A Guide to Smudging: Sacred Smoke and Plant Medicine

What’s widely known today as smudging has a profound, ancient, and sacred origin. Although it has captured the attention of contemporary wellness movements and is a common component of new age self-care rituals and spiritual cleansing practices, the burning of sacred plants is a powerful tool for healing, resilience, and connection with a rich cultural history.

In this post, you’ll discover an academically informed overview of smudging that honors the wisdom traditions that utilize plant smoke. You'll learn that smudging sage isn't the only source of sacred smoke. You’ll also learn the scientific and emerging understanding from ethnobotanical research on the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits attributed to smudging.

What is Smudging?

Smudging, in its traditional context, refers to the spiritual and cultural practice observed by many distinct Indigenous Peoples of North America, including First Nations and Métis communities. In these traditions, sacred plant medicines are burned to produce smoke used for purification (Western University, n.d.). While the term smudging, is English in origin, these specific ceremonies often have unique names in various Indigenous languages, such as atisamânihk (Cree, meaning “at the smudge”) or nookwez (Ojibwe, meaning “smudge medicinally”) (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2018).

Smudging ritual is traditionally used for spiritual cleansing—purifying a person, space, or object of negative thoughts, energies, or feelings (ICT Inc., 2017). This practice is tied to living a holistic and balanced life, and serves as a means for participants to become mindful, centred, and grounded (Government of Manitoba, 2019; Western University, n.d.). The rising smoke is symbolically understood to carry prayers to the Creator and to the spirit world, fostering communication and connection (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2018).

A traditional smudging ceremony typically includes four fundamental elements, which represent the interconnectedness of existence (ICT Inc., 2017):

1. Water (Container): The vessel holding the medicines, traditionally a shell (like an abalone shell) or a stone bowl.

2. Earth (Plants): The sacred plant medicines themselves (sage, cedar, sweetgrass, tobacco).

3. Fire (Ignition): The flame used to ignite the plants.

4. Air (Smoke): The smoke that is produced and wafted over the person or space, often guided by an eagle feather or by hand, representing the connection to the spirit world and the cleansing of the mind, body, and spirit (ICT Inc., 2017).

Elders and knowledge keepers teach that when a person is smudged, they draw the smoke over their hands, head, eyes, ears, mouth, and entire body. This physical movement is accompanied by deep intention, reminding the participant to think good thoughts, see the good in others, hear only good things, speak kindly, and act in ways that reflect their best self (Government of Manitoba, 2019; Western University, n.d.).

Ceremonial Roles: Healing and Resilience

Smudging is integrated into a wide variety of ceremonies and contexts within Indigenous life, moving beyond individual cleansing to serve essential roles in community, emotional, and physical health.

Traditional Ceremonial Practices (TCPs) for Healing

Academic studies recognize smudging as a vital component of Traditional Ceremonial Practices (TCPs). Research focused on American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities demonstrates that participation in these long-held practices is associated with improved mental health and a lower proportion of substance use among respondents, underscoring the practices' clinical and community-level efficacy (Chase-Begay et al., 2023).

Additionally, the practice has gained recognition in modern institutional settings. Many healthcare facilities, including major hospitals in the United States and Canada, have implemented guidelines to accommodate smudging in patient rooms, chapels, and designated spaces (Mayo Clinic, 2023; Laurentian University, 2017). Patients who take part often describe the experience as comforting, restoring peace, and bringing hope, helping them perceive the hospital environment as a safe, culturally appropriate, and familiar space (Mayo Clinic, 2023). These are all strong signals that smudging acts as a measurable, culturally appropriate tool for inducing the physiological state of rest and repair required for holistic healing.

Global Traditions of Sacred Smoke

While “smudging” is specifically tied to North American Indigenous practices, the ritual use of plant smoke for purification, protection, and spiritual healing is a global phenomenon found across numerous cultures and religions (Northern Review, n.d.; Mohagheghzadeh et al., 2006).

The recognition that smoke from medicinal or sacred plants transforms space, carries prayers, and holds transformative power is a common thread that weaves through human history.

Ancient and Old World Smudging

Frankincense and Myrrh in Ancient Mediterranean and Middle East

Frankincense (Boswellia spp.) and myrrh (Commiphora spp.) were burned in ancient Egyptian temples and highly valued in Greek and Roman rites (University of Houston, 2016; ResearchGate, 2012). Their smoke was used to sanctify spaces, represent divine glory, and symbolically carry prayers upward, transforming the atmosphere from the mundane to the holy (Encyclopedia of Smell History and Heritage, 2023). Additionally, the practice of burning incense in religious ceremonies has been central to the Catholic and Orthodox practices for centuries (MDPI, 2024), where the rising smoke symbolizes the prayers of the faithful ascending to heaven and represents sanctification and purification.

Saining in European Traditions

In Scottish, Irish, and broader Celtic traditions, the practice of saining involved using smoke, water, and spoken charms for blessing and protection. Ceremonial fires were built at seasonal transitions, often utilizing juniper, rowan, or elder branches. Historically, homes and livestock were purified by being passed through the smoke, demonstrating an understanding of cleansing that encompassed both the physical and the spiritual realms (Encyclopedia of Smell History and Heritage, 2023).

Incense in Asian Practices 

In regions like Southwestern China, ritual fumigation continues to be practiced to communicate with ancestors, deities, and spirits (MDPI, 2024). Similarly, Japanese Buddhism and Hindu puja ceremonies extensively incorporate various forms of incense to enhance spiritual connection and self-awareness (PMC, 2012; PMC, 2017).

South American Healing Smoke

In the Amazon, particularly in Peruvian traditional medicine, the use of smoke is central, but often with plants other than the common North American smudging herbs. Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica L.) is considered the main curing tool of Amazonian healers, or Maestros Tabaqueros.

The healer applies smoke directly to the patient's body in a practice known as soplada (blowing), often for “energetic purposes” in conjunction with other traditional remedies (Russell, 2019; PubMed Central, 2020). This use highlights that the purposeful, ritualistic burning of medicinal plants is a widespread human healing technology, adapted to local flora and spiritual frameworks.

Palo Santo: Sacred Wood of the Andes

Palo Santo smudging is one of the most recognized and globally used forms of sacred smoke today. The wood of the Palo Santo tree, native to the seasonally dry tropical forests of Ecuador and Peru, is revered as "Holy Wood". Its use dates to pre-Columbian and Incan civilizations, where traditional healers (curanderos) employed its aromatic smoke to clear individuals and ceremonial areas (ResearchGate, 2020).

The traditional use of Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) for pain relief and relaxation is scientifically valid as the wood is rich in terpenes, particularly limonene and α-terpineol, chemical compounds known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and stress-relieving properties (ResearchGate, 2020).

Importantly, the wood is traditionally considered sacred only if the tree has died naturally and has been left to decompose on the forest floor for several years, allowing its essential oils to concentrate. Thus, adhering to the traditional practice of harvesting only the trees that have died naturally is a key part of honoring the sacred practice (Yoga Journal, 2020).

The Sacred Medicines: Plants and Their Teachings

The plants utilized in smudging are not merely botanical elements; they are considered sacred medicines, or gifts from the Creator, each holding specific teachings, spiritual purposes, and medicinal applications.

The Four Sacred Medicines (North American Indigenous Traditions)

In many First Nations traditions, four primary medicines are frequently utilized in ceremonies and smudging, though local practices may vary:

1. Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.): Traditional tobacco is often cited as the first plant given by the Creator and serves as the main activator for the spirits of all other plants (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.). It is central to ceremony, offered before gathering other medicines, when seeking the advice of an Elder, or as a physical manifestation of one’s thoughts and prayers to the spirit world. Traditional tobacco is used as an offering for everything and symbolizes the importance of beginning any spiritual work with intention (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.).

2. Sage (Salvia spp.): Widely used in smudging, sage (white, desert, or mugwort) is primarily used to cleanse and prepare for ceremony (TELUS World of Science, 2021). Its pungent smoke is known for removing negative energy, feelings, and emotions, allowing the mind to be purified and brought to a state of clarity (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.).

3. Cedar (Thuja spp. or Juniperus spp.): Cedar is used for purification, but is specifically sought to attract positive energy, feelings, and emotions, restoring balance (TELUS World of Science, 2021). Its use is often restorative and protective, for example, its branches may be used to cover the floors of sweat lodges (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.).

4. Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata): Often referred to as the "sacred hair of Mother Earth," sweetgrass has a gentle, sweet aroma, symbolizing kindness, love, and gentleness (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.). Sweetgrass is primarily used to invite positive energies (TELUS World of Science, 2021). The plant's structure, which bends without breaking when stepped upon, teaches the lesson of returning kindness when faced with injustice (Anishnawbe Mushkiki, n.d.).

Scientific Benefits of Smudging

The traditional and spiritual uses of sacred smoke are now being explored through the lens of ethnobotanical and medical science, bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary findings. This research aims to quantify the benefits that healers and traditional knowledge keepers have understood intuitively and experientially for generations.

Medicinal Smoke as an Air Purifier

One of the most compelling scientific findings relates to the smoke’s effect on the physical environment. A review of medicinal smokes from 50 countries highlighted that, across time, humans have utilized plant smoke to cure illness (Mohagheghzadeh et al., 2006). Historically, smoke was used as medicine against respiratory tract diseases and for repelling insects, demonstrating its function as a microbial agent and air purifier (MDPI, 2024).

Studies confirm that certain herbs, when burned, release antimicrobial compounds. Ambient smoke from certain medicinal plants is not directed at the body, but is used explicitly as an air purifier (Mohagheghzadeh et al., 2006).

While few studies quantify the combustion by-products of smudging specifically, initial research into burning sage has found that the smoke produced concentrations of lead, nitrogen dioxide, total oxidants, and sulfur dioxide within normal or undetectable ranges, indicating that the ritual burning is relatively safe regarding certain air pollutants (Government of Canada Publications, 2021).

Psychological and Spiritual Health

The spiritual efficacy of smudging is strongly supported by its psychological benefits, particularly in therapeutic and healthcare settings. The ritual provides a structured, intentional act that aids in grounding and stress reduction (Government of Manitoba, 2019). The use of ritual is generally recognized as a means for fostering resilience, healing, and connection to something larger than oneself, which creates and sustains meaning in life (Smith-Yliniemi et al., 2024).

The intentional focusing of the mind—cleansing the thoughts, eyes, ears, and mouth—is, in effect, a profound exercise in mindfulness and behavioral self-regulation, which is key to many recognized therapeutic interventions (Government of Manitoba, 2019). The combined effect of aromatic compounds, ritual structure, spiritual intention, and cultural relevance makes smudging a potent tool for holistic health.

Sacred Smoke in Contemporary Wellness Practices

Please note: This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The cleansing power of sacred smoke, particularly the act of using known sacred plants like sage and Palo Santo for purification, has been fluidly incorporated into a wide range of contemporary wellness practices and spiritual self-care routines. In the modern context, smudging, or similar forms of smoke purification, is frequently used as a tool for energy healing, including clearing residual energy in treatment spaces before or after sessions.

It is widely applied in practices centered on chakra balancing and meridian work, where the smoke is used to purify the subtle body and promote the smooth flow of vital life force. This widespread modern adaptation is a direct testament to the enduring human understanding that the smoke of medicinal plants is an effective, non-invasive approach, grounded in spiritual wisdom traditions, for promoting holistic emotional and energetic hygiene (Smith-Yliniemi et al., 2024).

When looking to add sacred smoke support to your spiritual or personal practice, look for vendors who express a foundation of respect for the plant, the land, and the rich historical and cultural significance. Here are a few examples of vendors who express conscientious sourcing protocol for (paid links):  6 white sage smudging sticks, 25 white sage smudging sticks, Palo Santo Sticks, Cedar sticks, and braided Sweetgrass. Each of these vendors indicate either SERFOR certification or their commitment to sustainable practices.

Summary

In many traditions sacred smoke is a sophisticated form of botanical language intended to achieve specific sacred and spiritual outcomes. Understanding the rich cultural history of smudging can help you expand your own practice to include the valuable beliefs of sacred traditional ceremonies. From a traditional standpoint, not only does the smoke provide the clearing but it also carries positive intent to higher dimensions.

By appreciating the deep historical roots, the complex ceremonial roles, and the scientifically validated physical and psychological benefits of smudging, you can create a more grounded, respectful, and effective engagement with this sacred and enduring practice of healing smoke.

References

Anishnawbe Mushkiki. (n.d.). The Four Sacred Medicines.

Chase-Begay, D. M., Chaichana Peterson, J., Liddell, J., & Belcourt, A. (2023). Traditional Ceremonial Practices as a Strategy to Reduce Problem Substance Use in American Indian Communities: A Systematic Review. NIH: National Library of Medicine.

Encyclopedia of Smell History and Heritage. (2023). Frankincense.

Government of Canada Publications. (2021). CSC Smudging Toxicity: Literature Review.

Government of Manitoba. (2019). Smudging Protocol and Guidelines for School Divisions.

Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT Inc.). (2017). A Definition of Smudging.

Laurentian University. (2017). An Examination of the Integration Processes of Anishinaabe Smudging Ceremonies in Northeastern Ontario Health Care Facilities.

Mayo Clinic. (2023, August 9). Smudging brings comfort to Native American patients at Mayo Clinic.

MDPI. (2024). Commercialized “Smudge Sticks” Used as Incense in the Netherlands: An Inventory of Plants and Trends Behind a New Age Fashion. PMC - PubMed Central.

Mohagheghzadeh, A. et al. (2006). Medicinal smokes. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 108(2), 161–184.

Northern Review. (n.d.). Sacred Smokes in Circumboreal Countries: An Ethnobotanical Exploration.

PubMed Central. (2020). “Tobacco Is the Chief Medicinal Plant in My Work”: Therapeutic Uses of Tobacco in Peruvian Amazonian Medicine Exemplified by the Work of a Maestro Tabaquero.

PMC (PubMed Central). (2023). Indigenous-Amazonian Traditional Medicine's Usage of the Tobacco Plant: A Transdisciplinary Ethnopsychological Mixed-Methods Case Study.

ResearchGate. (2012). Frankincense, Myrrh, and Balm of Gilead: Ancient Spices of Southern Arabia and Judea.

ResearchGate. (2020). An ethnobotanical and chemical review of Bursera graveolens (H.B.K.) Triana & Planch.

Russell, N. (2019). Tobacco in Amazonian Medicine and Traditional Uses.

Smith-Yliniemi, J., Malott, K. M., Riegert, J., & Branco, S. F. (2024). Utilizing collective wisdom: Ceremony-assisted treatment for Native and non-Native clients. The Professional Counselor, 14(2), 173–185.

TELUS World of Science – Edmonton. (2021, June 21). National Indigenous History Month: Smudging.

The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2018). Smudging.

University of Houston. (2016). Frankincense and Myrrh | The Engines of Our Ingenuity.

Western University. (n.d.). What is smudging? (Indigenous Initiatives Procedure for Burning Traditional Medicines on Campus).

Yoga Journal. (2020, December 18). The Ethical Way to Use Palo Santo.

About Kidest OM

Kidest OM is a spiritual and conscious evolution teacher, personal development coach, and bestselling author whose work bridges spiritual growth, conscious evolution, and modern psychology. Through her writing and courses, she guides readers to awaken higher consciousness and live in alignment with their true nature. Her books combine metaphysical understanding with scientific insight to help you develop self-awareness, energetic intelligence, and emotional coherence. With warmth and clarity, Kidest shows how the path of spiritual development naturally leads to expanded creativity, resilience, and inner peace.

Explore her manifestation books and personal development courses on conscious evolution to deepen your journey of growth and empowerment.