Cleansing Your Space

Cleansing or clearing space has become a popular go to for removing negative energy and opening space up for positive flow and abundance. Some popular and effective ways to cleanse is to smudge using Sage and Palo Santo. 

What are sage and palo santo?

Sage can be found in most spice cabinets or growing in a pot around your house but it is not just for cooking.  From Native American rituals to Indigenous Peoples ceremonies sage has been used for centuries in spiritual and medicinal practices and was given the meaning “the healer” or “to save”. What makes this herb so popular? It is believed to remove negative energy, thoughts and anxiety from one's space and energy system providing a sense of calmness and peace. Modern science went deeper to unveil more beneficial properties and found it is a potent antibacterial. 

Palo Santo is considered a mystical tree meaning “holy wood” found in South America and some parts of Central America. It has a delicious woody scent bringing out hints of mint, lemon and pine leaving you feeling relaxed. Shamans used this wood to purify space by removing negative energy and blocks, as blocks and negative energy is removed good fortune replaces it.

How Do I Cleanse my Space?

Begin lighting your sage bundle or palo santo stick with a lighter. I recommend not using a match as you may need to let the fire burn for several seconds until the sage or palo santo stick starts to burn.  Be sure to have a heat resistant bowl or plate; such as a crystal agate dish, shell, clay bowl or regular plate, to place the wood or sage in while they are lit! 

Set your intention(s) before starting. Carefully light one end of the wood creating a small flame and allow it to burn for 30 seconds then blow out the flame. If you are using sage you will light the large end of the smudge bundle. It may catch fire for a brief moment then smolter out. If it remains lit, lightly blow on it until the fire is distinguished. Place the stick, bundle or both on a fire safe/heat resistant surface. Now it is time to move about your space you wish to clear. Allow the smoke to move throughout the space making sure all corners in the rooms are reached. You can use a fallen/found feather or your hand to waft the smoke as you move through your space. After you have completed all rooms you wish to clear you can leave the wood or bundle in the fire safe container and allow the embers to burn out or you can press the lit end down on the fire safe bowl/container until the embers are out. Never leave a burning stick or bundle alone, always stay with it until it has been distinguished. 

High-Vibe Tip:

Add a charged quartz crystal to your cleansing ritual to amplify the power of your intentions while cleansing. You can keep the crystal on you during your cleansing or all day. Either way you are sure to enhance positive energy, healing, and overall positive outlook!

Love & light to you and your space!

Arianne Ortiz
Reiki Healer
Intuitive Empath
BS Psychology