Sacred Herbs
The Smudging Ceremony
by Adrienne Broden and Steve Coyote
Our Native Elders have taught us that before a person can be healed or heal another, they must be cleansed of any bad feelings, negative thoughts, bad spirits, or negative energy – cleansed both physically and spiritually. This helps the healing come through in a clear way, without being distorted or sidetracked by negative ‘stuff’ in either the healer of the patient.
Native people throughout the world use herbs to accomplish this. One common ceremony is to burn certain herbs, take the smoke in one’s hands and rub or brush it over the body. Today, this is commonly called smudging and in Western North America the three plants most frequently used in smudging are sage, cedar and sweetgrass.
Sage
There are many varieties of sage and most have been used in smudging. The botanical name for ‘true’ sage is Salvia. It is interesting to note that Salvia comes from the Latin word Salvare, which means ‘to heal’. There are also varieties of sage which are of a species separate from Salvia – Artemisia. Included here are sagebrush and mugwort. We have seen both Salvia and Artemisia sub-species used in smudging.
Sage is burned in smudging ceremonies to prevent unwelcomed spirits entering the area where a ceremony takes place. In Plains Nations, the floor of the sweat lodge is frequently covered with sage, and participants rub the leaves on their bodies while in sweat.
Sage is also commonly spread on the ground in a lodge or on an altar where the pipe touches the earth. Some Nations wrap their pipes in sage when they are placed in pipe-bundles, as sage purifies objects wrapped in it. Sage wreaths are also placed around the head and wrists of Sundancers.
Cedar
There is some potential confusion here too, about the terms used to name plants, because in some areas junipers are known as ‘cedar’. This doesn’t mean that certain varieties of juniper weren’t used as a cleaning herb; however, in the smudging ceremonies we have seen or conducted ourselves, Western Red and California Incense Cedar were used – not varieties of juniper.
Cedar is burned while praying either aloud or silently. The prayers arise on the cedar smoke and are carried to the Creator. Cedar is also spread along with sage on the floor of the sweat lodge of some tribes.
Cedar branches are waved in the air to cleanse a home during the House Blessing Ceremony of many Northwest First Nations. In the Pacific Northwest the people burn cedar for purification in much the same way as sage – it drives out negative energy; but is also brings in good influences. The spirit of cedar is considered very ancient and wise by the Pacific Northwest Peoples. Old downed cedar trees are honored with offerings and prayers.
Sweetgrass
Sweetgrass is one of the most sacred plants for the Plains People. Sweetgrass is a tall, wild grass with a reddish base and perfume-like, musty odor.
It grows mainly on the eastern side of the Rockies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, as well as Montana, and in some small areas of Wyoming and South Dakota.
Its botanical name is Rierochloe Odorata; some common names are Seneca grass, holy grass and vanilla grass. We have been told that a variety of vanilla grass grows in North-central California, but how similar it is to the Plains variety we do not know.
On the plains, Sweetgrass is usually braided together in bunches as a person’s hair is braided, although friends say they have seen it used simply bunched and wrapped in cloth. Either way, it is usually burned by shaving little bits over hot coals or lighting the end and waving it around, letting the smoke spread through the air. This latter method is how we were taught to burn sweetgrass in the sweat lodge – allowing the purifying smoke to get to all parts of the lodge.
We were taught that it was good to burn sweetgrass after the sage or cedar had driven out the bad influences. As with cedar, burning sweetgrass while praying sends prayers up to the Creator on the smoke.
High Hollow Horn says in: “The Sacred Pipe: Its fragrance will be known by the winged, the four legged, and the two legged for we understand that we are all relatives; may all our brothers be tame and not fear us!”
Sweetgrass is also put in pipe bundles and medicine bundles along with sage to purify and protect sacred objects.
Sweetgrass is very rare today, its territory severely cut by development, cattle grazing, and wheat fields. Traditional First Nations people in the northern Plains are trying to protect the last remaining fields.
Tobacco
Tobacco is used by all First Nations people in prayer ceremonies. It is one of the most sacred of all plants. Some smudge with tobacco, others leave offerings of tobacco at certain places to renew relationships with the spirit world. The rituals of tobacco and the pipe are sacred matters that must be approached with reverence. The traditions and ceremonies regarding sacred plants differ in many aspects depending on the Nation. Sacred plants are a gift received by the people and returned. It is important to consult elders about various customs involving tobacco. Tobacco is traditionally presented to Elders when the bearer is seeking guidance. It is also a traditional gift for storytellers.
Smudging
To do a smudging ceremony, burn the clippings of these herbs (dried), rub your hands in the smoke, and then gather the smoke and bring it into your body or rub it onto yourself, especially onto any area you feel needs spiritual healing. Keep praying all the while that the unseen powers of the plant will cleanse your spirit. Sometimes one person will smudge another or a group of people, using hands or more often a feather to lightly brush the smoke over the other people.
The Elders say that all ceremonies, tribal or private, must be entered into with a good heart, so that we can pray, sing and walk in a sacred manner and be helped by the spirits to enter the sacred realm.