Crafty Manolo

This is a smudge stick.

Just last night, I was discussing smudge sticks with my good friend, Fabrisse (wave to the crowd, Fabrisse!). You see, Mr. Twistie and I have just recently inherited a Major Item from a Rather Dubious (to us mentally right now) Source. Said item feels kind of full of cooties, bad juju, negative associations… whatever you want to call it. We were deciding whether or not a good smudging is in order.

No, I’m not usually given to burning herbs to cleanse spaces and objects. In fact, the only open flame I’m comfortable with is the burners on my lovely new gas stove (I love you, Algy! And I always will!). Strong scented burning things aren’t my thing, either. That one David Bowie concert I went to?

Yeah… I didn’t last long. No more big concerts for Twistie. I now stick to small, intimate, smoke-free venues.

All the same, there are times when it just feels like a ritual is needed to deal with powerful negativity, whether it comes from within or without. And some of you may find that a good smudge stick is precisely what you need. If this is the case, you might head over to this rather cool article on how to roll your own. And speaking as someone who has had strong negative physical reactions to burning herbs… do take their advice to be careful – especially of potentially poisonous plants! – seriously.

Oh, and the Major Item? I don’t think I’ll actually burn sage over it. I’ve got a better, more personal, smoke-free way of cleansing the bad emotional baggage out. Because sometimes, traditionalist though I am at heart, you just have to roll your own to make it work.