White Sage and Its Use; Exploring Sacred Verneration

A part of my work is to uphold ancient methods of healing and holistic ways of doing so.

When I think about what is required to fully activate this work it gives me pause because it is so sacred. It can feel heavy and challenging at times.

Please allow me to explain.

The energy work that I do is far from unique. However the practices are.

The practices have rules, traditions and many cultural ties. Some of these ties are based upon cultural storytelling and folklore.

However many are written, documented, indoctrinated and are bound by their cultural sacredness. The end result is the healing of the whole person.

These ancient forms of healing continue to live on and are shared at a painful cost for many cultures (including my own) and are unfairly and freely taken by other people. They can even be stripped down from their original methods.

This spills over into cultural appropriation.

However, the one that facilitates and/or wants the healing must know where the methods originate from, why they are being utiized and how to precisely use them.

This is why it is sacred and the sacredness requires verneration.

Verneration is reverence and respect for the ways in which things are viewed and how things are done.

Merriam Webster dictionary cites verneration as an awe, inspired by the dignity, wisdom, dedication, or talent of a person, place or thing.

I have noticed that cultural appropriation can focus heavily on what culture the sacredness has been stolen from even if the education of that fact and how it is wrongful discredited and robbed is made known.

This of course is being mentioned without going into the topic of reparations which speaks to equity which is another whole piece that may be written at another time.

The other dynamic is the end result which is the overall reason for the healing. Which is to be returned to your highest health.

So if certain healing methods include exclusion with out the chance to provide an opportunity for education than it can disrupt the overall ripple effects of collective healing for the collective.

However, as stated this is a very tender topic and I am sensitive to its various views.

Getting back to verneration and how it should be considered within cultural appropriation.

Allow me to share an example using white sage:

I have read about the ethical issues of using white sage and how it effects the sustainability of these much needed herbs. Deforestation, eradication and even white sage poaching is on the rise in California.

White sage is largely grown in California and is a large income crop for indigenous people.

I have also read about how the action of using white sage or any herbs for smudging methods (burning them for healing or detoxing energy) are harmful ways of cultural appropriation.

Feel free to read more about both subjects here: White Sage in Danger

I will share my views on both topics and how it relates to verneration.

We live in a time where we are in constant consumption mode.

Sustainability is of a great concern for me. I do my best to recycle and limited over use of paper and plastic. Short of composting and deeper levels of sustainability I feel I am average at best at conservation, yet I am always learning.

Now as a woman that profits off of products like white sage it is important that I think about how it is harvested and sustained over time so that ethics are maintained and extinction is prevented.

With the knowledge of white sage and its current crisis, I will only sell the remaining inventory of white sage bundles at Violets in Bloom until they are gone.

However, I will provide 25% of all net profits in donation to Partnership With Native Americans which is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Indigenous Americans living on remote, isolated and impoverished reservations.

Once this inventory of white sage is sold I will no longer replenish white sage bundles with certain suppliers that have no ethical ties of growing and harvesting these herbs in regards to the people and the land.

We will continue to sell incense, other smudge herbs like sweet grass, blue sage, cedar, eucalyptus and of course resin.

As for the cultural appropriation of smudging this is where I will continue to utilize and uphold this sacred art with the end result of healing myself and the facilitation of healing for others and here's why:

Cultural appropriation broken down is described as the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn't respect their original meaning, give credit to their source, or reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression.

This definition does not apply to me in utilizing smudging for the following reasons or even anyone else that relates to any and all of the following:

1) I am of a non dominant culture here in the United States. My bloodlines are prodominately of West African descent Native indigenous American, and English.

2) I have whole heartedly adopted a ritual culture of reverence and respect for how smudging is utilized within their 4 sacred elements as knowledge given to Indigenous peoples. Yet I acknowledge that all Native indigenous people in America do not smudge.

I have written a blog piece about practicing smudging respectfully and responsibly so feel free to read about that here.

3) I live my life in careful honoring and sharing. I feel healing information and their practices are very sacred. However, cultural healing can be made known to all with the proper knowledge and verneration.

4) I feel in sharing this information the need to educate others that may not know where they originate from are the critical and crucial ingredients that provide the reverence and respect to carry these healing traditions forward.

Now that I have shared my heart, I hope this information is received and is a direct reflection of my commitment to this work.

I’d like to also acknowledge and thank one of my sacred teachers, Robin Rivera who introduced me to verneration and why it is so deeply important in any healing work. Aho Robin.

Peace to all and for all.

Does this resonant with you? Please feel free to drop me a comment or contact me.