Incense is a cleansing ritual dating back to the Native American people, where herbs or tree barks are burned and a fragrant smoke is created to cleanse the person or space. This ritual was used to cleanse or purify yourself or the space from bad spirits or negative vibrations. Sage, a plant of the lip flower family, has been used by Native Americans for centuries for purification ceremonies and healing sessions.
If you want to perform a smudge ritual at home, start at the top of your house. From there you work your way down. Open windows and doors during smudging: this way all negative energy and tension can disappear from your home. In addition, it is important to ventilate well when you burn incense. Place the sticks in a good incense holder to catch the ashes.