Smudging...the burning of dried sage, is an ancient spiritual ritual, helping to achieve a healing state, to assist in reflecting upon spiritual dilemmas, there may be some scientific basis in this as certain types of sage contain thujone, which is mildly psychoactive, and is found in many plants used in spiritual rituals to \'enhance\' intuition. Mostly though it is used because sage is believed to have antimicrobial properties, meaning infectious bacteria and viruses are kept at bay. Although not proven by science, it is believed that burning sage releases negative ions, which help neutralise positive ions, positive ions are allergens such as pet dander, mold, pollen and dust, therefore possibly a benefit to asthma and allergy sufferers however, as smoke can trigger allergies too, it would be better to wait until the smoke has cleared before entering a room that has been \'smudged\'. There are many believed benefits to burning sage, and whether you believe it banishes negative spirits, is a remedy for anxiety and depression, elevates mood, or eases insomnia, one thing for sure is that burning sage creates a wonderful uplifting fragrance, and some would say, this is the best benefit, acting as a chemical free air freshener. How to Smudge: Open a window and light the end of your sage then blow out quickly so it doesn\'t catch fire, you want the leaves to slowly smoulder to release smoke, you can then waft it around the room, or sit it on a shell or other fireproof container for a little while. When you have the fragrance you\'re happy with you can \'dab\' out the smudge stick on the shell to put it out. Remember this is REAL smoke, so could set off fire alarms, or irritate people with chest conditions. Any fireproof container will do but our shell dishes are the perfect size and a popular choice for smudge sticks. 10cm sage smudge stickMade from dried desert sage bound with cottonCreates a soothing, restful environmentWhy not display on our seashell smudge stick dish?