Making Herbal Incense Bundles
Smoke cleansing is a process in which dried herbs are burned for the purpose of spiritual cleansing. Incense can be found in many forms, including resin, sticks, and dried bunches, which are my favorite because they can easily be made at home. The process is straightforward, and I believe that making your own herbal incense adds depth and connection to the smoke cleansing practice.
Collect and prep your herbs
First, you have to decide what herbs you are going to use. Here I make my bundles out of rosemary and lavender leaves, but you can really use any sturdy herb or leaf (think: thyme, common sage, mugwort, eucalyptus, cedar, peppermint, etc.) I encourage you to select herbs that either grow locally to you or have historically been used by your community for medicinal or spiritual purposes. You may have to play around with different plants to find out what works best for you. If you are harvesting yourself, take clippings around 4 inches long, then rinse and dry your herbs well.
Tying bundles
The next step is to make and tie your bundles. The size of the bundles comes down to personal preference, and because I like mine to be smaller I use around 4-5 sprigs for each. For string, make sure to choose a thread made out of a natural fiber, like cotton or linen. I take butcher’s twine and split it into groups of 3 strands so that it is strong enough to hold the herbs together. The length of your string will depend on the size of your bunches, but I cut my thread about the length of one arm.
When tying my herb bunches, I like to use a hair clip to hold them together while I start the bundle. To tie, begin by making a single knot around the bottom of your bunch, leaving the majority of the thread on one side of the knot.
Taking the longer side, wrap it diagonally up the bundle around 6 times, then around the top a couple of times, and then diagonally back down, crossing over the previous thread.
When you reach the bottom, wrap around the first loop once or twice and then tie another knot between the two ends and cut off the excess.
This is not a precise process, so do not stress about making it look perfect! Make sure to wrap your herbs tightly, as they will shrink and the string will loosen as they dry. If you want them to look neater, you can trim any leaves that are sticking out of the bundle.
Drying your herbs
How you dry your bundles is up to you, but I recommend hanging them by another piece of string in a dry place that is out of direct sunlight. Exact drying time depends on herbs used, the size of the bundles, and your climate, but I usually find that 1-2 weeks is sufficient. Once they are dried through, you are ready to smoke cleanse!
How to smoke cleanse
Smoke cleansing practices vary from culture to culture, and person to person, but there are several components of the process that are nearly universal. First, you will need some sort of ceramic or glass dish to hold your lit bundle. Often in spiritual spaces you see people use abalone, but abalone are endangered and harvesting them threatens the existence of the species. Before you begin smoke cleansing, set intentions for the practice and the energy that you hope to cultivate in your space. When you are ready to begin, light your bundle with either a lighter or candle, rotating it over the flame until the entire bundle is burning evenly and there is a consistent flow of smoke. You can now walk around your room or space with the bundle, fan smoke into any spaces that you may not be able to reach, and focus on objects or areas that feel like they need additional attention. To smoke cleanse your own body, fan smoke towards yourself. Open windows to let smoke and negative energy out, and when you are done you can put the smoke out by gently pressing the lit end into the dish to extinguish it, or let it go out on its own.
My personal smoke cleansing ritual
Everyone smoke cleanses differently, and I am a personal believer that everybody needs to experiment with what practices resonate with them personally. For me, I chose to focus on windows and doors to prevent entry of negative energy and expel any that may currently exist. I also emphasize the mirrors in my room and bathroom with the intention of them being places where I view myself with kindness, rather than somewhere to pick myself apart. I circle my head to look at myself with gentle eyes, my hands to treat my body tenderly, and my heart to love myself the way that I do others. This is my current ritual, though it is ever changing with each new shift in my life. Research how other people smoke cleanse, try things out, and be open to changing your practice as life necessitates it.
Smoke cleansing, “smudging”, and “saging”
Oftentimes you hear people use the terms “smudging” or “saging” in reference to their smoke cleansing practice. While people from around the world have smoke cleansed for thousands of years, smudging is a term referring to the specific practices of people indigenous to Turtle Island (North America). Additionally, the use of white sage and palo santo in smoke cleansing is problematic because they are often harvested using unethical and environmentally damaging methods to be sold commercially. Because indigenous people have historically been legally prohibited from participating in cultural practices such as the harvest and burning of sage and palo santo, smudging of these is commonly considered a closed practice. A closed practice is one that is limited to those inside of a community, or those who have been directly invited to participate. It is important to note that native peoples are not a monolith, and opinions on restrictions around smudging vary from person to person. However, increase in the popularity of smoke cleansing and other spiritual practices has resulted in mass overharvesting of these plants that are culturally significant to our indigenous communities. There is no reason that you need smoke cleanse with sage or palo santo (you can use garden sage instead), so I chose to steer clear of these entirely, though some natives do sell ethically harvested incense that you can purchase. Smoke cleansing, when performed mindfully and with appropriate materials, is not cultural appropriation.
Burning herbs or plants for cleansing has been a part of the spiritual and religious practices of cultures globally for centuries, and every time we smoke cleanse we create a connection between ourselves and our distant ancestors. When done appropriately and respectfully, smoke cleansing can become an invaluable part of your personal rituals. Be mindful, be humble, and go make your own herbal incense.
