How To Use Your Smudge Bundle

 

WHEN TO USE A SMUDGE BUNDLE

A BAD FEELING IN A ROOM: Do you ever walk into a room and think, ‘mmm this doesn’t feel right?’ Maybe it feels uncomfortable, or you get a bad feeling, or it can even feel spooky. What you are experiencing is stagnant or negative energy that has been left behind in the room from past influences. It is easy to clear this unwanted energy with your smudge bundle. Sometimes you can bring negative energy from stressful or bad experiences into your home or workspace.

AFTER VISITORS: Sometimes, other people who have visited you might have changed the feeling in the room and you want to get rid of their energy. Using your smudge bundle is like housework, give it a good clean and the whole room suddenly feels better.

WHEN YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES FEEL ‘NOT QUITE RIGHT’: Do you ever feel irritable or grumpy and don’t really know why? Or you might feel drained after spending time with a particular person. Are you wound up, feeling tight like a coil, letting stress get the better of you? Are you anxious, sad or do you have dark thoughts? What you might be experiencing is stagnant energy that is hanging around you, or even negative energy that has ‘rubbed off’ onto you from someone else. You can clear this unwanted energy with your smudge bundle. You can also help your family members and friends by performing the suggested aura cleansing ritual.

If you and your loved ones are still experiencing dark thoughts, anxiety, depression or other debilitating physical or emotional symptoms then seek medical help. Smudging is not a cure-all, nor a replacement for medical or psychological assistance. SEEK HELP

 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Ok, so this is how I see it. Everything in the universe is made up of energy. Some things have stable energy such as a rock. No matter what you do to it or where it is located, its energy structure will always remain the same. Other things, such as humans, have energy that is in a constant state of flux and is influenced by many factors such as the weather, what you eat and drink, the amount of sleep you have had, your emotions, the substances you use or touch, the energy of other people you meet,… Actually, pretty much everything from a broken fingernail to a death in the family.

When you don’t feel in optimum condition, physically, mentally, and emotionally, it means that your energy is out of balance. We can aim to find ways to keep ourselves balanced and restore our harmony. This is hard to achieve, but you can assist this process by harnessing the energy of the universe in a positive way with simple rituals using the elements of air, fire, earth and water. At Artopia Spirit, we help you connect with these elements to restore the balance of your own energy and the energy in your home and workplace.

The smudge bundles are an easy way of harnessing the power of air and fire to transform stale or negative energy into fresh or positive energy. We suggest you bring water and earth into each ritual to achieve optimum effect.

TRADITION OF SMUDGING

Using incense and smoke to cleanse and purify during sacred rituals can be found in many indigenous cultures and religions throughout history. Sage is generally known as a traditional medicine plant of the Native American peoples, used for healing and ceremony, which is probably where the modern practice of smudging has been adopted. You do not need to identify with a particular religion or spiritual tradition to do these smudging rituals, all you need is to perform them with intent and mindfulness, just focusing on the smoke and visualising the unwanted energy rising and floating away. 

 

SAFETY FIRST

• Follow our detailed safety instructions and you can’t go wrong!
• Never leave unattended when using. Always have water close by just in case you need to extinguish it or anything else in a hurry.
• Always place your burning smudge bundle on a heatproof surface. If your smudge bundle is in a heat proof vessel be aware that the outside of the vessel could get hot, so handle with care.
• Keep away from things that catch fire Be careful when smudging to keep away from curtains, lampshades and other things that can catch fire easily.
• Never use in small, confined spaces where things can easily catch fire such as a wardrobe.
• Never use outdoors near vegetation that can catch fire.
• Keep away from children.
• Be careful around pets. Smoke can harm small animals such as birds and a curious pet may be harmed.
• Use in a well-ventilated space or keep a window or door open nearby. If you or anyone else in the vicinity are irritated by smoke, wear masks. Masks will not interfere with the ritual in any way, and it is definitely better than bringing on a coughing fit.
• Make sure the smudge bundle is fully extinguished before leaving or walking away.

 

DIRECTIONS: USING YOUR SMUDGE BUNDLE

1. Gather the following items: An Artopia Spirit Smudge Bundle, A lighter or matches, a heat proof vessel, preferably made from clay, (such as one of Artopia Spirit’s ceramic vessels), a vessel for water & water.
2. Fill your vessel with water. Where there is fire, you must balance the energy with water and keep it close at hand should you need to extinguish fire quickly. It is more powerful if you also introduce the element of earth. You can do this by using a ceramic vessel to rest your smudge bundle on, as clay comes from the earth. You can also use crystals as part of this ritual, putting them in your pockets, placing them on your ceramic dish or tying them to your sage bundle.
3. Open a window or a door. This is for ventilation, but it is also necessary for the unwanted energy to have an exit pathway.
4. Place both of your feet firmly on the ground, place your hands together and say aloud your intention for this ritual.

If you do not know how to do this, then simply repeat the words below:

“I am guided and protected during this ritual. I use smoke to clear stale and unwanted energy, replacing it with love and light.”

5. Hold your smudge bundle over your heatproof vessel and strike a match or a lighter and hold the flame to the end of the bundle at a 45° angle until the edges of the herbs catch fire. Blow the flame out and the leaves will continue to smolder, releasing smoke. Keep it moving a little to keep it smoldering. Relight it if goes out at any stage during the ritual.
6. During the ritual, hold the bundle in your preferred hand and hold your heat proof vessel in your other hand, just in case you need to place your bundle down or extinguish it quickly. Watch out for any stray embers that may fall from your bundle during the ceremony and be sure to extinguish them.

TO CLEANSE YOUR HOME OR WORKSPACE

Follow steps 1-6 first and make sure you have a window or door open where the unwanted energy can exit. Begin moving slowly around each room, allowing the smoke to drift into the space. Concentrate on each corner of every room, allowing the smoke to spiral upwards, lifting the stale or unwanted energy out of the corners (this is where it tends to gather). You can also waft the smoke over objects that may hold negative or heavy associations for you. Take time to smudge your electrical appliances, especially computers and phones that can bring negativity into your space. If at any time the smoke is black, or the smoke is all over the place, hold the smudge bundle in that place until the smoke rises upwards in a straight line and turns white. This is an indication that the energy has been cleared.

Don’t worry about doing the rooms or the corners in any particular direction or order, just do what feels right. Imagine the stale and negative energy being caught in the    13

TO CLEANSE YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE

Follow steps 1-6 first, then slowly and carefully trace the outside of the body with the smoke, which is like drawing a line around their entire body, but never touching.  Don’t forget to lift each foot one at a time and pass the smoke under the soles of your feet. Don’t forget between the legs and behind the back. If you are smudging yourself and you cannot reach your back, then wave the bundle rapidly in front of you to create a frenzy of smoke, then turn around and take a backwards step so that the smoke will move across your back and cleanse that part of your aura. As you are smudging, imagine the smoke capturing any unwanted energy and lifting it out of the aura and away up into the ether.

Try to tune into the smoke. If the smoke is black, or is moving all over the place, hold the smudge bundle still until the smoke rises upwards in a straight line and turns white. This is an indication that the energy has been cleared.

Check once more that the sage bundle is completely extinguished before packing it up or walking away.     

TO CLEANSE YOUR RITUAL OBJECTS & CRYSTALS

You can also clear the energy that attaches itself to objects, and cleanse and recharge crystals to restore their natural healing properties.

Follow steps 1-6 in the DIRECTIONS and pass each object through the smoke, imagining any unwanted energy lifting away. Then imagine a bright energy building within the crystal or object. What you are imagining is the object recharging with the energy that it naturally generates.

HOW OFTEN DO I SMUDGE?

Sometimes, one short session will be enough to lift your mood or lift the vibe of a space, making you feel relaxed and happy. Other times, it may take repeated and regular cleanses to keep the energy clear.

DISCLAIMER: Artopia Spirit, and all those associated with the production and sale of this booklet and our products, will not be held responsible for any damage to, or loss of, property or for any adverse physical effects (including injury or bodily harm) caused by insufficient knowledge or the improper use of a product.