiritually, mentally, and physically. … Almost the way a sponge can cleanse things from you that are stuck to you,"

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White Sage is the most widely used sage for smudging.  While claims of medicinal properties of sage smudging abound, It's important to note that these studies were mainly done using a sage extract. Whether burning sage has the same effects is still unknown. Also unclear is whether sage works on humans in the same way that it does on animals.

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