Dear Carole:
Could you please explain the concept of “smudging”. Is this a New Age fad or something to be aware of?

Thank you.
Andy from Toronto

Dear Andy,
Thank you for your timely letter. Recently the Globe and Mail newspaper featured a full-page article on smudging.

Years ago, in old cowboy and Indian movies, you would see a gathering of people in a tent about to pass the peace pipe, usually before a trade of goods took place. In the midst of this scene was an Indian with a bowl, passing it around to the traders. In this bowl were herbs called sweetgrass and sage, set on fire and causing a big smoke. This procedure was done to cleanse the energies from the room so that trades could be accomplished with clear minds and intentions.

In today’s world, smudging is used in many ways. I have clients who were experiencing business problems, real estate deals that weren’t going through for some unknown reason or relationships that had been up and down since they moved to a new home or opened a new business. My role is to go to the premises and use a “smudge stick” to clear the air and the energy.

I do this by first closing all doors and windows, making my intent very clear, then using this mixture of sage, sweetgrass and sometimes lavender and cedar to release or get the energy moving. The most important part of smudging, other than intent, is to open the doors and windows after 15 to 20 minutes to then release all the past “stuff” that has accumulated.

An article I read recently made an excellent point about homes that had been lived in by smokers and coincidentally were not selling. One real estate lady had a home on the market for a long time, smudged it and a week later it sold. Why? Well, the way I see it, everything has energy, and smoke that has settled in a home or office and even in a car would make the air or energy stagnant. In a subliminal manner, prospective buyers feel this and hesitate to buy the property or car.

I have found that when a business has not done well and is eventually sold but not “cleared”, the new owners will also have problems. It really does make a lot of sense when we look at everything as having a feel of its own. Smudging is a neat concept and one worth looking into.

~~Carole Matthews

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