White Sage

In the scattered biomes of North America, lived the indigenous tribes, including the Lakota, Chumash, Cahuilla, and others. Among the many gifts they received from the Creator or the Great Spirit, one was particularly revered - the White Sage, also known as Salvia apiana or Bee sage. The tribes believed that this sacred herb held powerful spiritual properties. It was seen as a divine tool for purification, cleansing, and protection against negative energies and influences. The tribes respected and cherished the White Sage, using it in various aspects of their lives.

One of the most significant uses of White Sage was in the smudging ceremonies. The tribes bundle together the dried leaves of the sage and set them alight. The smoke that rose was believed to carry with it the power to cleanse and purify. They would fan this smoke over their bodies, objects, or spaces, driving away any negative energies and bringing about balance and harmony. Before important ceremonies or gatherings, the tribes would use the White Sage to create a sacred and purified space. The smoke was thought to neutralize or dispel stagnant or harmful energies, bringing about spiritual renewal. It was a way for them to connect with the spiritual realm, offer prayers, and seek guidance or healing.

The tribes also used White Sage to strengthen their connection with nature and the divine. It was seen as a conduit to the spiritual world, facilitating communication with ancestral spirits, guides, and other beings of the spiritual world. The herb was used as an offering or in ceremonies to express gratitude, seek wisdom, or establish a connection with the natural and supernatural elements. While the specific medicinal uses of White Sage are not detailed, it's worth noting that many herbs used in Native American traditions, including White Sage, were believed to have healing properties. The smoke from White Sage was used for the purification of mind, body, and spirit. However, it's important to remember that traditional uses of plants for medicinal purposes should be approached with respect for the culture and knowledge of Indigenous peoples, and any use of plants for health reasons should be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

White sage, deeply rooted in the culture of Californian Native American tribes, is believed to cleanse the spirit, restore balance, bless people, and carry prayers to God. Illness is seen as an imbalance or impurity in the soul, and the healing process aims to restore balance and drive away impurities. White sage is used both as a standalone herbal drug and in combination with other herbs, believed to enhance their properties. It's used as a calmative, analgesic, and antimicrobial agent, and can decrease sweating, salivation, milk and mucous secretions. It's also used in spiritual healing methods like smudging and sucking, and in less religious methods like drinking infusions, tinctures, and macerations, or rubbing into the skin.

Uses of white sage include social initiation ceremonies for children, curing coughs, facilitating afterbirth passage and healing postpartum, treating menstrual problems, and decreasing lactation. It's also used as an eye treatment, where seeds are placed on the eyes during sleep to collect pollutants, and as a headache remedy, where fresh leaves are placed on the head.

White sage plays a major role in the life of California Native American tribes, not just for healing and religious rituals, but also as a food source. The seeds of white sage and three other sage shrubs are called "chia” and are eaten as a gruel or cakes. Young shoots of white sage are also consumed. Today, however, S. apiana seeds have been overshadowed by the more nutritionally valuable S. columbariae Benth. chia seeds. Apart from its medical and nutritional uses, white sage is also used as a cosmetic and shampoo. Please refer to the links below for more information.

White Sage: Unveiling the Sacred Herb's Cultural Significance and Uses.

Indigenous Sacred Plants: Sage.

Native American Smudging.

The Sacred Art of Smudging with Sage: A Path to Health and Spiritual.

White Sage – Roots of Medicine - University of Iowa.

White Sage (Salvia apiana).