Burn These 35 Popular Kitchen Herbs Around Your House To Naturally Purify the Air, Release Negative Ions and Elevate Your Emotional Wellbeing Instantly

negative ions

In this modern world, we are constantly surrounded by various pollutants and stressors that can impact our overall well-being. From air pollution to positive ion overload, and even everyday stress, it’s important to find ways to cleanse our environment and promote a sense of calm and balance.

Positive ions, which are typically found in abundance in urban environments and areas with high levels of electronic devices, can have various effects on health. Here are some potential impacts of positive ions on the body:

  • Increased Stress Levels
  • Reduced Energy and Fatigue
  • Respiratory Issues
  • Impaired Sleep Quality
  • Weakened Immune System
  • Cognitive Impairment

To counteract the potential negative effects of positive ions, increasing exposure to negative ions, such as those found in natural environments like forests, waterfalls, and beaches, can be beneficial. Negative ions have been associated with improved mood, increased energy levels, and enhanced overall well-being.

By incorporating practices like smudging with kitchen herbs, which release negative ions, you can help create a more balanced and health-supportive environment.

Let’s explore the benefits of this practice, formally known as “smudging”, and how you can incorporate it into your daily life.

The act of smudging has deep roots in ancient traditions, particularly among Native Americans, who have practiced it for countless centuries. Smudging refers to the sacred ritual of cleansing and purifying, where a combination of herbs, commonly sage, is bound together with string to create a smudge stick that is then ignited.

The smoke that’s emitted from the herb bundle has been scientifically proven to cleanse negative energy and purify living spaces. It is believed that it can have this effect on people and even objects like tools, furniture, and home decor. It’s also been shown to release negative ions, which has been linked in studies to a more positive mood and many other benefits.

Negative ions are present in Nature, this is why many people have a calming sense when they are in the woods.

negative ions

In high enough concentrations, negative ions can clear the air of mold spores, pollen, pet dander, odors, cigarette smoke, bacteria, viruses, dust and other hazardous airborne particles. They do this by attaching to positively charged particles in large numbers which cause the germs, mold, pollen and other allergens to become too heavy to stay airborne. They fall to the floor, or attach to a nearby surface, removing them from the air you breathe while preventing them from causing health problems like respiratory issues.

In our modern lives, our households are filled with an abundance of electronic devices such as computers, televisions, and washing machines, and even various items like carpeting and upholstered furniture. These elements collectively create an environment that has been likened  to a “positive ion prison.” This is exactly why the presence of negative ions generated through smudging can offer significant benefits by effectively counterbalancing these effects.

Research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacologyentitled Medicinal Smokes in 2006 found that burning smudge sticks has the ability to cleanse the surrounding air of harmful bacteria. The authors reported: “The most frequent medical indications for medicinal smoke are pulmonary (23.5%), neurological (21.8%) and dermatological (8.1%).

A very large list of pathogenic bacteria was shown to be absent in an open room after a remarkable 30 days following treatment, leading the authors to conclude, “We have demonstrated that by using medicinal smoke it is possible to completely eliminate diverse plant and human pathogenic bacteria of the air within confined space.”

negative ions

Common Herbs Used For Smudging

  • White Sage
  • Lavender
  • Myrrh (resin)
  • Basil
  • Cloves
  • Chamomile
  • Copal (resin)
  • Dill
  • Ginger
  • Allspice
  • Seneca Grass (sweet grass)
  • Dandelion
  • Palo Santo
  • Thyme
  • Calendula
  • Echinacea
  • Bayberry
  • Pine
  • Catnip
  • Frankincense (resin)
  • Bay Leaves
  • Lilac
  • Alfalfa
  • Amaranth
  • Peppermint
  • Cedar
  • Rose
  • Juniper
  • Mugwort
  • Rosemary
  • Aspen
  • Eucalyptus
  • Lemongrass
  • Cinnamon
  • Blue Spruce
  • Learn more about the benefits of these herbs here.

positive ions

8 Benefits of Burning Herbs

In addition to cleansing the air of unwanted bacteria, the benefits of smudging, and producing negative ions are many, including:

  • Increasing your sense of well-being and improving mental focus: Smudging removes the debilitating effects of excess positive ions in the air in a way that’s been described as a natural antidepressant.
  • Clearing negative energy: The smoke helps to change the molecular structure of both the air and energy, which produces a cleansing effect. As the sense of smell is strongly linked to memory and instinct, smudging is very effective for combating feels of anger, fear, anxiety, grief and depression.
  • Nature’s antidepressant: It seems that the negative ions produced from smudging offer serious antidepressant effects – so much so it’s said to be at least as effective as a prescription antidepressant without the side effects. Researchers found fresh air charged with negative ions was an effective treatment and prevention method of depression, thanks to its effects on serotonin levels, similar to the way antidepressant drugs works.
  • Clearing the air: In addition to bacteria, smudging can help clear the air of pollen, pet dander, dust, mold spores and other potential allergens to improve allergy symptoms.
  • Cleansing objects: Not only can smudging cleanse a room, but it can cleanse objects. Whenever you bring a new object into your home, especially something like an antique that’s likely to have been exposed to negative energy over the years, you can use a smudge stick, allowing the smoke to pass over the time to help clear it so that it doesn’t affect you or your environment.
  • Relaxing effects: Smudging can offer calming, relaxing effects that are known to help lower blood pressure, relieve stress and tension and normalize breathing rates, as the negative ions produced are absorbed directly into your bloodstream – they may even help to fight off damaging free radicals that can lead to premature aging and disease.
  • Increased energy: Studies have found that the negative ions produced also help to normalize serotonin (that well-known feel-good hormone), in the brain, which can help boost one’s mood, improve focus and create a more positive outlook.

negative ions

Having understood the reasons behind the importance of smudging your home, you may now be curious about the process itself. While observing someone else perform a smudging ritual might initially seem daunting, it is actually pretty straightforward.

Native American experts, including Cat Criger, emphasize the significance of approaching smudging with respect and familiarizing yourself with the proper handling of herbs according to traditional protocols.

“Native American medicines must be treated with reverence, so once you’ve acquired the herbs, clear out a bookshelf or an honored place in your home that is above waist height to store them. You may want to find birch baskets to keep them in.”

It’s best to do smudging with full awareness, in a slow, mindful manner, so you may even want to practice meditation for a few minutes before proceeding.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Loose dried white sage is most common, they can be purchased at your local health store, herb shop, metaphysical store or even online. You can burn any of the herbs/plants mentioned above. All you have to do is bundle them together with a string, tie it and hang it upside down in a cool, dark space until it has completely dried out.
  • A fire, heat-proof burning surface, like a clay bowl or abalone shell.
  • Matches or a lighter.

Instructions

Just before you begin, open up a window for ventilation and then place the herb bundle onto your heat-, fire-proof surface. Light it with the matches or a lighter, and then gently blow out the flame, allowing the material to smolder.

Focus your energy on the smoke. If a true flame appears, shake the bundle slightly, or blow on it until it turns to embers and smoke. You may need to re-light the bundle a few times during the smudging process.

Once you have a good amount of smoke going, use your hand or a feather to direct it over your body, moving from your feet all the way up to your head and back again, staying connected to your breathing throughout the session.

Now you’re ready to smudge your home.

Move clockwise around your house, starting at your front door. Gently wave the smoke into your air, focusing especially on the corners of each room, as they’re said to accumulate the most stagnant energy. The entire time, envision the smoke clearing negative energy, waving the smudge bundle up and down as the smoke fills the area.

Don’t forget about closed spaces, like closets and cabinets – open their doors and carefully smudge the inside too. Be sure to smudge all rooms, including your basement, garage, laundry room and the like.

Move directly into the next room following either the floor layout along the walls. Remember to pass the wand over the edges of each window and door as you continue through each room of the house or workspace.

In order for the smudging to be most effective, the smoke needs to cover every room, closet, door, vent, and window. The idea is to walk to each entrance, clearing every room so that you’re pushing all the negative energy out toward the front entrance.

Since you want all of the negative energy to leave your home, think of it as trying to direct a fly outside your door.

Once you’ve smudged your whole house, allow the herb bundle to burn out.

negative ions

And there you have it! Not only does smudging with kitchen herbs cleanse the physical space, but it also has a profound impact on your emotional and mental state. The release of negative ions can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance your mood. Embracing this ancient art allows you to reconnect with nature’s healing energy and restore balance to your life.

As you embark on your smudging journey, remember to approach it with reverence and mindfulness. Take the time to learn about the specific properties and uses of each herb, respecting the traditions associated with their practice. By doing so, you can fully immerse yourself in the transformative experience of smudging and reap its abundant benefits.

 

Recommended Reading:

Scientists Discover Top Three Herbs That Fight Dementia, Alzheimers And More! (They Prevent Any Neurodegenerative Disease)

How To Decalcify And Open Up Your Pineal Gland With Herbs, Nutrition And Spiritual Practice For Enhanced Intuition and Connection

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