I am an active advocate of smoke cleansing, clearing out unwanted energies, and protecting sacred spaces with healing herbs; however, I recently ran across a few articles detailing the illegal harvesting and current endangered state of white sage and the Palo Santo tree ( also known as holy wood ).
** Because this information is only a google away, I won't go into great detail about the ways in which many ( myself included ) may have unknowingly played a part in this.
It's never too late to intentionally shift for the betterment of yourself, those around you, and the earth that supports you. When you know better, you do better. ~ Desire'
Now, I am not one to hop on a trend or follow the crowd; however, this was something that simply did not sit right with me...and when something does not "sit right" it calls for musings and exploration so, I began to welcome curiosity.
"In what ways have I contributed towards the current endangerment of white sage and the holy wood? How can I better support mama earth, respected cultures, and sacred practices?
She ( mother earth ) continually provides us all vast amounts of tools for healing, betterment, and energetic clearing. I feel most aligned with crystals and smoke cleansing so, what other healing herbs and flowers could I use for my smoke rituals and smudge offerings instead?"
After I sat with myself, looked to support from The Divine, and answered the above questions with as much authenticity as possible...I decided that it was best to offer hand-crafted smudge bundles with herbs grown by me.
The intention behind me sharing this information is not to induce shame, judgment, or some level of righteousness. It's deeply-rooted in acknowledging the areas in which I could better support, bring awareness, and grow. ~ Desire'
So now what?
The good news is, I am still offering hand-crafted smudge sticks ( bundles ). The even greater news is that the flowers are locally sourced, the herbs are grown by me, and as before all smudge sticks are infused with loving intentions.
Have you heard about the illegal harvesting and current endangerment of white sage and the palo santo tree? I would love to hear your thoughts!
~ sending you love.