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Smudging is similar to blessing oneself with Holy Water in the Catholic faith.
The smudging is usually done before a person involves himself
in a traditional ceremony. When participating in such a smudge, you should always make
a special effort to remove all jewelry-rings, watches, bracelets, earrings, and
necklaces. You must also abstain from alchol for at least 24 hours. The smoke from burning sweetgrass, cedar, or sage, is brushed toward one's body
to cleanse the spirit. The mind, spirit, and body are cleansed through a smudging process generally using sweetgrass. In cases where sweetgrass is not available, alternatives such as cedar bows, pine needles, sage, or chagas can be used. When using cedar, one cannot use too much, because of the high chemical content the cedar tree seems to absorb in modern times. Sage which is also used by the Mi'kmaq, can be found in Nova Scotia and in the Western provinces. There are two types of sage, horse sage found near beaches, and buffalo sage which is normally found out West. It is also noteworthy to mention that whenever someone collects any of these plants they should leave behind an offering of cloth or tobacco. Tobacco is used to send a message to ask for the help of people in your community. By giving a tabacco offering to the spirits, it helps the deceased to get to the spirit world. It is also commonly used in pipe ceremonies. Smudges are almost always a universal element in Mi'kmaq ceremonies and ceremonial objects are always passes through the smoke. Sweetgrass is used to bless/purify homes by smudging it and taking it from room to room in the home as it burns. Vehicles are also smudged before going on a long trip for safety. In various Sacred dances such as the Sun Dance, it is used to smudge pipes and participants. If you are worried, concerned, or troubled, you may use sweetgrass to find peace of mind and solutions to problems. It is generally used when communicating with the Creator in one's search for guidance or protection. |
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Linda Wells
© 2000-2003
Hurting Your Eyes
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