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There is a ton of controversy over sage & the word smudging outside of native American culture—which is totally reasonable given the way Native Americans were treated by colonizers, having their religious rites demonized and deemed illegal for many years.  


White Sage is a sacred spiritual cleansing tool used by many native American tribes, as the White Sage is native to the SW US and NW Mexico.


However, during the 1960s and 1970s people outside of the native community began to take these practices on as their own, adding them to their own spiritual toolkit. White Sage has now begun to spread into the wellness community and over-commercialization of an indigenous folks sacred spiritual practice.


Historian Anna Cannon, suggests that the poaching of the White Sage is becoming so damaging that researchers are worried this will lead the species into extinction. With the plant being on a researcher's watch list, I am sure you won't be surprised to hear that some indigenous folks are struggling to find their sacred plant in their sacred areas they've harvested for ages.


This type of poaching and over-commercialization is going against the significant indigenous wisdom of asking for permission and only taking what you need.


Remember, when purchasing any magical or spiritual items from any store, that you are receiving a product that has been charged by every hand that has harvested, packaged, and transported it (Snow Raven).

With this indigenous wisdom in mind, you are better off using a plant that has been grown in good faith or sustainably grown versus using a sacred plant that has been poached from the wild out of overcommercialization.


Smudging is etymologically an English term that was given to native folk cleansing practices during the 15th century. Native tribes had their own words, in their own languages, for this sacred cleansing practice, however, smudging has become the modern sacred word in English for folks of native heritage in the modern world. (Etymology Online Dictionary)


So, when you see some modern commercial product labeled “smudging” know that it is likely:

  1. A complete misuse of the actual sacred word

  2. An intentional or unintentional act of cultural appropriation 

  3. Over-commercialization of a sacred plant and sacred practice belonging to folks that have already endured centuries of mistreatment


If you feel called to working with Sage, then:

  • look for Green Culinary Sage

  • grow your own variety of sage and nurture the spiritual relationship that way

  • purchase or receive from Indigenous folk with the highest reciprocity, in right relationship with the culture, and the peoples native to the culture


Green Sage is grown for culinary purposes and is not illegally poached from the wild, like its cousin the White Sage. I personally do not work with White Sage at all. I grow my own Green Sage and have developed a relationship of workings with that spirit and those ancestors.



Green Sage does not carry the same historical significance as White Sage does, but it has a spirit of its own to develop a relationship with. White Sage has similar and it has differences to its cousin the Green Sage.


Remember when you are working with plants, do your research---figure out where the plant is used, why it was used, and if the plant is in healthy populations or not, what cultures revered the plant, etc.


If you are working with this medicine, then you must work from a reciprocal relationship and give those ancestors gratitude along with the plant spirit itself. The magic will not be as strong without working from a reciprocal relationship and you may instead just piss off a spirit by misusing or misappropriating a sacred plant like the Sage plant.


Take it a step further and grow it yourself (if you feel called and have access to the resources). Nourish the plant from seedling or sprout—pour your love and magic into that plant. Watch the medicine grow in front of your eyes as you develop your relationship with the Sage spirit ❤︎





Cannon, Anna Kate. 2022. Plant of the Month: White Sage. https://daily.jstor.org/plant-of-the-month-white-sage/ 


Etymology Online Dictionary. ND. https://www.etymonline.com/word/smudge



Raven, Snow. 2023.


2 comentarios


Jen K
Jen K
05 abr 2024

I learned about this within the last couple years. I no longer buy sage. The sage I do have I came across it in its natural habitat (grows wild where I live) and I asked permission. I use it in very special rituals. I continue to learn

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revsierrajoleen
revsierrajoleen
14 jun 2024
Contestando a

Beautiful <3

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©2023-2025 SANCTUARY FOR SPIRIT is a folk religion temple that gives education and support in the old folk and ancestral healing ways. We honor the ways of nurturing the mind, the body, and the spirit through spiritual medicine and do not give allopathic medical advice. We advise all to always consult with their personal medical doctor for medical advice. May you be blessed upon your healing journey.

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