Spring has always been known as the time of year that we all get outside, rake up debris, clean up the ditches, clean the house, discard stuff that has been hanging about that has no purpose.
Growing up, spring cleaning at our house included all windows, walls, floors, curtains; the list goes on. Every piece of furniture was moved, turned upside down, dusted, washed, etc…..
The rewards at the completion of such an excavation process, as I call it, is quite invigorating and helps set the tone and mood moving forward into the next season.
Smudging is a form of cleaning, a practice that I incorporate into my daily routine while also setting intentions with the guidance of what is called angel cards.
The smudging, like spring cleaning, helps clear the energy in the room, the air around the farm, store and anything that may be lingering on my personal body. While the angel cards provide a word to help guide the intention for the day.
The practice of smudging is not a new concept, but rather something that has been forgotten and or pushed aside as one of the necessities of daily routines. Opening the doors in the spring and letting in some of the cool air is, in itself, a form of smudging; allowing fresh air in and stagnant air out.
This year I decided that as part of a new years intention for the store and farm, I would extend the smudging process as a requirement to all my staff, dogs included, prior to the start of their day when working at our farm. Encouraging them all to leave anything that is going on at home out side the door. The experience has led some of the employees to begin incorporating
the process at their own homes, feeling the positive difference that it makes while working, for some, it’s looked at as just part of the job and not really seeing/feeling the benefit, and for others a struggle. The struggle coming from the idea that they are doing something so foreign in their mind that they can’t accept the idea of their having control of setting intentions and or able to create what they want in life. With the fast-paced world we live in and all of the people we encounter on a day to day basis, it’s important that we take the time to smudge and clear the air; sometimes morning and night is a good idea.
There are different plants that are smudged based on what kind of clearing you want to do, but most of the time a lovely sage/ lavendar/lemon balm smudge will take care of most of what you need.
As for the dogs, who are also employees at the farm, you can clearly see from the video which one is accepting of the practice, which one just wants get it over with, and which one struggles. The one struggling convinced that I am trying to kill him each day, giving off a low growl throughout the whole time. But then, as you also see, feels much better afterwards, and gives me a beautiful downward dog yoga pose.
Happy Spring
Happy Smudging
Happy Clearing the Air
Happy Downward Dog Yoga Pose