Cleansing & Clearing Energies

Cleansing & Clearing Energies

Regular use of different cleansing methods is beneficial for an energetically healthy home. Too many people rely solely on one cleaning method and one protection method.

Changing the energetic signature of you, your home, and your loved ones makes it harder for negative forces to recognise you. Vary your cleansing methods regularly. You might use Florida Water one month, anise protection incense the next, and sweetgrass after that. Then try burning frankincense.

However, jealousy has power of its own and does not need training, materials, or much effort. The resentment that jealousy harbors can lead to bad luck, accidents, and worse.

Floral Smoke Cleansing

The weakest but most pleasantly fragrant of the smoke tools available is floral smoke. Lavender, for example, emits a lovely floral aroma that is soothing and calming. When burned, the smoke from lavender fills a room with its distinctive flowery scent and purifies the space with its fresh, clean fragrance. While floral smokes may be the weakest in terms of their longevity and potency, they excel at cleansing a space and brightening one's mood with their cheerful and vibrant fragrances. For a quick burst of floral freshness and an ephemeral lift in energy, try floral smokes utilising lavender buds, rose petals, and chamomile flowers. Though the smoke itself may fade fast, the memory of its lovely fragrance and light, optimistic energy can linger.

Herbal Smoke Cleansing

Herbal Smoke Cleansing using plant leaves and roots has become increasingly popular, but it's important to consider the cultural and spiritual significance of the plants we use. Leaves like white sage are slightly stronger and can effectively refresh the energy of a space, but white sage is largely harvested from the wild and used in sacred ceremonies by Native peoples. The rising demand for white sage has led to supply shortages and made it difficult for Native groups to access this culturally important plant.

Rather than appropriating white sage, we can look to other plants in the Salvia genus, or other species altogether such as Eucalyptus, and beyond that can be ethically and sustainably farmed. These plants can cleanse spaces without infringing on indigenous beliefs and practices. Plant roots tend to be more magically potent than leaves and can remove stubborn energies and entities that leaves alone may not affect. Roots like ginger, calamus, and galangal root contain powerful magical properties and can serve as alternatives to white sage.

By exploring a variety of farmed herbs for Smoke Cleansing, we can avoid unintentionally disrespecting Native cultures and support ethical plant-based practices. Plants have so much to offer us for energetic cleansing, so there are many alternatives to white sage that we can embrace. Using a combination of leaves and roots, we can craft custom smoke blends tailored to our specific needs. With so many plant allies to choose from, we have an opportunity to practice Smoke Cleansing in a sustainable and inclusive way.

Wood Smoke Cleansing

Even stronger than the root allies are wood allies. Palo santo is a popular wood-based smoke tool that has recently gained widespread popularity. This tree, native to Peru and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, has a rich history of traditional and spiritual use that spans many centuries. However, in the last few decades and especially in the last few years, palo santo has become an increasingly popular tool for smudging and energetic cleansing rituals in spiritual and wellness communities across the globe.

Due to the recent surge in demand for palo santo wood, the slow-growing trees that can take 50-100 years to reach maturity are being overharvested at an alarming rate. Many are concerned that if overharvesting continues unabated, it could lead to the endangerment of the species. The situation highlights the need for sustainable harvesting practices that allow palo santo trees to regrow and thrive for generations to come. When sourcing palo santo wood, it is important to choose vendors that obtain their wood from farms using sustainable forestry methods.

Palo santo is an incredibly sacred wood that contains a rich history and spiritual significance. With mindful and sustainable practices, we can ensure that its power and wisdom are available for many years to come. By honouring the spirit of the trees and protecting these ancient allies, we also honour the sacred traditions that revere them.

Resin Smoke Cleansing

The resin family contains some of the most powerful plant allies for creating smoke. Resins are the hardened sap of trees, including dragon's blood, frankincense, copal, and myrrh. They have a long history of ritual and medicinal use spanning many ancient cultures. The thick, fragrant smoke from burning resins is said to have a vibration strong enough to reach the deepest parts of the spirit. When gentler treatments have failed and a more forceful intervention is needed, resin smoke acts as a conduit for sacred healing energies from plants to be directed toward the intended recipient.

Dragon's Blood

Dragon's blood is popular resinous incense, which resembles crimson chalk, commonly originates from two species of plants, Dracaena draco and Dracaena cinnabari. Although there exist more than simply these two varieties of Dracaena that yield this fragrant resin, many incorrectly assume that all dragon's blood comes from Dracaena draco. Both of these plants produce a similarly colored sap, emitting musky, warm notes with a subtle hint of floral aroma, though D. cinnabari possesses a slightly more noticeable floral note compared to its cousin D. draco. D. cinnabari grows at a slower rate than D. draco, with both trees requiring over a decade to produce their distinctive red sap. Due to excessive harvesting and loss of habitat, both species of Dracaena are classified as threatened.

While this resin has been prized for centuries for its alluring scent and vivid pigment, the gradual decline of these slow-growing Dracaena trees poses a threat to the continued production of dragon's blood. Given the extended period required for these plants to mature and generate sap, excessive harvesting to meet demand for this popular incense has placed considerable strain on naturally growing populations. Compounding this issue is the loss of habitat for these plants, as land is cleared for agricultural and other purposes. For those who appreciate dragon's blood resin, cultivating these plants or utilizing synthetic alternatives may be necessary to prevent the disappearance of this treasured incense. By raising awareness about the plight of Dracaena draco and D. cinnabari, dragon's blood aficionados can help protect these fascinating plants and the distinctive resin they produce.