According to acupuncturist Claretha Yeager, who frequently uses smudging, another term for burning sage, the smoke helps getting rid of her patients from negative emotions they might harbor.
Yeager, who is an acupuncturist & a doctor of Chinese medicine, as well as a reiki instructor, states that the smoke that sage produces when burnt helps to alleviate the negative energy from her patients & makes them feel better.
Sage has been a staple among the Native Americans & other indigenous people who have been burning sage for centuries for cleansing rituals as well as for healing & promoting wisdom.
Sage has been in use for a long time, the ancient Egyptians & the Romans used sage to treat issues with digestion, issues with memory as well as treating sore throats.
Smudging has come into light quite recently & is being used extensively throughout other cultures as well.
Even though sage may provide a feeling of “well-being” or spiritual cleansing, there hasn’t been much scientific proof to back up the theories.
There hasn’t been much research done on sage & there isn’t much evidence to prove that sage can impact the health of a person or not.
There are several varieties of sage.
The type of sage popular with spiritual healers & herbalists is the white sage, which also goes by the name California or bee sage, which is primarily used for burning.
Other varieties such as common sage, black sage, blue sage & others each have their particular uses, according to Yeager.
Sage can either be grown & harvested in one’s background or can be bought in a bundled form.
Sage can be bought from health food stores, farmer’s markets or on the internet.
To burn sage, one of the ends has to be lit, letting out the smoke. If a room has to be cleansed, one has to hold the burning sage in their hand while walking around the room, effectively filling the room with the smoke of the burning sage.
Sage can also be burned in an abalone shell.
According to a study conducted on sage, it was found that sage contains compounds known as flavonoids, which contain medicinal properties. Some of the compounds found in sage can improve overall brain health & also shield against mental diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Sage also aids against depression & anxiety issues as well as digestion problems.
Even though there may be certain risks involved with inhaling smoke, as long as sage is burnt for short periods, it is very unlikely to cause any issues.
