Herbs & Fire: Burning Herbs and Growing your Own Bundles

​Touching the end of the dried sage to the flame, the bundle ignites and I blow on it, transforming the flame into smoke, rising from the ember ends of the fragrant herb.  The smoke purifies, clearing the energy of the space, calming and centering my spirit, carrying my prayers skyward.  

Burning bundles of dried herbs is a practice called “smudging” learned from Native Americans.  Wherever your ancestors hail from, they lived close to the land and burned herbs – it was the original “air freshener” across cultures. Herbs have historically been burned in a variety of ways – loose, bundled, and as incense.

Did you know...

Burning herbs Kills Germs
According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, burning herbs in a closed room reduced aerial bacteria populations by 94%, and the cleaner air was maintained 24 hours.  Several airborne pathogenic bacteria were still absent even after 30 days!

White Sage is Endangered
Most people familiar with the practice of burning dried herb bundles today are using white sage (Salvia apiana), a fragrant sacred herb grown in the Southwestern U.S.  Unfortunately, because of the popularity of dried sage bundles for burning and unethical harvesting practices, white sage has become endangered.  

Easy-to-Grow Native White Prairie Sage
There is a white sage that is native to the Midwest, and it can be an easy-to-grow perennial.  It is a lovely silver-colored plant that can be used in the landscaping and can be cut for burning bundles and will grow back every year, making it beautiful, useful and ethical.

This native white prairie sage is Artemisia ludoviciana, and we love the easy-to-grow cultivar called 'Silver King.'  It likes growing conditions similar to lavender, but is much hardier than lavender.

'Silver King' White Prairie Sage Starts (Limited Supply) Available at Good Earth Gatherings NOW 
We have received a special order of starts of this wonderful (hard-to-find) cultivar of the native sage, and we have some extras available for only $1.95 each.  Text us (785-691-5914) to reserve some for you, and come in and get them now (Fri/Sat) – this week will be a good planting week!

Why & How
Growing your own herbs to use is EMPOWERING. There is something special about planting and gathering your own herbs, and growing your own sage for burning is one of the few ethical ways to access white sage now.  

Burn your homegrown herb bundles to:

• Prevent illness from spreading.
• Uplift energy when feeling depressed, angry, or resentful. 
• Shift the energy of the room and people when there has been disagreement or strife.
• Create sacred space for a special ritual or ceremony. 
• Rid a room of negative “vibes” as part of a general spiritual housecleaning.  
• Cleanse objects like crystals and sacred tools.


Come and get your native white sage now and plant it, and this fall a class will be offered on how to make and use your sage bundles for all of the above.  
Tamara