Sacred Care/ 39

There are two basic kinds of cleansing to consider with objects

that are to be totems for you. The first is the cleansing that you do
when you first obtain a totem object. Often when these totems come
directly from Nature, they are not in need of anything but a light
ceremony to cleanse any residue you may not be aware of. The best
way to do this is to bum sage leaves or thyme in a large shell, ceramic
bowl, or iron pot. Pass your hands through the smoke first; then pass
the totem through the smoke several times. This is called smudging
or, since sage is used so frequently, saging.
Smudging is useful for clearing your own energies, cleansing
your aura, and purifying your shamanic channels. It is useful for you
and for your totems at any time. Smudging is an effective way to keep
energies clear and focused. I have experienced sage's bringing energies
together in a room when nothing else had been effective.
Some of my colleagues in biochemical psychology are quite
certain that sage has very real effects on the psyche. I'm sure many a
Native American medicine elder would be amused at the experiments
being done with sage! Thyme is also quite effective for this, and is
currently burned in hospitals throughout Europe.
Bundles of sage, called smudge sticks (some with cedar, sweet­
grass, or lavender), are available and are very convenient to use.
Sometimes these are not easily extinguished. I keep a cup of salt or
soil, half full, nearby when I use a smudge stick. When I am finished
smudging, I place the smudge stick, lit end down, in the salt or soil. As
always, it's good to return the ashes to earth when you can.
Sage is such a good all-purpose herb that I often light sage first
and later sprinkle other herb mixtures on top of the burning sage. In
much the same way that quartz crystals amplify the energies of other
Mineral World totems (as well as our own), sage amplifies the energies
of Plant World totems.
Other totems found in Nature require a more concrete-level kind
of cleansing. This is particularly true of Animal World totems, such as
feathers or talons. While it is doubtful that a bird by the side of the
road died of disease, it is only good sense to be aware of health risks
to yourself. Sometimes a simple solution of mild soap and saltwater
can be used to cleanse a totem. Other times, the organic residue is
such that it requires drying or preserving.
One possibility is to hang the totem in a closed but airy place. I
find it more effective to preserve these types of totems in a mixture of
salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Salt, cinnamon, and cloves are all ideal