Many traditions make use of strung beads or knots to help keep a spiritual focus, as favorite prayers, litanies or mantras are recited. Likewise, holding this artful circlet of turquoise, wood and glass beads entwined in one's hand can be useful in the practice of keeping the heart and mind attentive to the deeper realities.
The pewter pendant is a unique design that holds at once the inspiration of a cross, an angel, the spirit...
May using these prayer beads bring you focus, comfort, inspiration and peace...
SMUDGING
What is Smudging?
The Native American elders have taught that before a person can be healed or heal another, one must be cleansed of any bad feelings, negative thoughts, bad spirits or negative energy - cleansed both physically and spiritually. This helps the healing to come through in a clear way, without being distorted or sidetracked by negative "stuff" in either the healer or the client. The elders say that all ceremonies, tribal or private, must be entered into with a good heart so that we can pray, sing, and walk in a sacred manner, and be helped by the spirits to enter the sacred realm.
Native people throughout the world use herbs to accomplish this. One common ceremony is to burn certain herbs, take the smoke in one's hands and rub or brush it over the body. Today this is commonly called "smudging." In Western North America the three plants most frequently used in smudging are sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. There are many others, too.
Smudging is not all fantasy and imagination. The practice is thought to actually create negative ions in the air that remove static and create a positive atmosphere. Not only do people usually feel good afterwards, it also creates a space for the free flowing of positive energies and prayers.
Smudging can be used to bless persons, places and things. One example would be a house blessing. The slideshow below shows how to begin to use the smudge set.
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The following smudging items will be available for purchase shortly. Please check back soon.
Smudge and Blessing Gift Set/ $175. / In a handmade, faux-leather box with leather and carved wood clasp and bone detail: handmade smudge plate/ meditation beads/ hand-bound smudging book and journal/ feather wand/ sand/ charcoal tablets/ lavender cone incense/ frankincense and myrrh granules/ mixed herbs for burning/ matches
House Blessing Set/ $34.00/ handmade smudge plate/ cedar and sage smudge stick/ sand / charcoal/ house blessing/ instructions
Focus Point Gift Set $19.95 / Handmade incense plate by Elliott Hutten, prayer beads, lavender incense cones, universal prayer card
Minsart Studio . 8691 Supervisor Ave . Colden, New York 14033
