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The Real Secret To Smudging Is Your Intention
The secret to smudging isn’t just in the smoke alone. It is powered by your intention. The herbs may help to cleanse the air, but it is your focused energy and mindful purpose that makes the real difference.
This is what I learned from my mentor when I undertook my Ukuthwasa as a shaman initiate many years ago in Southern Africa. An initial part of my rigorous training as a Sangoma, or traditional healer, was a self-cleansing ritual using Mphepo, made up of herbs indigenous to Southern Africa.
“Smudging,” simply put, is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath. The smoke is used to cleanse areas used for rituals and ceremonies, as well as any tools or objects used for such cleansing, as well as to cleanse people.
The practice of burning incense or herbs is held sacred by many indigenous cultures. It is aimed at protecting, cleansing and purifying the spiritual and physical bodies, with the smoke being the key to rid one of negative energy.
The intention behind any smudging ceremony is a very significant part of its success. With the focus and intent of the “smudger” fully aligned, spiritual, emotional, physical and mental balance can be achieved.
It may be a good time to smudge yourself, or your environment, when you feel depressed or angry, or feel that any exterior negative energy is affecting you, your surroundings or your possessions. Or you may just wish to ensure or enhance positive energy in spaces used for meditation or healing. Continue reading
Give Yourself The Grace Of Forgiveness
If you are an empath you may believe that forgiveness should be easy for you, or at least easier than it is for others. But I’ve spoken to many empaths and highly sensitive people over the years who all struggle with forgiveness.
One of the main issues with forgiveness for the empath is that we feel another’s emotions intensely, literally as our own. This muddies the waters considerably, because it tends to blur boundaries. Blurred boundaries can often lead to a closed mouth for an empath. Why? Because it is difficult for us, especially in childhood or in romantic relationships, to know where we end and another begins.
It is easy for others to manipulate appropriate boundaries with an empath, or to erase them altogether. All the empath knows is that there is pain, sadness, a sense of frustration, or anger. If you are an empath, then the question becomes are you angry with them, or yourself? Should you have been able to foresee the catastrophe happening, the relationship ending, job imploding, and so on. This leads to self-doubt and the rehashing of incidents that occurred years ago…with no resolution.
In the meantime, every time an empath thinks about the situation, past or present, we feel it…and the cycle continues.
Yes, you are empathic, intuitive, even psychic, but that does not make you immune to being human, neither does it make you all-knowing or all-seeing, especially when it comes to your own life, childhood or relationships.
Hold Your Tongue To Protect Your Peace
Some people deal with unresolved pain in their lives, and that pain often shows up in their words. You can usually feel it right away. Their words can feel heavy, sharp, or draining, like they disrupt the energetic balance of a space.
In spiritual work, one of the first lessons one learns is that words carry vibration.
If you’re the kind of person who’s intuitive, empathic or highly sensitive, this kind of exposure can feel especially overwhelming, leaving you emotionally upset or energetically drained. This reaction isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s just your inner guidance that tells you when something’s off.
It’s important to be discerning on a spiritual path. You don’t have to respond to every person or comment. Not every interaction needs a response.
When someone’s speaking from a place of anger, fear, or unresolved issues, you’re totally allowed to take a step back and choose not to engage with it. Silence isn’t avoidance. It’s all about being mindful of your energy use and being spiritually mature.
Take a breath before you react. Bring your awareness into your body and ground yourself in the present moment. Try to respond with clarity instead of emotion. Meditation, prayer, or just taking some time for yourself can help you get in sync with your higher self instead of getting caught up in reactive patterns.
How To Anchor Yourself In Any Storm
Happiness, peace, calm, no drama. This is the way of life we all really strive for and long for. We even design our lives in such a way as to create the illusion of having attained this.
Yet, life happens. There are stresses. There are arguments, fights, heartaches. Yes, there is pain.
We sometimes find ourselves in situations not of our own making, and circumstances that anger us. Yet, at the end of each day, if we can go to bed knowing we were honest, and we did what we believed with all our heart was right, then we have inner peace and happiness.
Yes, we all do make mistakes. We do things out of anger or hurt, then later regret. But if we work hard to try to resolve the situation, we can be happy within ourselves.
No one can say words to us that bring us to unhappiness; no one can take actions that hurt us if we don’t let it destroy our faith within.
Becoming the rock in the middle of the storm is key. We must keep our mind clear, not let others tell us that we are no good, and avoid trying to become what others want us to be.
We have to be what the spirit within tells us to be. Then we will be happy. We will be anchored in the center of the storm.
In all our lives, there comes a time to make major decisions. Our first wisest choice is to ask the Creator, our Higher Power, through our prayers and meditations, what is best. The second is to get expert opinions.
Staying Calm Is Often The Key To Inner Peace
Sometimes the emotional charge of something as simple as a misunderstood comment, or a statement taken out of context, can throw even the most level-headed person into a tailspin.
Developing a general demeanor of good humor can assist you in dealing with some of these most difficult, embarrassing or awkward situations encountered in life.
Everyone handles things differently, doing the best they can with the information they have at the time.
Although, generally, the goal is to come to a better understanding and reach common ground, sometimes this takes much more time, effort and compromise than expected.
Although it is important to resolve an issue and clear the air, if possible, it is equally important to put each issue into context. Years from the date of the affront, will the issue be remembered at all and, if so, will it have anywhere near the importance that it did at the time?
Certain issues will never be forgotten, however, they can often be forgiven for the sake of all parties involved.
Long after the dust has settled, though, some people are inclined to continue to ruminate and replay negative scenarios over and over again.
This only serves to feed the flames of injustice and keeps the anger front of mind, long after the offending party has moved on physically and/or emotionally. As a result, rehashing the past can seem to perpetuate an aura of general negativity in your life.
Thorns Are Only There To Protect The Rose
Each time we turn to unnecessary conflict, things turn into chaos. It stirs up the aura around each person involved. The ripples of anger and hurt affects everyone involved.
This doesn’t mean we can’t ever stand up for ourselves, or disagree. In fact, statistics prove that couples who never argue most often don’t last in their relationships.
A good storm now and then can clear up things and allow us opportunity to express the things we have been suppressing.
But often we hold it in for too long, and then it blows up. When this happens, the drama is often worse than it needed to be. We say things we later regret. We are even surprised by some of the things we say when we get this upset! Where did that come from?
Then, as time goes on, we want to make amends. Yet, those words caused a hurt that never really leaves. Sometimes an apology is no longer enough.
I know that it is hard to do, but it is mostly for the best not to stir the pot when it is already too late. The wisest way to handle issues is to bring them up early on. Talk and work them out before they blow up.
Love is like a rose. Roses are so beautiful, with their sweet smell, the velvet petals, brilliant colors, and heady scent. It overwhelms the senses.
Ask Spirit For Patience This Holiday Season
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. But for some of us, it can also be a time of tension, distress, and intense emotions.
Instead of being a time of gratitude, love, and connection, for some of us the holidays mark the resurfacing of old family conflicts, unresolved tensions, and the weight of others’ overwhelming expectations or criticisms.
These challenges often lead to frustration, sadness, anger, or feelings of being overwhelmed, turning what should be a time of love and belonging into one that underscores where our relationships with loved ones are most strained.
At this point, asking spirit or your higher power to help you cultivate the virtue of patience becomes a powerful way to stay grounded and centered.
Patience isn’t just about enduring difficult moments; it’s about being aware of those moments and choosing to respond with grace and dignity rather than impulsively. When tensions rise — perhaps during a family dinner where conversations may become heated or awkward — it is easy to fall back on old patterns and habitual responses. Asking for spiritual support and protection in these moments, however, can provide a higher perspective and an empowered response.
Whether it’s through a silent prayer, a few deep breaths, whispering your favorite mantra, or simply making a conscious call for help in your mind, spiritual presence can help you pause, step back, ground and center, and approach the situation calmly and with more compassion — for yourself and others.