Smudging, a related kindred to incense burning, is a tradition with many indigenous tribes, where the leaves and branchs of a dried plant are held in sacred intention. Several plants are burnt for their scented smoke, the one which I have worked with mostly is Salvia apiana, otherwise known as 'Grandfather Sage', traditionally from Turtle Island (North America). Grandfather Sage is renound as a clearer of peoples auras, spaces n circles, sacred tools and to delineate a shift from ordinary reality into the realms of spirit or trance.
Generally I light him up, using matches from a box drawn with Reiki symbols from my lovely cousin for the element of Fire. The leaves themselves bring in the Earth, while an Abalone shell gifted me by a dear sister, represents Water. I use my Eagle feather fan, made from feathers my brother gathered from an Eagle killed on a Central Australian highway eating roadkill, to encourage and direct the smoke, whilst symbolising Air. Thus the Four elements, and loved ones, are with me as I go. The smoke becomes the Fifth element of spirit.
Grandfather Sage has supported me with healing of the male lineage of our family, particularly going back to my paternal Grandfather who was both a Veteran of World War Two and a family man. Aspects at odds with each other in some moments of his life. He was at heart, I believe, a loving and kind man, but also a pretty damaged one. Grandfather Sage has helped me to see this, whilst walking beside me in ways he wasn't able, and allowing forgiveness to grow.
Last year I infused a batch of Grandfather Sages dried leaves into Virgin Sweet Almond oil with the intention of making a salve that could be carried easily, and invoke all his benefits by annointing oneself at various points on the body, like the third eye, heart and wrists, mmm. The oil came out a dream and the salve was successful. Now I aint no marketing wizz, mostly its gone to family and friends and that's just perfect, but this year I thought to offer some for sale, or trade.
They are in metal cannisters with screwtop lids and I have them in both 60ml and 15ml sizes. The 60 ml ones have a few specs of more solid wax in them, a la handemade, and so they are reduced to $AU20 each, the handy sized 15ml ones are $AU15. Postage is roughly $8.50 in Australia, less for a single 15ml, but being similar for several salves, which could then be packaged together.
These babies will last you a fair whack of time as you need only a small amount, the 60mls a year or more mayhaps, and to be honest the bits are so small they will melt betwixt your fingers as you apply it but there you go, quality control etc. Both contain the Grandfather Sage oil that infused for well over 8 weeks and beeswax, that's it, so keeping em in the fridge is best, but they will survive out of one. I tested one out of the fridge for 6 months and it lasted fine, but for best quality refridgerate. Its not great for salves to melt and resolidify repeatedly.
An important word of advice, they look like lip balm but are not to be used as it, due to some of the ingredients within the leaves not being good taken internally.
If you're interested leave a comment and we'll take it from there eh.
Resources: Australian Alpine "Grandfather" White Sage Dreaming: http://sagedreaming.com.au/
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