Hi there, it's been a while since I've been on the talking stick forums so I figured I'd ask how all of you go about smudging an area? I'm thinking about smudging my living space in the next week or so because there has been a pretty heavy atmosphere in here with a few things that have happened lately.

I think I may have accidentally even created a poltergeist with all of the stress coming off of me at one stage, nothing too major though just a few voices and footsteps and tapping sounds. I've since had the majority of the stress lifted so I figured I'd better get to trying to cleanse the atmosphere in here after that.

What I'm personally going to do is verbally give any potential negative beings hanging around the chance to leave of their own free will before I smudge and invite any spirits whom are listening and wish to help to join me. After about 10 minutes I'll thank the sage, thank those whom have left of their own free will and thank those whom have come of their own free will.

Then take my time to wander around my front and back rooms waving the smoke into every nook and cranny I can think of while silently asking that the negativity disperse to be replaced with positive energy.

I would ask the negative spirits to leave of their own accord before I begin and ask that the negativity disperse with the help of the sage out of respect, I feel that if I demanded it happen then it wouldn't have all that much of an impact.

However that's just me, how does everyone else do it?

I like to smudge every little area, including closets, etc., leaving a door or window open. Might use tobacco as offering, or basically whatever I feel called to do. I just do what feels right and usually don't follow "directions" like go clockwise with the smudge. And I ask the critter to leave.

We would 'smudge' or smoke out using a herb or herbs chosen specifically for the task at hand. Not in a dish or shell but just the smouldering brands of the herbs themselves. This drops quite a bit of debris on the floor.

Then the windows and doors are opened a broom is taken to every corner of the room to sweep out everything, including the debris from the smoking out and effectively cleaning the room both physically and spiritually.

Then small amounts of salt are sprinkled in certain areas around the perimeter, perhaps fresh flowers brought in and other changes made which feel appropriate.

This would be done alongside a BIG spring clean (walls and ceiling white washed etc, though few do that now) too so sometimes just having a really good physical clean as well as smudging is useful.

I still do the big clean myself because it helps me to get into the right mindset to do a spiritual cleansing because my surroundings aren't cluttered and there is nowhere to hide. It also just takes a whole lot of tension out of a room for me so it'll easier to stay focused during a cleansing...