A smudge stick is a bundle of dried herbs, most commonly white sage. Often other herbs or plants are added, and the leaves are usually bound with string in a small bundle and dried. Additional herbs and spices that are often used in contemporary practices include cilantro, cedar, lavender, and mugwort, none of which are native to the Americas. All have a strong, pleasant aroma when burnt.The term "smudge stick" entered the English language through indigenous American Indian traditions that include shamanism. The binding of smudge sticks for many traditions was a sacred intentional process in and of itself. Using scent and scented smoke in rites of purification, whether through smudging (the process of using a smudge stick) or burning incense, is common in many traditional cultures around the world, as noted in ethnographic literature.
