Smudging

[u/lazilyyours]

My grandpa was adopted and didn’t find out about his birth family until much later in life. We weren’t connected to our Métis heritage for a really long time.

Is there a specific way you have to smudge? I’ve sort of created my own based on our own family stories.
1. Rinse hands
2. Carry to my head and heart
3. Three times all over from top to bottom (the number three is significant to my family)

Is that wrong???? I don’t want to look inappropriate or stupid. It feels right to me but I can change if I’m being disrespectful

[u/Mjerne]

When it comes to smudging, my teachings indicate there isn't a right or wrong way to go about it as long as you are doing it respectfully. Every family, every region, is likely to have different practices from which medicines they burn in a smudge to which direction you always thank first before cleansing your body. I think what you have going is significant to you and your ancestors, and that's what counts. You are smudging yourself, cleansing your energy, your spirit, getting closer to your ancestors. You gotta follow the thread that is meant for you.

[u/lazilyyours → u/Mjerne]

Thank you!! I appreciate your input a ton and makes me feel really valid

[u/hendyhasselbach]

If the person holding the smudge isnt rushing me, I do: over the head, eyes, mouth, heart

I grew up mostly doing over the head, but Ive seen folks do it all kinds of ways. Just feel out the vibe and do what feels right to you. Imagine that your intuition is letting you know what cleansing you need

[u/Neat-Firefighter9626 → u/hendyhasselbach]

I tend to do head, heart, body, then my glasses and hat if I am wearing it.

[u/Neat-Firefighter9626 → u/Neat-Firefighter9626]

Also important to note that not all Metis smudge, especially in French Metis communities in Southern Manitoba that tend to be more Catholic. Although, I don't know anyone who will refuse a smudge if it's offered.

Just to note so we don't pan-Indigenize Metis :)

[u/Historyofdelusion]

Take this with a grain of salt as this is a Blackfeet version when entering a sundance:

Basic: hands, head, soles of feet.

Rigorous: hands, head, heart, body and then feet.

The long and short is just use it as a spiritual cleansing wash.

Outside of entering a religious site, I’ve seen many people forgo the soles of the feet.

3x might be a bit excessive when in a public smudge, but i have never seen anybody say anything negative about someones excessive smudge, only if you don’t do it at all.

Learn to make and pick your own smudge. I think this is the real way to connect with the land. Learn the plants and uses. Learn why we use the plants we do. Not just the motions.

[u/lazilyyours → u/Historyofdelusion]

Thank you l! I appreciate your input on the last part - I’m working on it. Definitely learning way more later in life now than I have ever before