Seminary Program

This is where we post the essays from many of our Universal Life Church Seminary students. When students finish a ULC course, they write a comprehensive essay about their experiences with the course, what they learned, didn't learn, were inspired by, etc. Here are their essays.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Smudging

How I smudge.

SMUDGING
There are many ways so I do not speak for all ways only mine. These are my own ways, and you can believe or not-believe it is your choice. I have to be careful and remember that my way is not the only way.

Smudging is an important part of my way. I use smudging to cleanse my circle, I also use it to cleanse houses and people. The practice of smudging is similar to the use of holly water that a priest might use.

I use White Sage, sweet grass, cedar, or tobacco, singly or in combination, there are other herbs. A container to hold sand and herb. A feather or fan made from a domestically raised bird (I use a fan made with hawk feathers this requires state and federal permits), matches, sand or fine soil and charcoal briquette. 

Put some sand in the bottom of the bowl or shell. This will keep it from being too hot to hold. Place the charcoal briquette on top of sand light the charcoal (some herbs won’t keep burning). When the charcoal is burning place the herb on the charcoal (the smell of the burning herb will attract the spirits and the smoke is their pathway).

When herb is burning well I smudge myself (if another shaman is with me we take turns smudging each other use method below). If you need special healing in some part of your body, you can pull the smoke to that area.
Then I walk to the edge of my circle and fan the smoke as I go. If inside smudge all the walls and corners. I stop at the east, south, west, and north and invite the spirit of each direction in (its normal for me to have a torch at each point that I light).

Then I go to the center of the circle and smudge the torches there and light them. The torches are for I AM (GOD) and mother earth (the GODDESS).
Then I go to the East Point and the others enter one at a time. They stand facing east and you are on their north side, take the fan and fan smoke on them have them turn clockwise and stop in each direction and repeat smudging as you do this say something like with this smoke and in the name of the creator I drive out all that is unclean and unholy. Then they will go into the circle always moving in a clockwise direction.

The next person enters the circle, and repeat above.
It is the individuals responsibility to cleanse their own energy field. The smudging will help
Remember to smudge all tools you will be using during ceremonies.
CLEAR SKIES TLANUWA Rev. Henry Gilbert



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