If the plant was meant for cleansing smoke purposes, it would be harvested after a period of drier conditions. This allowed the plant to use up much of its water stored in its leaves, making the oils in the leaves more potent. Ideally, the leaves would still be pliable and there would be young growth, but they would have a strong, pungent scent when rubbed. Since white sage is indigenous to southern California, it’s more difficult to grow it in regions where the weather gets colder. Anywhere there are regular temperatures below freezing, you may find your plant suffering. Sage Smudging is a ritual where the leaves of the plant are burned. The smoke is directed into and onto areas that need clearing and release. Native Americans started the tradition of using White Sage, also known as Sacred Sage, to release lingering energies. White Sage has been used in ceremonies to seek blessings of health and prosperity, release spirits, encourage protection. Waft smoke from below the object, so that the Sage smoke covers the object from below, traveling upward. Swirl the smoke around the object until you feel the cleansing is complete.

California White Sage - Etsy UK California White Sage - Etsy UK

White sage, bee sage, or sacred sage, is a cornerstone species of the coastal sage scrub habitat of Southern California and Baja California. White sage is fragrant, with silver-white leaves, and clusters of white flowers with lavender streaks. Young leaves start off green and turn white as they get older. Over-harvest of wild Californian white sage populations is a concern held by many Native American groups and conservationists. [5] Over-harvesting is negatively affecting the wild population and distribution of white sage. [5] It is believed that illegal harvest is occurring on public lands and non-permitted harvesting is also taking place on private land. In June 2018, four people were arrested for the illegal harvest of 400 pounds of white sage in North Etiwanda Preserve of Rancho Cucamonga, California. [6] Due to the potential for overharvesting and the plant's sacredness to certain Indigenous tribes, many Native Americans have asked non-Natives to refrain from the usage of white sage. Really, neem oil is a great preventative for nearly any pest problem that salvia apiana may develop. If you have worsening conditions from any of these pests, you can opt to use an insecticidal soap with neem oil blended into it and coat all surfaces of the plant. This should eliminate your pests for good, and regular applications of neem oil will keep them at bay. Diseases The use of these products or practices should always be approached with care and understanding of their intended purpose. It is advisable to consult with qualified professionals or experts for personalised guidance and recommendations, particularly when dealing with medical concerns or intimate matters. DeerInWater points out that the overuse of California White Sage is partly due to people nationwide wrongly thinking that Salvia apiana is the only White Sage used in Native American spiritual traditions. One traditional smudging plant he suggests becoming acquainted with is, of course, Artemisia ludoviciana, which the Potawatomitribe grows in its garden. He emphasizes that “California sage cannot handle everybody’s spiritual needs.”

It is also an important food source for bees, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. Larger bees, notably carpenter bees, are the predominant pollinators of white sage. If rainfall is light after planting, provide regular watering to help establish roots. Figuring out how much watering is necessary can be difficult at first, because the root ball of Salviaapianadries faster than its surrounding soil. Here’s a helpful article about what to do if dry root ball occurs. But I really recommend opting to take a few cuttings or seed pods and growing it yourself. Once your plant is established, you will have a never-ending source of sage at your disposal!

Benefits And Uses Of White Sage — Amanda Linette Meder Benefits And Uses Of White Sage — Amanda Linette Meder

Until your cutting takes root, it’s best to keep it in a partly-shaded location on top of a heat mat that’s set between 70-85 degrees. The warmth will help promote root growth. Only water when the soil feels dry just below the surface near the cutting, and water sparingly just to dampen the soil blend. The article is based on an interview with Kaya DeerInWater an assistant at the CPN community garden. DeerInWater notes that agricultural industry producers of Salvia apiana centered in Southern California aren’t growing the plant sustainably. They harvest “entire hillsides and large acreages at a time to meet customer demand.” He adds that this clear-cutting of the plants at their base doesn’t allow for continued growth. The leaves of the plant are a whitish-green, and if you rub the fresh leaves between your thumb and forefinger, a refreshing, cleansing scent is released. You are now done with this room. Move through the space you are in, intuitively until you complete all rooms. Be sure that when you are harvesting your sage, you select a day when it has not been raining, and that you harvest at mid-day or in the early afternoon when all morning dew has already evaporated. This ensures that your leaves will be dry at the time of harvest, reducing the likelihood of mildew forming on them later.There are also other plants referred to as sage which aren’t sages at all. The two most common of these are Artemisia cana (silver sagebrush, also referred to as Badlands sage or South Dakota sage) and Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush, desert sage, mountain sage, and many other names). First, for a total cleansing, open all doors and windows of space to be cleared, providing an exit point for old energies.

How to Burn California White Sage - Alternative Imagination How to Burn California White Sage - Alternative Imagination

As you smudge you will cleanse the energy. The more you smudge the more clear your life will become and you will move forward. Smudging is a personal ritual and prayer which belongs to you. Face each 4 direction and embrace the meaning of the animal, element and attributes of choose your power direction. Cleansing you and your space is very powerful for your life and warrior spirit in connecting to life and earth. If there’s any herb that has a long and storied history, it’s the white sage plant, also called salvia apiana.

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In its plant profile of Salvia apiana, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) notes that the plant also is found in Southern California’s yellow pine forests and desert scrub lands. NRCS also states that it “generally” grows at elevations from 300 to 1,500 meters (about 980 to 5,000 feet). During Healing Work: Fan the smoke over the patient either by your hand or with feathers. You may as well direct smudge to each of the person's chakras and as you do so, visualize each chakra coming into balance. If you can view auras, look for discolored places in the aura and direct the healing smoke towards those locations on the patient's body. (Be careful in the case of people with respiratory difficulties and/or pregnant women) If you have a crystal or a piece of jewelry given to you, or anything else that you want to cleanse, hold it in your hand if it's small enough, if it's not, stand in front of it.