SMUDGE: Is a blending of physical and spiritual together, to create a “bonded prayer” that is sent to the Creator of all from our spirits to His spirit.
The smoke from the blended herbs and ingredients and prayers are fanned with their hands towards them, to help to be breathed in by an individual and to fan the smoke all around them to help Physically and Spiritually put the person(s) into a “focused prayerful frame of mind” Removing any and all evil or negativity from around them and inside them.
SAGE: The leaves of this herb is burned to create a smoke, that symbolically rises to the heavens with our prayers to the Creator of All.
Medically, this herb is used to heal the inward body as well as the outward. Spiritually, it helps the soul to heal from evil toxins that we have a great tendency to collect in our everyday lives, from ourselves first, then people and situations around us.
CEDAR: Physically, this wood is well known to deter all “Wood Eating” bugs and insects from harming it. Spiritually, Represents Life and Strength and Protection from harm or evil.
TOBACCO: Medically this plant (just to name a very few) has been used for a great many salves, poultices and cure for internal worms of both human and animals, smoking it for pleasure, the list goes on and on...
Spiritually, this plant represents “Truth” or "Speaker of Truth" to us as Natives. Whether smoked, or burned as part of the smudge for purification, or given in wrapped cloth to someone in Respect and Honor. It speaks only truth.
Natives believe, if one smokes the blessed smoking pipe called in the Tsalagi (Cherokee Language) “ga nv no wa” pronounced phonically in English: (gah-nuh-no-wah) with the sacred Tobacco, one can only speak truth among one another.
SWEET GRASS: Is a wild prairie field grass that is gathered and braided together while it is still green and fresh. Then is hung up to dry to a brown color, then it can be lit and burned to create a
“Sweet Smelling Smoke”. It is used Spiritually, to give respect and honor to all our Good Ancestors who have walked on this Earth before us. This helps in teaching us what we need to know in life, through our visions and dreams. When we burn this Sweet Grass, the smoke is to “Spiritually” call them around us to participate in what ever sacred ceremony we are conducting at the time.
It is stressed very highly, that when praying for the Ancestors to come and be around you and others, you ALWAYS BE SPECIFIC in requesting the “GOOD ANCESTORS AND GOOD ANCESTORS ONLY)”!
By doing this simple thing, you or anyone else will not invite “just any” Ancestor to come visiting.
Prayer is a good and very powerful tool when used in the right way, but it can be twisted into something else if we do not follow certain protocol.
Now, with all the ingredients that have been listed, you have what most Natives use to start a ceremony. Usually, it is the Holy Person (Male or Female) also called by other names: Medicine People, Spirit People, Elder, or by the (Central American Term) Shaman.
Note: Older Traditionalists, do not use the word Shaman.
The Holy Person, Medicine Person, Spirit Person, or Elder, conducts the smudging of each person involved in the ceremony, by taking a container (either a turtle shell or abalone sea shell) that has the blended ingredients of sage, cedar, tobacco and sweet grass. They light the mixture so that it starts to burn, then lightly blow the flame out so it will just smoke. They usually have a fan that is of a left wing (Heart-Side) of a Eagle, Hawk or Pheasant or whatever winged one they use for a “Prayer Fan,” to “Fan” the smoke toward an individual to purify them (inside and out).
