White sage (Salvia apiana)

White sage (Salvia apiana)

weight: approximately 20 g

about 10/12 cm

White sage is traditionally used in Amerindian societies

White sage is widely used by Native American societies on the West Coast of the United States. The seed is one of the main ingredients in a staple food called Pinole. The leaves and stems are eaten. Some tribes use white sage seeds to remove foreign bodies from the eye. A tea made from the roots was used by Cahuilla women for healing and to help regain strength after childbirth. Sage leaves are also burnt by many Amerindian tribes. The smoke is used in various purification rituals.

White sage is mainly used in all healing rituals. The smoke is used to bless, cleanse and heal people or objects. Sage is used to \"wash\" the outside world when entering a ceremony or sacred space. Objects are also washed with sage smoke to rid them of negative energies. What is known as medicinal sage can come from a wide variety of plant families.

In Native American rituals, white sage fumigation has been practised for centuries. Although each nation had its own methods, there were many commonalities between them. All believed in the power of white sage to heal, not only the physical body, but also the spirit.

As well as being a very powerful purifier, white sage can also be used medicinally (subject to medical advice) for physical problems such as upset stomach, congestion and sweating. Native American white sage sold as a fumigation stick can be used to purify living spaces and homes.