Cedar Smudge -
Smudging for Protection
A cedar smudge can have two benefits. While it dispels negative energy it is also known to provide protection.
This ritual is conducted the same way a white sage ceremony is done, it is only your Intention that is different.
You can find cedar sticks by themselves, or you can use cedar combined in a bundle with other sacred herbs.
Depending on your situation you may find it gets complicated to have two Intentions at the same time – getting rid of negative energy and invoking protection at the same time. Most people will find themselves concentrating on one or the other with more conviction. For that reason in the beginning I would recommend doing a protection ceremony on its own and then doing any other rituals you want to do.
Doing a Cedar Smudge
Have all your supplies ready, a bowl with sand or earth in it, your Intention, a wooden match and/or a candle to light it, a cedar stick.
Take at least three deep breaths to focus your mind, have your Intention ready – it need not be complicated just done with a pure heart.
Light the cedar stick. If a flame continues to burn, put it out.
You may wave the smoke around yourself, or any object, by cupping it with your hands. Or you may use a feather to waft the smoke to all areas you wish it to reach. Sometimes waving the stick makes them light again, or smoke too much. Keeping the stick in a bowl will help keep that from happening and also ensure no embers fall.
Remember to put some sand at the bottom of the bowl to keep it from heating up. You can use earth if you wish. You can also extinguish the stick with the sand or earth if that becomes necessary for any reason.
Leave a window or door open if you are in a building, this allows any negative energies to leave.
If you are doing a cedar smudge for protection have your Intention focus on this. It is perfectly ok to ask for protection for yourself, any objects, other people or pets. Generally you ask permission, if someone doesn't want you to do the ceremony for them, honour their wishes. It's all about being in harmony and attracting positive energy.
When your cedar smudge ceremony is completed you may extinguish your cedar stick by covering it with the sand in your bowl, or earth if that is what you are using. You may also bury it on the fringes of your property, some believe this offers extra protection. Most often the stick is broken into four parts for this and each part is buried – one for the north, south, east and west.
You may wish to conduct other smudges such as:
Sage smudge for dispelling negative energy
Sweetgrass braid smudge to attract positive energy.
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