What Is Saging? A Beginner’s Guide to Cleansing Your Home With Sage

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Smoke curling through a doorway. Windows cracked open. A bundle of dried herbs smoldering in a ceramic dish. If you’ve scrolled through wellness content lately, you’ve likely encountered saging—a practice that’s moved from niche spiritual circles into mainstream home rituals.

But what exactly is saging, and should you try it? Here’s what you need to know before lighting up.

What saging actually is

Saging, often called smudging, involves burning dried sage or other herbs and allowing the smoke to move through a space. The practice has roots in Indigenous cultures across North America, where it has been used ceremonially for generations. Today, many people have adopted a secular version as part of their home wellness routines.

The traditional purpose centers on clearing stagnant or unwanted energy from a space. Contemporary practitioners use it for a range of reasons: marking a fresh start after moving into a new home, resetting a room’s atmosphere after conflict or illness, creating ...