Cleansing Smoke

Regular use of cleansing smoke with a variety of materials is beneficial to an energetically healthy home. Too many folks rely solely on one cleaning method and one protection method. For example, many people enjoy the way white sage (Salvia apiana) smells, and though it is a good ally for clearing and cleansing space, it should not be your only ally.

Smoke Tools Hierarchy:

• The weakest of the smoke tools is floral smoke. Lavender buds, for example, are very pleasant smelling. Flowers are well suited to brightening a space.
• Leaves are slightly stronger and are good for refreshing the energy of a space. White sage is a common example. Since white sage (Salvia apiana) is largely wildcrafted (harvested in the wild) and used by native peoples, the increasing use of herbal cleansing smoke has led to skyrocketing prices and difficulty in sourcing the materials for the native peoples to whom white sage is sacred. The Salvia genus has many allies that can be farmed and don’t infringe on the beliefs and practices of First Nations and Native American people. 
• The roots of a plant are stronger magically than its leaves. Roots will remove energies and entities that were not bothered by leaf smoke. Consider the strength of plant allies like ginger root, calamus root, and galangal root (Low John).
• Even stronger than the root allies are wood allies. Palo santo is a popular wood-based smoke tool. This tree, native to Peru and the Yucatán Peninsula, has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Because of the popularity of this wood, the trees that take decades to reach maturity are over-harvested.
• The strongest smoke tool of the plant ally families is the resin group. Tree resins are hardened sap structures like dragon’s blood (Dracaena draco), frankincense (Boswellia carteri), copal (Protium copal), and myrrh (Commiphora myrrha). If there is a problem that has not been affected by the lower energy signatures of the plant allies, a resin should do the trick.
  • Dragon’s Blood: This popular incense resin, resembling red chalk, commonly comes from two species, Dracaena draco and Dracaena cinnabari. Though there are more than the two varieties of Dracaena that produce this fragrant resin, many assume that all dragon’s blood is Dracaena draco. Both produce a similarly colored sap, with musky, warm notes with a hint of floral, though D. cinnabari has a touch more of the floral note than its cousin D. draco. D. cinnabari is the slower growing of the two varieties, though both trees take over ten years to produce their signature red sap. Due to over-harvesting and habitat loss, both species of Dracaena are on the threatened list.
  • Note: While no essential oil of dragon’s blood exists at this time, high-quality dragon’s blood oils can be sourced.

Sources: Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic, The Homemade Apothecary