Sage

[smogie_michele]

Because this popped up on my feed, I figured I would add my two cents. I personally don't like the way burning sage smells.. does that make me a weird witch? I still burn it to clear areas from time to time, but only once or twice a year; normal around the spring and fall equinox. I've also never really paid a whole lot of attention to whether or not it is white sage- I just focus really hard on the idea that it WILL clear my house and let my intention take over from there.

Any other time I have ever used sage, I make a stove top potpourri kind of deal- boil a little bit of water with fresh sage and other herbs (I like mint and lemons best) and when I am ready I will take the steaming pot through my home to cleanse it- It works very well for me; instead of smoke, I clear with steam.

[freyja13]

The smell of black sage (salvia mellifera) isn't wonderful when it's burning but I like it dried and use it in combo with other herbs to make dream pillows. Purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) smells pretty good burning and dried. Before I was more in tune with the plants I mistook purple sage for white ssge because the leaves are whiteish, greyish with narry a trace of green. "Leucophylla" basically says white-leaf.
Nothing can compare to salvia apiana but all sage has thujone, I would think they all have a cleansing type property because of this.
Bb, Firebird

Thank you so much for clearing that up for me.
However, my friend told me that I actually have a Salvia variety called Salvia guarantica 'Black and Blue'. Have you had any experience with this type of sage: S. Guarantica, or anyone for that matter, about its' smell when burned?

[freyja13]

Because this popped up on my feed, I figured I would add my two cents. I personally don't like the way burning sage smells.. does that make me a weird witch? I still burn it to clear areas from time to time, but only once or twice a year; normal around the spring and fall equinox. I've also never really paid a whole lot of attention to whether or not it is white sage- I just focus really hard on the idea that it WILL clear my house and let my intention take over from there.

Any other time I have ever used sage, I make a stove top potpourri kind of deal- boil a little bit of water with fresh sage and other herbs (I like mint and lemons best) and when I am ready I will take the steaming pot through my home to cleanse it- It works very well for me; instead of smoke, I clear with steam.

No, not at all. We all have diffirent herbal callings that can help us out; maybe not sage, but sandalwood they are both used to banish. I think why Sage sticks are so popular in stores is because theyre relatively cheap to grow and manufacture the sticks at a low cost with hardly any overhead. So sage sticks are a relatively insexpensive way of doing a spell that will banish energies. Also, some people have callings to incorporating the American Indian religion into Wicca and some dont. Its no big issue. We are all unique and thus should walk the path knowing yours will be diffirent than someone elses--and that is perfectly alright.