Cedar: Native Americans burn cedar while praying so that their hopes and dreams, wishes and longings can rise on the smoke to the Creator. Cedar smoke, they say, builds a bridge between heaven and earth. Incense cedar purifies a room, banishes nightmares and uplifts the human spirit. It drives out negative energy and attracts good energies. It is also burned in sweat lodges to clear ‘heavy emotional energies’.
Copal: Used by the Mayan Indians, copal is the pitch from their sacred tree. They burned it during divination ceremonies to nourish the gods. Copal is pregnant with spiritual power. The Mayan and Aztec royal families had their teeth filled with copal to give their speech divine clarity. Scientific researchers examining copal discovered that the smoke from it heightens immunity and strengthens the body. This is my very favourite of all the plant substances for burning. Copal smoke seems to cut through all the mental rubbish that so often clutters my mind, refilling it with clarity, energy and creativity.
Desert sage: This dried plant is used to strew the floor of holy places and also sweat lodges. Wherever sage is present, negative forces cannot enter.
Juniper: Like cedar, the needles of juniper are also used to banish negative energy.
White sage: Sweet and crisp is the smoke from dried white sage leaf. It is used for cleansing and sanctifying people, objects and places. Sage is one of the herbs elders traditionally use to smudge a person wishing to be healed for they need to be cleared of negative thoughts and feelings before the healing can take place. White sage is also useful for getting rid of the negative aftermath of anger.
Yerba santa: Drive out negative influences in a place with yerba santa and make a protective boundary against their returning. It also creates a good atmosphere for any healing sanctuary. Yerba santa helps hidden weaknesses, untruths, fears and disease come to the surface to be eliminated.
