Cleanse your space. Reset your energy. Create room for clarity and calm.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt something was “off” even if everything looked fine? Or maybe you’ve had a long, emotionally heavy day and just couldn’t shake the lingering tension. That’s where smudging and energetic clearing come in.

These ancient practices, rooted in tradition and mindfulness, help release stagnant energy and create space for peace and intention. In this article, we’ll explore the subtle power of smudging and energetic clearing, how they work, and how you can use them to support emotional and mental wellness.

What Is Smudging?

Smudging is the ritual of burning herbs; typically sage, palo santo, or cedar, to purify a person, place, or object. The smoke is believed to carry away negative energy, much like an energetic reset button.

This practice has been used for centuries by Indigenous cultures, particularly Native American and First Nations communities, as part of spiritual and healing ceremonies. While modern wellness practices have adopted smudging, it’s important to approach it with respect and awareness of its cultural roots.

What Is Energetic Clearing?

Energetic clearing is a broader term for practices that remove heavy, stagnant, or negative energy from your body or space. It can include:

Smudging with herbs
Sound healing (like bells or singing bowls)
Salt baths
Visualization or meditation
Decluttering your physical space

Each method works in slightly different ways, but the goal is the same: to create a lighter, clearer environment that supports mental and emotional well-being.

Why Does Energy Matter?

Everything carries energy people, emotions, objects, and spaces. Just like dust accumulates on surfaces, energetic “debris” can build up over time, especially after arguments, illness, grief, or stress.

A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (2010) found that people who described their homes as “cluttered” or “unfinished” had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, compared to those who described their homes as restful or organized 1.

When we don’t regularly clear out that energy, it can affect how we feel and function leaving us tired, anxious, or emotionally blocked.

The Benefits of Smudging and Energetic Clearing

1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Smudging helps calm the mind and nervous system. The scent of burning sage or palo santo can be grounding and soothing similar to how essential oils or incense work.

In a 2007 study published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers found that burning white sage reduced airborne bacteria by up to 94% in a room, supporting both physical and energetic cleansing 2.

2. Creates a Sense of Ritual and Mindfulness

Smudging requires presence. As you light the herb, move it through the space, and focus on your intention, you naturally slow down and shift into mindfulness. This creates a break from the noise of the day and allows you to reconnect with yourself.

3. Supports Mental Clarity and Focus

Energetic clutter can cloud your thinking. Smudging and clearing practices help lift that fog, making room for focus and decision-making. It’s especially helpful before journaling, meditating, or starting a creative task.

4. Promotes Emotional Release

Smudging is often used after emotional experiences like an argument, a breakup, or a hard day to let go of residual tension. It symbolically clears away emotions that no longer serve you, making space for calm and healing.

5. Refreshes Your Space

Just as you physically clean your home, smudging helps energetically cleanse it. It can shift the mood of a room from heavy to light, stale to fresh. Many people smudge after moving into a new place or during seasonal transitions.

How to Smudge: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

If you're new to smudging, keep it simple and respectful. Here's how to get started:

What You’ll Need:

A bundle of dried sage, palo santo stick, or another sacred herb
A fireproof bowl or shell (like abalone)
A lighter or matches
Optional: a feather or your hand to guide the smoke

Steps:

Set your intention. What do you want to release or invite in? Keep it clear and positive.
Light the smudge stick. Let it catch fire, then gently blow out the flame so it smolders and produces smoke.
Guide the smoke. Move the smoke around your body, starting from head to toe. Then move through your space, corners, doorways, and windows.
Speak your intention aloud or silently. For example: “I release what no longer serves me. I welcome peace and clarity.”
Extinguish safely. Press the smudge stick into the fireproof bowl until it’s fully out.

Important: Always ensure good ventilation. If you’re sensitive to smoke or have respiratory issues, try smoke-free alternatives like sage sprays or sound healing instead.

Other Energetic Clearing Techniques

If smudging isn’t right for you, there are other ways to clear energy:

Sound Clearing

Use a bell, chime, or singing bowl to create sound vibrations that break up stuck energy.

Salt Baths

Soaking in a bath with Epsom or Himalayan salt helps clear both physical and emotional tension.

Breathwork or Visualization

Close your eyes and imagine light filling your body, clearing out heavy energy with each exhale.

Decluttering

Removing old items or cleaning a space also removes emotional weight. As author Marie Kondo says, “Tidying is the act of confronting yourself.”

A Word on Cultural Respect

While smudging is widely used today, it’s important to honor its Indigenous origins. White sage, for example, is sacred to many Native American communities. If you choose to smudge:

Source herbs ethically and sustainably
Avoid cultural appropriation do not mimic ceremonies or dress without understanding
Educate yourself on the traditions behind the tools you use

Approaching smudging with reverence turns it from a trend into a meaningful ritual.

Final Thoughts

The energy around us matters. It affects how we think, feel, and move through the world. The subtle power of smudging and energetic clearing lies in their ability to help us pause, reset, and begin again, with intention and presence.

Whether you smudge your space, ring a bell, or take a mindful salt bath, the act of clearing energy is a form of self-care. It’s a quiet reminder that you deserve clarity, peace, and room to breathe.

“Cleanse your space. Clear your mind. Come back to yourself.”

References

Saxbe, D. E., & Repetti, R. L. (2010). No place like home: Home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(1), 71–81. ↩
Nautiyal, C. S., et al. (2007). Medicinal smoke reduces airborne bacteria. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 114(1), 103–110. ↩

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.