Try A Smudging Ritual During Mercury Retrograde

We are in the midst of a Mercury Retrograde Cycle (and the effects of a Full Moon Phase). Both of these powerful universal forces can bring in some negative energies when perhaps things are not working or manifesting the way you want. Mercury Retrograde rules communication, information and education. It is a time to perhaps go back over projects, or to make some adjustments on something that is not working, rather than start new projects. The effects of the Full Moon can bring obstacles and obstacles are annoying and not always in the flow, but they are they are there as stepping stones to our spiritual progress. Something we need to learn may not be apparent, so having to stop for a moment in time gives us the opportunity to learn some new aspect of ourselves.

During a Mercury Retrograde Cycle, I recommended the Smudging Ritual used by Native American Indians as one method to clear out and release the old energy and bring forth the new and positive energies into your home and space.For years I have used this ritual as a healer on my clients and for myself when I needed to adjust the energy for myself or in my home. In addition, I always perform a smudge ritual first when I do my numerology readings by using a white sage stick.

Smudging is the common name given to the sacred smoke bowl blessing. A powerful cleansing technique from the Native North American Tradition. Smudging calls on the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. It is the art of cleansing yourself and your environment using simple ritual and ceremony. For thousands of years smudging has been a part of Native American tradition and when you light a smudge stick you are connecting with a spiritual tradition that originates from the depths of time. Native Americans see smudging as a way of shifting between various levels of reality connecting us here in the material, physical world to the subtle realm of spirits.

Today this powerful ritual has survived, but obviously has evolved into a more modern manner and is available to anyone who wants to heal and cleanse their body or space as needed. Cleansing a space or our bodies with techniques such as smudging clears away all the emotional and psychic garbage that may have gathered over the years or even hundreds of years. it’s like spiritual spring cleaning. Originally, mixtures of sacred herbs and resins were burned in a special bowl. Smoke was then wafted around the person or place needing purification and cleansing. However, today an easier way is to simply use smudge sticks (bundles of dried herbs tied together with colored thread) which offer an easier and more modern way of smudging that is just as effective. You can easily purchase a smudge stick at most health food stores. Personally, I prefer the mom and pop health food stores over the commercial stores.

The effects of smudging can be surprisingly swift and dramatic. This ritual can help banish stress, attract love, sooth you, give you energy and rid your space of prior dweller’s energies. This ritual has the power to bring your family closer together and can turn any space into a soothing sanctuary – a place of renewal and happiness.

The herbs most often used in smudge sticks are sage and sweet grass. Sage drives out negative thoughts, energies, spirits, and all influences. Sweet grass is used to attract positive energy after all the negative energies have been banished by sage.
The Smudging Ritual

Get a shell, abalone is what I always use. Any small, flat, heat-proof container will do.

I begin and end this ritual with a prayer as I do my smudging, asking the powers that be to remove all negativity and unwanted energies. I light the sage and let it flame for a minute or so. Extinguish the flame so the sage is smoldering and smoking.

Take the smudge container and using circular clockwise movements, encircle yourself with the smoke, asking that all negative energies be cleansed away.

You can do this for the whole room and even the whole house. Start at the entrance and work clockwise through your home (office, studio, etc.) and let the smoke from the sage permeate throughout covering every room including closets. Work your way back and finish off the smudging process by ending up at the entrance where you began. You should have come full circle around your home or space.

Caution! Be careful of any smoke alarm systems – they may need to be shut off during this process. Don’t forget to turn them back on when you are done with this ritual.

I want you to be inspired by your life!

XXOO Kathleen Lamoureux