5 Awesome Benefits of Sage Burning
Intrigued about how burning sage can improve your health and home life? Well, we’ve rounded up some wonderful benefits of sage burning for you.
Burning sage – or smudging- is an ancient ritual originally practiced by several Native American tribes including Chumash, Cahuilla, Lakota, and several others. They did this ritual primarily for spiritual cleansing.
So, let’s talk a bit about how we use sage and how to burn it.
Mini Sage Bundles for Sale at EveryBody in Mind Wellness Center
Sage and its Common Uses
Sage is an evergreen herb that belongs to the mint family. In the kitchen, you’ll love sage for its spicy-fresh flavor and tart taste.
While sage is a spice commonly used in holiday stuffings and sauces, it’s also medicinal. Interestingly, its botanical name, Salvia, comes from a Latin word that translates to ‘to cure.’
Types of Sage to Burn
Sage comes in many varieties, each with unique properties. There’s mountain sage, white sage, blue sage, and black sage among others.
These days you can buy sage bundles for this cleansing ritual. Each already has an information card on how to properly perform sage burning.
For example, the Deep Clean Sage Blend Bundle has mountain sage, some special herbs, and a citrine crystal. It can help get rid of emotional and spiritual negativity. Also, citrine is a strong cleanser and regenerator.
Deep Clean Citrine Sage Bundle Sold at EveryBody in Mind Wellness Center
Traditionally, people use an abalone shell to hold the sage for the ritual but you may want to use a heat-safe bowl too.
Note: This post is for informational purposes only and not medical advice.
Benefits of Sage Burning
It can help ward off negative energy
Lighting up sage and blowing up the smoke can help clear your home of bad energy.
As you do this, remember to hold on to your intentions as the smoke fills the nooks of your space.
It has purifying and cleansing properties
You can use smudging not just for people and spaces but cleansing specific objects as well. You can smudge both old and new items.
It may be especially helpful for things you’ve gotten that have negative history.
Aside from this, research shows that certain varieties of sage have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It can also repel insects.
Therefore, the cleansing goes beyond a spiritual one but actually leads to fewer bacteria in the air.
Amazing, huh?
It has positive effects on your mood
Smudging can release negative ions which are nature’s anti-depressants. In fact, research suggests that negative ions in the air resulted in lower depression scores for people with chronic depression.
On the other hand, this ritual can help calm the nerves just like meditation and mindfulness. The aroma from burning sage can be therapeutic and reduce your stress.
It can help you sleep better
Getting rid of negativity can already improve your sleep. Think of decluttering your space and how good and relaxed you feel afterward.
It’s hard to sleep in a cluttered room, right?
But besides this, Salvia has components that are found to be effective for insomnia.
It might boost your brain power
Perhaps most surprising of all these benefits is that a 2016 review showed that sage has potential in improving focus and memory.
Indeed, burning sage is a powerful ritual to mark a new beginning, a fresh new start for you and your home. And it carries along benefits that we need to take advantage of.
Have you tried burning sage?