As you know I love to shop local and this adorable little Canadian store has some really wonderful things. Hilltribe Ontario is a unique clothing & gift shop located in the heart of Northern Ontario. They support artisans, families & workers around the globe that make the products where they are sold through fair trade. Since first opening it’s doors in Sault Ste. Marie in April of 1998 owners scoured the globe to find unique and funky products and brought the magic of many cultures to Canada. There are absolutely no sweat shops or child labour involved in the production of anything that they carry because they believe that there is only one race ~ the human race and we should take care of one another.

Smudging is a sacred tradition, it’s history tracing back centuries and spanning a myriad of different cultures. Sage is a holy plant that has been used for smudging to cleanse and purify. Negative energies get trapped in the smoke and then ascend to the heavens, leaving purified space suitable for healing & positive energies to emerge. Our ancestors, without the benefit of modern science, understood that Sage has physical healing properties as well, and it has now been proven to have antibacterial properties that will cleanse your physical space as well as your metaphysical. 

This kit comes with a small Abalone Shell that is used to hold your smouldering sage leaves. Abalone shells (aka Paua or Mother of Pearl) are often used in smudging rituals to hold the burning sage, but mainly because they are a beautiful gift straight from Mother Earth’s ocean. These beautiful, iridescent shells hold the energy of the ocean and bring a strong calming and healing energy, allowing you to remain connected to the sea – even when you are landlocked. 

Including abalone shells in your smudging rituals means you are incorporating all four of the earth’s elements: the shell (WATER), the smoke (AIR), the unlit herbs (EARTH), and the lit herbs (FIRE).

By incorporating all of these elements into your smudging ritual, you’re inviting Mother Earth (or Mama Gaia) to be the focus of your ceremony. It is here, in the space created by Her, that transformations and manifestations have room to occur.

To cleanse using Sage, start by opening all doors and windows. Burn the stick or small pile of loose leaves in an abalone shell or heat proof receptacle. Start the cleanse from the entrance carrying on from each room. Put a lot of focus in areas that feel heavy. Crystals also pick up energy around them constantly, you can and should cleanse crystals before setting an intention. To cleanse a crystal, fully enfold it in smoke of the holy plant. Then set your intention for that particular crystal.