How to make a smudge stick

You will need:
Twine or string, colour of your choice
Scissors
Sage, cedar, or other herbs of your choosing
Newspaper (if using for drying)

1. Decide how long you want your smudge stick to be. For a 5" smudge stick, you will need to cut about 10 1/2" of string for wrapping. Having a little extra means you can always trim away the excess string at the end.

2. Select two, three or four fairly long branches to use for your stick (about 4 - 5" for a large one or 2 -3" for a smaller one). If your sage is longer than that, you can cut it to the length you want. The number of branches used is entirely up to you -- it's really about significance or just personal preference. If you want a very thick smudge stick, you may need even more branches.

3. Leaving the leaves attached, place the thickest branches together in the middle, with most of the leaves facing outward. Putting the branches together in the centre will allow the smudge stick to have more stability once it dries.

4. Wind the string tightly around the bundle, starting at the bottom and working up to the top. As you do this, use the hand not holding the string to lightly squeeze the bundle, flattening any leaves down. It also helps if you periodically rotate the stick as it comes together, making the wrapping process altogether much easier. Squeezing also keeps any stray leaves from coming loose or sticking out the sides of the bundle. **Leave a bit of space (about an inch or so) at the top so you can easily light the tip of the stick without catching the string on fire.

5. Then, with the remaining length of string, wind back around the stick (rotating it as you go) in a criss-cross manner, until you reach the bottom again.

6. Wind the string around near the bottom several times so it doesn't come apart. Tie the two string ends together, or just overlap them as you wind it, making certain they are secure

7. Lastly and this is down to personal choice if you want to do this

trim the top portion of your smudge stick flat with scissors or a knife: this supposedly helps the smudge burn easier, this depends on personal choice really I leave mine in its natural' state

You can dry your new smudge stick either by hanging it upside down, or by wrapping in newspaper for several days (sometimes as long as a week, depending on humidity levels).

How to Burn your Smudge Stick
Light the tip of the stick well. Make sure the sage has plenty of air for the flame to really get going. Allow the sage to smoulder. Use a feather or other fanning device, your hands work just as well but the traditional way is using a feather to direct the smoke where you'd like it to cleanse.

To put out the smudge, have a plate (or traditionally, an abalone shell) filled with a bit of sand nearby. When you are finished, put the sage out in the sand by lightly tamping it down until extinguished. Stored properly, a sage stick can last for years of use.