Cleansing Yourself of Negativity with Sage

Negative energy is everywhere. It’s easy to pick up as you go about your day. Dirty or dank places, places where there is tension or hostility, places where there have been arguments or illnesses can trap negative energy. You can pick it up simply by passing through, or standing next to someone who recently went through, such a place.
Like dust in the attic, it just continues to build up, coating everything and dancing around in the air, clogging up the vents. This is what negative energy is like in and around your own body— it coats, hovers, and clogs the flow of more positive energy.
Get rid of your negative energy before it gets the better of you. One of nature’s most powerful defenses against negativity may be sitting on your spice rack: sage.

Smudging

Smudging is an ancient shamanic process. Negativity is cleared away using the smoke of burning herbs. Certain herbs are cleansing enough that they loosen the negative energy and carry it away into the universe where it can disperse.

One of nature’s most powerful defenses against negativity may be sitting on your spice rack: sage.

To smudge, light the tip of a sage smudge stick and let the fire consume the tip for a few seconds. Roll the tip into the heat proof pot to put out the flame, but not hard enough to stop the tip from burning and smoking. Use a heat-proof pot to hold the stick when it’s not in your hand.
Alternatively, light an incense charcoal (not a barbecue charcoal, which can be toxic) and put it in a censer. When the charcoal glows, sprinkle a few pinches of dried sage over it.
Allow it to pass over your body for a few minutes. Fan the smoke toward yourself with your hand. Another good method is to place the pot with the burning herbs on the floor and stand over it, turning so it gets every angle. You’ll know when to stop—you’ll feel lighter, as if weights you didn’t know were there have been lifted. 

Sage Bath

A bath works similarly to smudging, except it conducts the cleansing through water instead of air. Get a couple of bundles of dried or fresh sage. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Wrap the herbs into a cotton napkin or doubled piece of cheese cloth and tie the bundle to prevent the leaves from getting out. Throw it in the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer the herbs for about 5 minutes, then turn of the heat and let it sit for another 15 minutes.
Start the bath. Remove the bundle of herbs with a pair of tongs and pour the sage water into the tub to mix with the bath water. Throw in a handful of salt, which will help extract the negativity and purify you. Adjust the faucets to get the water the ideal temperature.
Just sit in the tub and meditate for a while. After 15 minute, unplug the tub and let the water, and your negativity, go down the drain. 

Sage Oil

Sometimes the negativity comes from within; bad memories and negative emotions are fertile ground for negativity to flourish. Make sage oil with ¼ cup of olive oil mixed with about 1 teaspoon of sage essential oils.
Keep the oil in a vial on you for moments when the negativity is overwhelming. Anoint your pulse points and the center of your forehead to help draw out and release some of it so you can decompress. 

Make it a Routine

You can use sage daily to take preventative measures so negativity won’t build up on you, or you can do it as often as you feel necessary. Think of cleansing yourself of negativity as part of your personal, spiritual hygiene routine.