2 sage sticks

A **sage stick**, commonly known as a **smudge stick**, is a bundle of dried sage leaves, often tied together with string, and used primarily for **spiritual cleansing, purification, and ritual purposes**. The practice of burning sage (known as **smudging**) has deep roots in **Native American traditions**, particularly among tribes like the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Navajo.
### **Types of Sage Used:**
1. **White Sage (*Salvia apiana*)** – The most sacred and commonly used type, native to the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico.
2. **Blue Sage (*Salvia azurea*)** – Used for cleansing and healing.
3. **Desert Sage (*Artemisia tridentata*)** – Another purifying herb, sometimes mixed with white sage.
4. **Common Garden Sage (*Salvia officinalis*)** – Used in European traditions for protection and wisdom.
### **Purpose & Benefits:**
- **Spiritual Cleansing** – Believed to clear negative energy, bad spirits, and emotional residue.
- **Physical Purification** – Some cultures use it to cleanse spaces of bacteria and odors (modern studies suggest sage smoke has antimicrobial properties).
- **Meditation & Rituals** – Helps create a sacred space for prayer, meditation, or ceremonies.
- **Stress Relief** – The aroma is thought to promote relaxation and mental clarity.
### **How to Use a Sage Stick:**
1. **Light the tip** of the sage stick until it begins to smolder (avoid an open flame).
2. **Gently blow out the flame**, letting the embers produce smoke.
3. **Wave the smoke** around a person, object, or space with a feather or your hand (some traditions use a shell to catch ashes).
4. **Set intentions**—some people recite prayers or affirmations while smudging.
5. **Extinguish** by pressing the tip into sand, soil, or a special smudge bowl.