Sage has been used by many different cultures for a wide variety of different purposes though the ages. It’s been used for its metaphysical and medicinal properties as well as flavoring food. Let’s look at this helpful herb and what it can do.
Sage is a part of the salvia family and is a marvelous medicine! The term salvia comes from the Latin word Salvus, which means healthy. Sage has anti-inflammatory properties to decrease swelling and the pain associated with inflammation. It can protect the body from bacterial and viral infections. You can drink sage tea to ease digestive problems. It is great for respiratory disorders like asthma, coughs, and bronchitis.
So, make sure you drink sage tea during the fall and winter months! Sage can also help ease depression, relieve skin disorders, excessive sweating, and help regulate different endocrine and metabolic disorders. Drinking sage tea twice daily increases your antioxidant levels to help your body’s natural defenses. Sage is truly a medicinal miracle.
Sage has been used for centuries to cleanse negativity from a space or person. Shamans and indigenous people use sage to exorcise “evil” and bring in “good” spirits. It’s also used to bring on trance states during rituals, and some cultures even believed that sage made them immortal.
There are different types of sage: white, blue, garden, and even desert sage. How’s a person to know the proper sage to use and why it matters?
The indigenous tribes have used white sage since the beginning of time for cleansing, purifying, ceremonial rituals, and even hygiene. They use this herb for sacred medicine by burning the sage, called smudging. Personally, I don’t like using the term smudging as I feel it has negative connotations. I prefer the term smoke cleansing, and I choose blue or garden sage when doing this.
I have been working with members of the Lakota and the Chippewa tribes, asking about the do’s and don’ts of using white sage. Both tribes have said they are fine with people using the white sage. Both tribes again are grateful to pass on this important tradition. They feel it’s wonderful that we, as a society, are listening to their beautiful practices.
They encourage us to use their sage in cleansings, purifications, and even rituals. These cultures would prefer that people work with the indigenous culture to procure their sage. This way, it is grown and harvested appropriately, and the revenue returns to the indigenous culture to be used as needed. I’m working with a local group of the Chippewa tribe to bring in their sage to Midwest Witchery and Healing. Currently, I carry other variations of sage.
When burning sage, make sure you always use it with intention. For example, if you are using it to cleanse your home from negativity, state that when you are burning it. ALWAYS make sure windows are open. Otherwise, you may have the unfortunate result of a smoke detector going off! You also shouldn’t blow out the sage. Let it burn out on its own. This ensures that the process is complete. A little goes a long way. You don’t need to use the entire stick of sage at once – that bundle can last a long time. You don’t need to burn sage constantly. Try weekly, monthly, or whenever the energies feel wonky.
Although white sage is the more traditional sage used by indigenous people, we have other forms of sage that you can use similarly. If you decide to use white sage, please ensure you do not get it from someplace that mass produces it, as it is sacred. If you can, source it from the indigenous people directly. If you can’t, come to Midwest Witchery and Healing to be directed to the proper sources. Witch Jodi is working closely with a local tribe to ensure that you can receive this miraculous herb by optimal means.
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