Collection: Cleansing Herbs & Bundles

What You'll Find Here

White Sage Smudge Sticks. California white sage bundles run from 3-inch sticks to 9-inch wands, plus sets of 3 and 12. Blended bundles pair white sage with lavender, rose petals, cinnamon, dragon's blood, eucalyptus or seven herbs, and each added herb brings its own scent and purpose to the smoke.

Cedar, Blue Sage and Mixed Bundles. New Age Smudge & Herbs makes the cedar, blue sage and mountain sage cedar copal bundles here, along with reversible sticks for love, money, protection and positive energy. Cedar and blue sage burn with a sweeter, woodier smoke than white sage.

Palo Santo. Palo santo comes as plain sticks (from a 2 oz bag up to 1 kg), resin, cones, and dip sticks scented with frankincense, dragon's blood, lavender, jasmine and other blends. Palo santo sticks are lit, blown out and left to smolder for a minute or two, and they give off a light, sweet smoke.

Herb Incense Sticks and Cones. Lavender, rosemary, sage, cedar and palo santo incense comes from Escential Essences, Sonavi, HEM, Madre Tierra and Sree Vani. Incense burns longer and more evenly than a bundle, so it suits a slow cleansing of a whole room.

Loose Herbs, Oils and Sprays. Whole lavender flowers and rosemary leaf come in 1 oz to 1 lb bags for burning on charcoal, adding to a bath or simmering in water. Lavender and rosemary oils from Espiritu and AzureGreen, and Satya's palo santo and lavender sprays, clear a space without any smoke.

How Is Each Cleansing Herb Used?

White sage is burned to clear heavy or stale energy from a room, an object or a person, and it gives off the strongest smoke of the group. Cedar is burned for protection and blessing, often in a new home or at a threshold. Lavender is used for calm and peace, and many practitioners add it to sage so the smoke is softer. Rosemary is a protection and purification herb from European folk practice, and it can be burned, hung in a doorway or added to a floor wash. Palo santo is used to bless a space and invite good energy, and many practitioners burn it after sage to bring in something new once the old has been cleared.

How Do I Burn Cleansing Herbs Safely?

Hold the tip of the bundle or stick in a flame until it catches, let it burn for a few seconds, then blow it out so it smolders. Carry it over an abalone shell or a heatproof dish with a layer of sand to catch falling embers. Open a window or door so the smoke has somewhere to go. To put it out, press the lit end firmly into sand or the dish until no smoke rises, and never leave a smoldering bundle unattended. Keep the smoke light around pets, birds and anyone sensitive to smoke, and use a spray, oil or floor wash instead when smoke isn't an option.

A Note on White Sage

White sage grows wild only in Southern California and northwestern Mexico, and United Plant Savers lists it as at risk from overharvesting. Smudging ceremonies belong to specific Native nations, and they are best learned from practitioners within those traditions. Many practitioners burn white sage sparingly, or use garden herbs such as rosemary, lavender and cedar for everyday smoke cleansing.

Explore Related Collections

For bundles alone, browse Smudge Sticks, White Sage Smudge Sticks & Loose Leaf Sage or Palo Santo Sticks, Incense & Items. Abalone Shells & Smudge Burners hold the bundle while it burns, and Spiritual Cleansing Kits put herbs, a shell and a stone together. For smoke-free cleansing, see Spiritual Washes and Florida Water. Our guide to creating a sacred space walks through cleansing a room step by step.

Frequently Asked Questions

What herbs are used for spiritual cleansing?
White sage, cedar, lavender, rosemary and palo santo are the most common cleansing herbs. White sage and cedar are burned to clear and protect, lavender brings calm, rosemary protects and purifies, and palo santo blesses a space after it has been cleared.

What is the difference between white sage and palo santo?
White sage is a leafy herb with a strong, sharp smoke that practitioners use to clear heavy energy. Palo santo is a fragrant wood with a light, sweet smoke that is used to bless a space and invite good energy. Many practitioners burn sage first and palo santo after.

How do I put out a smudge stick?
Press the lit end firmly into sand, soil or a heatproof dish until no smoke rises. Check that it is fully out before you put it away, and never leave a smoldering bundle unattended.

Can I cleanse a space without smoke?
Yes. A cleansing spray, a few drops of lavender or rosemary oil, a spiritual floor wash or a bowl of rosemary and lavender simmered in water will all clear a space without smoke. These suit homes with pets, birds or anyone sensitive to smoke.

How often should I cleanse my space?
Many practitioners cleanse once a week or at each new moon, and also after an argument, a move, a hard week or a gathering of guests. Cleansing whenever a room feels heavy is just as common.