The practice of cleansing our homes, workplace, and as a matter of fact, ourselves has been a sacred ritual that has been prevalent since ancient times. One of the many ways to do so is the act of burning sage. This Buzzle article tells you all about burning sage to cleanse negative energy from your home and your life.

Why Cleanse with Sage?
It is believed by the practitioners that the spirit of the plant burned wards off the evil in the atmosphere. Sage also helps in keeping one safe from negativity, and must be planted at the entrances and exits of the house.
The word 'sage' comes from the Latin word Salvere, which means 'to heal'. Hence, sage is the herb associated with healing, be it physically or spiritually. Also, have you thought of why the wise men are called 'sagely'? This is because this word is also associated with qualities such as wisdom, spiritual awareness, and the one who has clarity in his conscience.

Have you ever noticed? Sometimes the air around feels very heavy, as if burdened with chaos or illness. You don't feel light and relaxed, or the atmosphere of the house seems to be disturbed with illnesses, arguments, or indifferent behavior that is totally uncalled-for. For those who believe, immediately sense this negative aura in their living space. It is said that this ill feeling comes when you get a visitor in your house who doesn't emit good wishes to your house, family, and relationships. Also, many times, in our times of prosperity and happiness, we tend to get overwhelmed with pride and self-esteem, which ends up jinxing our positive aura.

How to Burn Sage to Cleanse Your Home
The process can be as simple, or as complicated, as you'd like to keep it. While some people use only sage, others use it in combination with additional herbs such as sweet grass, rosemary, and cedar. Many people also use bells in the process, as it is said that the vibration of the sound that the ringing of the bells make, compel the negative vibes to leave the house. The following steps will take you through the process.

Clean Your House Beforehand
You and your house need to be prepared physically and mentally to start with the cleansing. A cluttered and dirty house invites negative energies, usually getting trapped in the mess, making those areas their dwelling spots. On the other hand, a clean and well-ventilated house imparts positive aura to its residents. You can start by organizing the clutter and mopping the floors with saltwater. You can also sprinkle saltwater in and around the house to begin with. Also, in the process, do not think anything negative. If you wish, you can say small prayers indicating that you want the positive energies to come into your house, replacing the negative ones.

Pray and Bless the Sage Stick
While both white sage and garden sage are used for this ritual, it is said that white sage sticks are more effective in warding off the evil vibes from the house. These can be easily purchased from the market. Take the earthen vessel, matchstick, and the sage stick, and pray on these elements so as to bless them, and impart the positivity of prayers on them. You may skip this step if you're not religious; however, this only helps make the act more efficacious.

Smudge the House Clockwise
Now, burn the sage stick carefully (as dried sage burns quickly), and spread the smoke with your hands, all throughout the house, walking to the different areas in a clockwise direction. If you wish, you can ask someone to accompany you to ring bells while you walk around, to add to the process. It would be good to say names of people who reside in your family and seek protection for them from the evil eye. Also, ensure that you don't make the house extremely smoky so that it becomes difficult to breathe in it. Sage is a very powerful plant. A little smoke is enough to serve the purpose. However, pay attention to the busy areas of the house―kitchen, hallway, workstations, washrooms, and the like. Also, pay special heed to the doorways, windows, mirrors, corners, and ceilings of the house.

Throw Away the Remaining Ashes
It is suggested to throw the remains of the procedure outside the house; either put them on earth, or release them in flowing water. Do not keep the ashes within the house, after everything has burned completely in the earthen pot where you placed the sage stick.

Burn Incense Afterwards (Optional)
If you believe in the concept of yin and yang (feminine and masculine) balance that keeps our lives balanced, then it would be nice to burn incense as soon as you're done with the sage burning. This is because sage is believed to have a masculine effect, which gets perfectly balanced with the incense burning that has a feminine effect. Also, some people find the smell of sage to be very strong, so incense burning neutralizes that effect as well.

Most people also believe in burning sage for good luck, especially during events such as weddings, traveling, interviews, and the like. No matter what the reason is, it is a routine practice among trusters to cleanse their homes (and themselves) within regular intervals, to keep the evil away. Though there are many ways to do so, burning sage to clear negative energy is by far the most trusted method, and is in prevalence since the time of ancient Native Americans. So, the next time you feel that eerie feeling of bad vibes around, make sure to try this method and reap the benefits of burning sage leaves.