I had a local Indigenous artist reach out to me about mentioning sage in my book. We ended up having a very informative conversation over Instagram about cultural appropriation and how I can be a better ally.
The problem with white sage is that it is being over-harvested and being used in ways that are very harmful and disrespectful to Indigenous communities. She also told me about how the act of smudging with white sage is a sacred act that is being culturally appropriated.
I want to share some of the resources she shared with me along with some others I found doing my own research.
Sage, Smudging, and New Age Spirituality
The Ethics of Burning Sage, Explained
The inspiration for the Clearing Your Space with Smoke and Sound Lesson in my book came from the fact that smoke cleansing has been a practice in many cultures for centuries including my Celtic heritage.
When I have cleared myself and my spaces with smoke it has been so healing for me and I want to share it with others.
I try to be very intentional and respectful with my work and am always open to learning more and moving forward in the right direction.
I will be making some edits in the second edition of my Free Spirit Guidebook and am grateful for the way I was called in about how I might be harming Indigenous communities with my work.
I encourage you to do your own research and, if you do love sage, please consider garden sage or buying from ethically sourced businesses.
If you would like to make your own, check out this article: Herbal Allies for Energy Clearing,
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