Smudging and White Sage: The Indigenous Perspective

BY NICOLE LAU

Walk into any metaphysical shop and you'll see bundles of white sage for sale. Scroll through spiritual social media and you'll see non-Native practitioners "smudging" their homes. It's become so mainstream that many people don't realize: smudging with white sage is a closed Indigenous practice, not a universal spiritual tool. And the appropriation of this sacred ceremony has caused real harm—to Indigenous communities, to the plant itself, and to the integrity of the practice.

This article centers Indigenous voices on smudging and white sage. It explains why this practice is closed to non-Natives, the harm caused by appropriation, the historical context that makes this especially painful, and what non-Native practitioners should use instead. Because respecting Indigenous sovereignty over their own spiritual practices isn't optional—it's essential.

What Smudging Actually Is

The Sacred Practice

Smudging is:

• A sacred ceremony from specific Indigenous nations
• Not a single universal practice—different nations have different protocols
• Part of larger spiritual and cultural systems
• Used for purification, prayer, and ceremony
• Deeply connected to Indigenous worldviews and spirituality

Important: "Smudging" is a specific Indigenous practice. Burning herbs for cleansing exists in many cultures, but calling it "smudging" when you're not Indigenous is itself appropriative.

White Sage (Salvia apiana)

The plant:

• Native to California and Baja California
• Sacred to many Indigenous nations in that region
• Used in ceremonies for purification and prayer
• Slow-growing and increasingly threatened

The problem:

• Overharvested due to non-Native demand
• Often poached from Indigenous lands
• Commercialized and commodified
• Becoming scarce in its native habitat

Why Smudging Is Closed to Non-Natives

The Reasons

1. It's a sacred ceremony, not a technique

• Smudging is prayer and ceremony
• It's part of specific cultural and spiritual systems
• It's not just "burning sage for cleansing"
• The ceremony has protocols and meanings non-Natives don't understand

2. It belongs to specific Indigenous nations

• Not all Indigenous peoples smudge
• It's specific to certain nations and regions
• Each nation has its own protocols
• It's not pan-Indian or universal

3. Historical trauma and ongoing oppression

• Indigenous spiritual practices were criminalized
• Native people were punished for smudging
• Children were beaten in boarding schools for practicing their spirituality
• Now non-Natives profit from what was stolen

4. Indigenous people have said it's closed

• Native voices have been clear: this is not for non-Natives
• Continuing to do it after being told no is disrespectful
• Their sovereignty over their own practices must be respected

The Historical Context

Why This Matters So Much

The American Indian Religious Freedom Act wasn't passed until 1978

• Before 1978, Indigenous spiritual practices were illegal
• Native people were arrested for smudging, sun dancing, and other ceremonies
• Children were forcibly removed to boarding schools where Indigenous practices were forbidden
• Spiritual items were confiscated and destroyed

The trauma:

• Generations of Indigenous people couldn't practice their own spirituality
• Languages and ceremonies were nearly lost
• Elders who kept practices alive did so in secret, at great risk
• Communities are still recovering and reclaiming what was stolen

The appropriation:

• Now that it's legal, non-Natives take these practices freely
• What Indigenous people were punished for is now trendy
• Non-Natives profit while Native practitioners struggle
• The pain of seeing your sacred practices commodified is real

The Harm of Non-Native Smudging

Real Consequences

1. Environmental harm

• White sage is being overharvested
• Much of it is poached from public and Indigenous lands
• The plant is becoming threatened in its native habitat
• Non-Native demand is destroying the ecosystem

2. Economic exploitation

• Non-Native companies profit from white sage
• Indigenous harvesters and practitioners don't benefit
• Sacred plant becomes commodity
• Extraction and exploitation, not reciprocity

3. Cultural erasure

• Smudging is stripped of its cultural context
• Reduced to "burning sage for good vibes"
• The depth and sacredness are lost
• Indigenous protocols and meanings erased

4. Spiritual harm

• Sacred ceremony is violated and disrespected
• Indigenous people see their spirituality commodified
• The practice loses its power when done incorrectly
• Spirits and protocols are disrespected

5. Perpetuates colonialism

• Continues pattern of taking from Indigenous peoples
• Treats Indigenous culture as resource to extract
• Ignores Indigenous sovereignty
• Reinforces power imbalances

What Non-Natives Should Do Instead

Ethical Alternatives for Smoke Cleansing

Important distinction: Don't call it "smudging" if you're not Indigenous. Call it smoke cleansing, herbal cleansing, or burning herbs.

Herbs you CAN use:

• Rosemary: Cleansing, protection, purification (European tradition)
• Garden sage (Salvia officinalis): Different from white sage, widely available, cleansing properties
• Lavender: Purification, peace, calming
• Mugwort: Cleansing, psychic work, dreamwork
• Cedar (if ethically sourced): Some cedar use is open, but research specific protocols
• Juniper: Purification, protection
• Thyme: Cleansing, courage
• Bay leaves: Protection, purification

How to use them:

1. Grow your own or buy from ethical sources
2. Dry the herbs properly
3. Burn in fire-safe container
4. Use for cleansing your space
5. Don't call it smudging
6. Acknowledge the European or other cultural origins

Other Cleansing Methods

Non-smoke alternatives:

• Sound cleansing: Bells, singing bowls, clapping
• Salt and water: Sprinkling blessed water
• Visualization: Energy clearing through intention
• Sweeping: Ritual sweeping with intention
• Crystals: Selenite, black tourmaline for space clearing

What If You've Already Been Smudging?

How to Stop and Make Amends

1. Stop immediately

• Don't use white sage anymore
• Don't call what you do "smudging"
• Switch to ethical alternatives

2. Dispose of white sage respectfully

• Return it to the earth with gratitude
• Don't just throw it away
• Acknowledge you shouldn't have had it

3. Educate yourself

• Learn about Indigenous history and ongoing struggles
• Read Indigenous voices on this issue
• Understand the harm you participated in

4. Make amends

• Support Indigenous-led organizations
• Donate to Indigenous causes
• Amplify Indigenous voices
• Advocate for Indigenous rights

5. Educate others

• Share what you've learned
• Gently correct others who are smudging
• Recommend ethical alternatives
• Don't be defensive when teaching

Supporting Indigenous Practitioners

How to Be an Ally

1. Respect boundaries

• Don't smudge or use white sage
• Don't attend Indigenous ceremonies unless invited
• Honor when told something is closed

2. Support Indigenous sovereignty

• Advocate for Indigenous rights
• Support land back movements
• Learn about treaties and ongoing injustices
• Vote for Indigenous interests

3. Buy from Indigenous artisans

• If you want Indigenous art or crafts, buy from Native artists
• Ensure your money goes to Indigenous people
• Don't buy from non-Native companies selling "Native-inspired" items

4. Amplify Indigenous voices

• Share Indigenous educators and activists
• Listen to Indigenous perspectives
• Don't speak over or for Indigenous people
• Center their voices on their own issues

5. Donate and support

• Support Indigenous-led organizations
• Donate to Indigenous causes
• Support Indigenous youth and education
• Reparations in action

Crystals for Ethical Cleansing

Alternatives to Smoke

Cleansing and protection:

• Selenite: Powerful cleanser, doesn't need cleansing itself
• Black tourmaline: Protection, absorbs negative energy
• Clear quartz: Amplifies cleansing intention, purification
• Smoky quartz: Transmutes negative energy, grounding

Space Clearing

• Amethyst: Purifies space, raises vibration
• Obsidian: Strong protection, clears heavy energy
• Hematite: Grounding, protective boundaries

How to Use

• Place in corners of rooms for protection
• Create crystal grids for space clearing
• Hold while setting cleansing intention
• Use instead of or alongside ethical smoke cleansing

Common Questions and Pushback

Addressing Resistance

"But I'm 1/16th Native..."

• Distant ancestry doesn't grant automatic access
• If you weren't raised in the culture, you're still an outsider
• Reconnecting requires humility and proper protocols
• Don't use ancestry as excuse to appropriate

"But I bought it from a Native person..."

• Some Native people sell to non-Natives (economic necessity)
• This doesn't make it okay to use
• The practice is still closed
• Buying doesn't grant permission

"But sage grows in my area..."

• White sage (Salvia apiana) is specific to California/Baja
• Other sages are different plants
• Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) is fine to use
• Know what plant you're actually using

"But I've been doing this for years..."

• Doing something for a long time doesn't make it right
• It's never too late to stop and do better
• Acknowledge the harm and change

Integration: Respect Indigenous Sovereignty

Smudging with white sage is not for non-Natives. This isn't gatekeeping—it's respecting Indigenous sovereignty over their own spiritual practices. It's honoring the trauma of having these practices criminalized and nearly destroyed. It's refusing to participate in ongoing colonialism.

You don't need white sage. You don't need to smudge. There are abundant alternatives that are ethical, effective, and appropriate for you to use. Use rosemary, garden sage, lavender, or any of the many other cleansing herbs. Use sound, water, crystals, or visualization.

But most importantly: listen to Indigenous voices. When they say "this is not for you," respect that. Their sovereignty over their own practices is not negotiable.

Stop smudging. Use ethical alternatives. Support Indigenous communities. That's what real respect looks like.

Next in this series: Voodoo vs. Hoodoo: Closed vs. Open African Diaspora Practices