Cleansing & Charging

Overview

Smudging, and other rites involving the burning of sacred herbs or resins, are ceremonies practiced by some Indigenous peoples of the Americas. While they bear some resemblance to other ceremonies and rituals involving smoke from other world cultures, notably those that use smoke for spiritual cleansing or blessing, the purposes and particulars of the ceremonies, and the substances used, can vary widely among tribes, bands, and nations, and even more so among different world cultures. In traditional communities, Elders maintain the protocols around these ceremonies and provide culturally specific guidance.