The way that COVID-19 spreads and how long it is present in the air also plays a role. It's the Marie Kondo for your mental health. However, based on preliminary research, there may be support for the use of sage for mood and memory. Read our, The 9 Best Teas for Relaxing of 2023, According to a Dietitian, 7 Best Herbs and Spices for Memory and Brain Health, Nearly Half of Americans Support Legalization of Psychedelics for Mental Health, What to Know About Using Psilocybin for Depression, How Smoking Depletes Your Body of Vitamins, The Health Benefits and Side Effects of Ginkgo Biloba, Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox, Salvia (sage): a review of its potential cognitive-enhancing and protective effects, Chemistry, pharmacology, and medicinal property of sage (salvia) to prevent and cure illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, depression, dementia, lupus, autism, heart disease, and cancer, Antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic composition as quality indicators for aqueous infusions of salvia officinalis L. (sage tea), The acute and chronic cognitive effects of a sage extract: a randomized, placebo controlled study in healthy humans, Extracts of edible and medicinal plants in inhibition of growth, adherence, and cytotoxin production of campylobacter jejuni and campylobacter coli, Medicinal plants for the treatment of nervios, anxiety, and depression in Mexican Traditional Medicine, Poachers are wiping out SoCal's wild white sage to make smudge sticks. Similarly, a 2020 study published in the journal Tel Aviv described the chemical residue of marijuana and frankincense discovered at a 2,000-year-old limestone altar in modern Israel. There's also some science behind it. "Smudging," or burning sage as a practice in cleansing and healing, has roots in Native American traditions. Stomach ache. To follow her lead, heres McCanns lowdown on bringing sage into your home and work space and keeping your spiritual hygiene on point. Disinfects The Air. Some research suggests that active compounds in sage protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. Whether the season issummer, spring, fall or winter, it isa good idea to clean the air in your home regularly to get rid of germs and all the other unhealthy things you dont want your family to breathe in. Start from the top, and bring the smoke around the head, down the torso, and toward the feet (covering the front of the body and then the back). Can crystals and stones really help your anxiety? This includes the Lakota, Chumash, Cahuilla, among others. Note that you'll still need to wipe down surfaces. Help us create a more trustworthy Internet! Though sage is not known to eliminate airborne bacteria or viruses, the herb has been shown to contain antiseptic properties that are beneficial to human health. I also ask my clients, once they have the area ventilated and have lit the sage, to ask the unwanted energy to leave their space, in their minds eye as well as voicing out loud. It's probably the placebo effect, but hey if it works, it works. However, there is not yet enough evidence to recommend its use to treat any medical or mental health condition. Specifically, positively-charged ions in the air, which are often created in artificial environments and environments that house electronic devices (like our homes and offices) can increase stress and trigger allergies and other ailments, while negative ions, which are naturally high at places like a beach or a park, have an antidepressant and healing effect. While not currently considered endangered, experts are concerned about the future of white sage due to overharvesting. Be careful. Elena Klimenko, MD, is a board-certified doctor in internal medicine and licensed in medical acupuncture and homeopathy. Sage has a long history of use in Egyptian, Roman, and Greek medicine, as well as in Native American healing traditions. Lets take a lesson from eight-grade science class: Imagine that you took a bunch of chemical compounds and put them in a jar, sealed the lid, and shook the jar. A 2007 study showed burning sage kills 94% of bacteria. From a scientific point of view, a number of studies have shown that burning sage has antimicrobial and antibacterial qualities, can serve as an insect repellent, improve mood and cognition, release negative ions, and even ease insomnia. When sage is burned, it releases negative ions, which is linked to putting people into a positive mood. Sage is from the plant family called salvia, which is appropriate, since "salvere" means "to heal" in Latin (Thought Catalogue). For healers and laypeople in traditional cultures, burning sage is used to achieve a healing state or to solve or reflect upon spiritual dilemmas. Traditional examples include: To support and respect the cultures that developed the practice, purchase sage from native gatherers, crafters, and artists. The health effects caused by soot are widely studied. Burning sage, also known as smudging, is used for a variety of purposes. It may improve the quality of your sleep, purchase sage from native gatherers, crafters, and artists, How to cleanse your living space, an object, and more, scirp.org/Journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=22705, tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/13880209.2010.497815, ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02229.x, sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0102695X14000830, sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411016302206, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40268-016-0157-5, sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128006344000020, tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14786419.2016.1269096, 10 Delicious Herbs and Spices With Powerful Health Benefits, Im a Third-Generation Witch and This Is How I Use Healing Crystals, Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT. It opened: The ancient ritual of burning sage to purify the air turns out to be more than a superstition! Open a window or door before you start burning the sage. Combats Sinus Infections. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Sitemap. There are tribes on the west coast . Research further explains how sage burning can purify the air and [eliminate] up to 94% of harmful bacteria for up to 24 hours, which in effect reduce the effect of infection. The smoke should now billow up. Many of these findings have not been observed in studies with human participants; more research is needed. Store on a flameproof dish away from wind. Mayo Clinic. "Science Says Burning Sage Can Clear The Air And Improve Your Health." Just like incense, smudging is known to normalize breathing rates, relieve tension and stress, as well as lower blood pressure, as the negative ions produced . Though scientifically unproven, burning sage is thought to release negative ions. Published 2021 Jan 14. doi:10.3390/nu13010218, Castillo SL, Heredia N, Contreras JF, Garca S. Extracts of edible and medicinal plants in inhibition of growth, adherence, and cytotoxin production of campylobacter jejuni and campylobacter coli. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. Some research supports certain health benefits of sage, such as antimicrobial properties and enhanced alertness, but more research is needed. Burning sage has long been used to connect to the spiritual realm or enhance intuition. The first component of the sage stick is the container, which is typically a shell that stands in for water. Distinct from cleansing, smudging has been well established as a Native American cultural or tribal practice, although it isnt practiced by all groups. This has been linked to helping with getting rid of bacteria, pollen and dust, which can improve allergy symptoms. Last medically reviewed on August 29, 2022. Jeannie Bourke is the founder of Sydney-based beauty and body lab, Venustus. Accessed 17 July 2020. If you also start to see the glow of the embers fading you can gently blow on the end that is lit up and remember to do this gently, otherwise you can send sage ash flying onto your outfit or carpet., Sage spray is my favourite alternative when I am in a no-smoke zone. White prairie sage (which is technically a species of mugwort, Artemisia ludoviciana) is both antimicrobial and antibacterial. Thujone is mildly psychoactive. Further studies have shown that sage includes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, among other health benefits. It is dry enough when it crackles when squeezed. We can also burn it at the change of a season or at the start of the winter or summer solstice. The study also mentions that the smoke of burning herbs can act as an air cleaner. There are many reasons why people are concerned about the air quality in their homes. Its common English-language name came about because of a . To burn sage smudge sticks for cleansing and purification, you need four components for smudging. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Absence of pathogenic bacteria Corynebacterium urealyticum, Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, Enterobacter aerogenes (Klebsiella mobilis), Kocuria rosea, Pseudomonas syringae pv. Its easy to travel with and it smells great. Before you burn sage, ask yourself, what is my intention?. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency reports that exposure to soot can aggravate asthma, cause breathing problems, and even increase the risk of early death in people with heart and lung problems. CDC. Adams JD, et al. Scientists have observed that sage can clear up to 94 percent of airborne bacteria in a space and disinfect the air. Then you can start the process of clearing your space. About | It is believed that burning sage can cleanse the air of harmful bacteria or any negative energies that might be in the space. If you have any concern with negative history or energy attached to a new or unfamiliar object, burning sage may help bring peace of mind and make the object more sacred to you. This includes past traumas, bad experiences, or negative energies from others. Let it burn for several seconds and then blow it out so that it keeps smoking. She urges clients to be strategic with their sageing practice, focusing on the areas of homes or offices that are the most highly trafficked rooms. SOURCE: Anonymous, myhighplains.com, Spirit Science, 24 Oct. 2019. REVIEW If this is the case, burning sage may be a blessing for those with asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. These articles are inaccurate, however, because havan smagri does not contain sage and was therefore not tested in the 2007 study. Arie, Eran, Rosen, Baruch, Namdar, Dvory. (2011). But as a rule of thumb, aerosols can disperse across an indoor space, explained Vermund. Rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid are two compounds in sage that are particularly associated with an antioxidant effect. Research shows that thujone is mildly psychoactive. Make sure to put your sage bundle out completely after every use. From a scientific point of view, a number of studies have shown that burning sage has antimicrobial and antibacterial qualities, can serve as an insect repellent, improve mood and cognition, release negative ions, and even ease insomnia. Even if further studies show that havan smagri smoke can clean bacteria from the air, it likely dirties the air in another wayby releasing soot and other potentially hazardous airborne particles. Some alternative medicine practitioners believe that burning sage, or taking it internally, can help release negative energy. It's important to note, though, that the sage smoke needs at least an hour to achieve this level of air purification, so waving your smudge stick once or twice in the corner of the room won't cut it for this purpose. In simpler terms, burning sage is a cost-effective air purifier. (2017). When done correctly and respectfully, burning sage is completely safe and the effects last after the smoke clears. The ritual of burning sage to cleanse out energies is also known as smudging. The researchers burned the medicinal plant materials plus mango wood in a closed room for one hour and filtered the air at several timepoints between one and 24 hours later to sample any airborne bacteria. "Burning sage is handed down from Native American civilizations and is considered a spiritual practice that removes negative energy," Taz Bhatia, MD, an integrative health expert and author of Super Woman Rx tells OprahMag.com, pointing to other benefits. This practice has been around for hundreds of years, but many people have discounted it in the past as an old wives tale. Pray, meditate, and make your intentions clear. Its actually found in many plants used in cultural spiritual rituals to enhance intuition. Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of "Therapy in Focus: What to Expect from CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder" and "7 Weeks to Reduce Anxiety.". Published on: 14 Mar 2020 | Editor: Patricia Waldron. Modabbernia A, Akhondzadeh S. Saffron, passionflower, valerian and sage for mental health. Antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic composition as quality indicators for aqueous infusions of salvia officinalis L. (sage tea). After that, gently blow out the flame so you see orange embers on one end. We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site. 16 Dec 2019. If you are just getting into working with sage you can find sage kits easily online or in your local metaphysical shop. While using sage for cleansing, you might consider burning incense or using essential oils alongside it to harbor the positive energy you would like to bring to your space. Helps With Feeling Grounded. Sage smoke offers rapid delivery to the brain and efficient absorption to the body. Burning sage creates fragrant smoke central to its benefits. The Bible does not address burning sage but warns against engaging in spiritual practices that are not of God. Amazingly, science has shown that when White Sage is burned it releases thujone. Smudging, or other rites involving the burning of sacred herbs (e.g., white sage) or resins, is a ceremony practiced by some Indigenous peoples of the Americas.While it bears some resemblance to other ceremonies and rituals involving smoke (e.g., Australian smoking ceremony, some types of saining) from other world cultures, notably those that use smoke for spiritual cleansing or blessing, the . Lopresti AL. It may surprise you to learn that not only would modern new age healers say yes, but science backs up some of these claims. Get relief with healing crystals. Scientists have observed that sage can clear up to 94 percent of airborne bacteria in a space and disinfect the air. (2012). But inhaling the smoke during the cleansing can aggravate any respiratory condition. Interestingly, burning sage increases negative ions and reduces positive ions in the air. A fire safe bowl such as a seashell or bowl of ceramic, clay or glass, A fire source such as a long match or candle, Feather or fan for fanning smoke (optional). Next, hold your jewelry in the smoke for a few minutes, turning it so that all sides are exposed to the smoke. Bind the ends of the herbs altogether at one end and continue to tie the herb bundle like you would a roast. This can be done to a new item, such as jewelry, furniture, or clothing, to protect or dispel it of negative energy. The Latin word for sage salvia stems form the word heal. Imitating the pagans is haram, and accepting their beliefs is denial of Islam. You can use this incense to cleanse yourself or specific spaces. Poor air quality may be linked to various health conditions. And when people say they can "feel" healthier energy in a room after it has been smudged, there may be scientific reason for that, too. Furthermore, inhaling smoke can cause or worsen respiratory issues and other health problems. In 2007, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has published an article containing information about the air purifying potentials of smoke-based remedies and concluded that smudging has not only have health benefits but can be used as a powerful antiseptic. Sage has antimicrobial properties; it kills dangerous bacteria in the air and fights viruses and fungi. (2017). 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