How Does Sage Work To Clear Energy

Whether you just had the absolute worst day at work or a middle school–esque fight with your bestie, sometimes you just need to take a moment to cleanse the bad energy out of your life. (Hey, I can stand behind Gwyneth on some things.) And that's where sage smudging comes in.

"It's like hitting the refresh button for your spirit," says Deborah Hanekamp, founder of Mama Medicine, an alternative wellness company in New York City. And it's not just your spirit that will benefit: A 2007 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacol linked burning sage (a.k.a. sage smudging) to reducing airborne bacteria, meaning it can help you get a fresh start in more ways than one.

Here's everything you need to know about how to expel bad juju and clear the air...literally.

What does sage smudging actually do to my home?

While it might seem like a New Age practice your cool aunt basically invented in the '60s, people have been burning sage for spiritual-cleansing purposes for centuries. White sage, in particular, was used in purification rituals by Native American tribes in the Southwestern U.S., Hanekamp says.

It continues to be seen as the go-to plant whenever someone wants to cleanse their personal energy or the energy in their home. According to Hanekamp, saging not only helps to expel any bad vibes in a space, but will also leave you feeling calmer and more at peace. (Yes, please.)

What are the other benefits of burning sage?

The benefits of saging your home aren't just spiritual. Sage is considered incredibly purifying and is able to clear away many of the toxins you breathe every day, including fumes from paint, chemicals, and cleaning supplies. It is also antibacterial and can help mitigate the effects of exposure to dust, pollen, and mold (perfect for all those allergy sufferers out there!).

In fact, according to Hanekamp, there are historical reports of people burning sage to cleanse the air during the bubonic plague outbreak in Britain. The herb was supposedly used to help clear the air of germs.

"White sage is not just something you have to believe in for it to work," Hanekamp explains. "It cleans the molecules in the air that we breathe, too."

Btw, you don't have to use white sage to cleanse your home (it's your place, after all), but it is the herb most commonly associated with the practice, she says. If you live in the Northeast, Hanekamp suggests also giving mugwort a try, since it grows abundantly in the region and would give you the opportunity to do a little DIY cleansing.

All right, I'm in. How do I sage my house?

The first step is making sure that your windows are open (you want to give that negative energy an escape route, duh!). Then, stand by your front door with a bundle of white sage, ideally one that has been sustainably harvested (ya know, for all the #goodvibes). Hanekamp recommends setting an intention before you start, especially if you have just moved in and are smudging your place for the first time.

Think about the energy you want to surround yourself with and what you want to create and cultivate in your space. Whether that's yoga-class-level calm or Normani-style motivation (sorry, had to), the possibilities are endless.

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When you're ready, light the sage. Just make sure to blow out the flame once the bundle starts smoking. You're looking for a steady smolder, not a wildfire, here.

Start with smudging yourself by trailing the smoke down your body before moving on to each room. Waft the smoke from corner to corner, before eventually making your way back to the front of the house.

How often should I sage smudge my place?

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You don't need to keep to a regular sched with saging your house—it's really something you can do whenever you want to feel a little more calm and protected in your life.

Have a massive work presentation coming up? Sage. Annoying in-laws visiting? Sage. Sudden cringe attack recalling that time you ended up saying "grool," Cady Heron–style? Saaage.

Hanekamp says saging can be used in all kinds of situations, including ones as routine as simply wanting to shift your energy after a rough day, as well as significant, life-changing or milestone circumstances, like moving into a new home or dealing with a bad breakup.

How exactly does sage cleanse negative energy?

According to Hanekamp, the power of sage comes from its spirit. Since sage is a plant, it— like all living things—has a spirit, and sage perfectly embodies its name by offering a wise, protective energy to the world.

"Sage shifts us into a place of awareness that comes from wisdom, paying attention, knowing, and resetting ourselves, ultimately bringing ourselves more into the present moment," Hanekamp explains. "That way, negative energy can't attach itself to us because there's nowhere for the negative energy to go around us. So it kind of has to go out the window."

And you can agree—that's the only place negative energy needs to be.

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