Smudging is a fabulous way of
sanctifying your home, clearing away negativity and bad
energy, and blessing your space setting the tone for a
harmonious environment. the following
ritual described is based on the native American smudging
ritual which traditionally uses sage, cedar or sweetgrass;
however, any number of herbs, resins and incenses can be
used to smudge your home and environment.
Cedar
is good for driving out negativity, sweetgrass is good for
blessing, fumitory herb is good for blessing, camphor is
good for purification, pine and copal resins are good
particularly if someone is ill or illness in general
(especially respiratory).
To smudge your home, business, or
other environment, light whatever incense, herb, or resin you
are using and start at the center of the home...that place
which you consider is the heart of the home.
Offer the incense to the
seven sacred directions,
East-West-North-South,thenFather Sky and
Mother Earth(5th and 6th directions) and then yourself (7th
sacred direction). Then, go to each corner of each room and
working clockwise and from the bottom up, asperge the area,
the the center again top to bottom. Also smudge the windows
and lastly the doorway as you leave the room and enter
another. After all rooms are smudged in this manner, smudge
each person and animal in the home. For a person start at
the head and move downward to the feet and have the person
stand with their arms to their sides palms outward, do the
front and the back of the person. With animals just be sure
to blow some of the smoke over them. The final thing is to
go outside of the home and working in a clockwise direction
smudge around the perimeter. While you are doing this
process, you should be praying any prayer of your choice
that is consistent with your need.
Use of
Incense in the Catholic Church
From
the Catholic Encyclopedia
The use of
incense was very common. It was employed for profane
purposes as an antidote to the lassitude caused by very
great heat, as perfumes are now used. Mention of its
introduction into pagan worship is made by classical writers
(cf. Ovid, "Metamorph.", VI, 14, Virgil, "AEneid", I, 146).
Herodotus testifies to its use among the Assyrians and
Babylonians, while on Egyptian monumental tablets kings are
represented swinging censers. Into the Jewish ritual it
entered very extensively, being used especially in connexion
with the eucharistic offerings of oil, fruits, and wine, or
the unbloody sacrifices (Leviticus 6:15). By the command of
God Moses built an altar of incense (cf. Exodus 30), on
which the sweetest spices and gums were burned, and to a
special branch of the Levitical tribe was entrusted the
office of daily renewal (1 Chronicles 9:29).
When,
exactly, incense was introduced into the religious services
of the Church it is not easy to say. During the first four
centuries there is no evidence for its use. Still, its
common employment in the Temple and the references to it in
the New Testament (cf. Luke 1:10; Revelation 8:3-5) would
suggest an early familiarity with it in Christian worship.
The earliest authentic reference to its use in the service
of the Church is found in Pseudo-Dionysius ("De Hier. Ecc.",
III, 2). The Liturgies of Sts. James and Mark — which in
their present form are not older than the fifth century —
refer to its use at the Sacred Mysteries. A Roman Ordo of
the seventh century mentions that it was used in the
procession of the bishop to the altar and on Good Friday
(cf. "Ordo Romanus VIII" of St. Amand). The pilgrim Etheria
saw it employed at the vigil Offices of the Sunday in
Jerusalem (cf. Peregrinatio, II). Almost all Eastern
liturgies bear witness to its use in the celebration of the
Mass, particularly at the Offertory. In the Roman Church
incensation at the Gospel of the Mass appears very early —
at the Offertory in the eleventh, and at the Introit in the
twelfth century, at the Benedictus and Magnificat of the
canonical Hours about the thirteenth century, and, in
connexion with the Elevation and Benediction of the Blessed
Sacrament, about the fourteenth century. "Ordo Romanus VI"
describes the incensation of the celebrant, and in the time
of Durandus (Rat. off. Div.) the assisting clergy were
incensed. In the present discipline of the Western Church
incense is used at solemn Mass, solemn blessings, functions,
and processions, choral offices, and absolutions for the
dead. On these occasions persons, places, and things such as
relics of Christ and the saints, crucifix, altar, book of
Gospels, coffin, remains, sepulchre, etc. are incensed. When
used the incense is generally burned. There are two cases,
however, when it is not consumed:
the grains put into
the Paschal candle and
the grains put into
the sepulchre of
consecrated
altars.
At Mass incense is generally
blessed before use.
Symbolism and manner of
incensing
Incense,
with its sweet-smelling perfume and high-ascending smoke, is
typical of the good Christian's
prayer, which, enkindled in the heart by the fire of
God's love and exhaling the odour of Christ, rises up a
pleasing offering in His sight (cf. Amalarius, "De eccles.
officiis" in P.L., CV). Incensing is the act of imparting
the odour of incense. The censer is held in the right hand
at the height of the breast, and grasped by the chain near
the cover; the left hand, holding the top of the chain, is
placed on the breast. The censer is then raised upwards to
the height of the eyes, given an outward motion and slightly
ascending towards the object to be incensed, and at once
brought back to the starting point. This constitutes a
single swing. For a double swing the outward motion should
be repeated, the second movement being more pronounced than
the first. The dignity of the person or thing will determine
whether the swing is to be single or double, and also
whether one swing or more are to be given. The incense-boat
is the vessel containing the incense for immediate use. It
is so called from its shape. It is generally carried by the
thurifer in the disengaged hand.
Reference
Morrisroe, P.(1910).Incense. In
The Catholic
Encyclopedia.New York: Robert
Appleton Company.Retrieved July 8,
2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm
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Herbs, roots,
seeds, beans, nuts, and flowers have
been used in magickal traditions
throughout centuries. Planet
Voodoo provides a nice selection of
herbs as well as a fabulous selection of
Native American influences
play a large part in New
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Hoodoo, & spiritualists.
Voodoo Mama's signature line of Indian
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