human
I'm interested in learning how to make a smudge stick. Can you tell me how to do this?
assistant
Smudging is a Native American practice used for purification and cleansing. It involves burning dried herbs or other natural materials on a fire, then wafting the smoke over your body. The smoke carries the healing properties of the herbs into your body, helping to purify it and cleanse away negative energies. You can make a smudge stick by gathering dry herbs such as sage, cedar, sweetgrass, and/or palo santo (a sacred wood) and then tying them together with string or ribbon. When you are ready to use the smudge stick, light it on fire and let it burn until it has completely burned down to ash. Then blow out the flame and wave the stick around while inhaling the smoke. Allow yourself to be cleansed by the smoke, and feel its energy enter your body.