How to Use Native American Herbs
The use of herbs and spices in natural magic is as old as civilization. For thousands of years the indigenous people of North America cultivated specific herbs and spices that they believed held certain spiritual powers.Many of those herbs were used for healing, protection, and blessings.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
How to Use Native American Herbs
-
1
Gather ingredients. You will need sweetgrass, sage, cedar, tobacco, storage units, and storage bags.
-
2
Use Herbs and Spices. Herbs and spices can be used in several ways to give a spell its potency. The herbs and spices can be ingested, burnt, or even added to a bath.
-
-
3
Know your Herbs. You will need to learn which parts of the herbs and spices to use. You may need to use the leaves of one herb, the root of another, and the flower of another because it varies from plant to plant. As a general rule it the herb or spice is used for cooking then it is safe to use for other purposes.
-
4
Use Sweetgrass. Sweetgrass is used to keep negative energy away and draw good energy. To draw positive energy to a room simply purchase some sweetgrass for a specialty store. Braid the grass. Light one end and wave the smoke around the room. To draw positive energy to yourself simply braid the grass into a bracelet.
-
5
Burn Sage. Burning sage has long been credited with the power of purification. Native Americans would set on sage leaves in sweat lodges believing the leaves to physically purify. The process of burning sage is called smudging and “smudge sticks” can be homemade with dried sage or purchased at specialty shops.
-
6
Draw on the power of cedar. Referred to as the “Tree of Life”, cedar has long been believed to possess the power to guide the user to truth. When times are especially confusing or complicated smudging with cedar may increase your ability deal with problems.
-
7
Offer tobacco. Native Americans used tobacco as an offering to spirits. In the modern age tobacco is associated with cigarettes and all its negative implications but a lot of the danger in cigarettes comes from toxic additives. You don’t need to smoke the tobacco but burning tobacco as an offering may help to empower any ritual you are performing.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you have any respiratory problems then smudging is NOT a ritual in which you should engage.
When using tobacco, only use clean natural tobacco purchased at specialty stores.
- Photo Credit Public Domain
