Smudging is the Ritual of using smoke to purify a thing, person or a dwelling of any negative energy. Ever have a bad feeling about receiving a gift? Ever feel bad after meeting a certain person or place? Icky feeling in your Belly? Well, that's when we Smudge. Smudging will either get rid of the negativity or help your feelings over being in a negative situtation. A gift from a cruel in-law, you'll accept it, but you don't feel good about it. By doing a simple ritual with the item, person or dewelling, you can start feeling better about it. Ever feel like your not alone in the house? Some unknown eyes staring at you from who knows where? Things all of a sudden become missing, then re-appear where they where you looked before? This might be signs of ghost or Polterguist activity. Smudging is also useful in despelling spirits who are stuck here in this earthy plane. How to Smudge? Simply burning sage or other types of leaves or resins will produce the smoke required for Smudging. The Smudging should be done in a shell or earthen item. Sometimes a Smuding Wand(bundle or stick) can be used without a shell or earthen item. But if the Sage is loose and in small pieces it must be burned in a natural item. Why a shell? It represents water, one of the five elements. In an earthen bowl of cours it will represent Earth. Same as the Sage or other types of leaves that is being burned. Fire is used to egnite, the smoke it produces represents Air. Sometimes, Resins can represent water,since they melt in the heat of the fire. See how this ties in. As you place the ingredients in the a shell, light a match(or lighter) and burn the leaves starting in the middle of the pile. Let it burn for a minute or two or until it's well lit. Blow out the flames being careful not to spread sparks and the pile will glow, after ingredients have had a chance to catch the fire. The smoke will now commense. Take the smoke and waive the smoke over your head, like water when you are cleaning yourself. Instead of cleaning your body, it cleans your spirit or energies inside of you and about you. Brush the smoke down over the shoulders, arms, torso, hips, legs and then feet. As you do so, you feel a calm seem to fall into place. Give honor to the four directions by pushing the smoke to the East, South, West, North and now up to Father Sky and now down to Mother Earth Now it's time to smude an item, room or another person. When pushing the smoke over the item/items, people, etc. Be careful not to burn yourself or send sparks of burning ambers to the things you are blessing. May fires can start from these burning ambers, so be careful, no matter inside or out in a field. If blessing a room start at the most eastern point of the room and continue clockwise. Author Unknown