Why We Don't Sell White Sage

We don’t sell white sage because we are not Indigenous and have never used it in our own practices.

Did you know that until the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed in the United States, Indigenous people were restricted from their sacred practices, ceremonies, and access to sacred sites on federal lands? This included the possession and use of sacred objects used in their rituals. Prior to 1978, they could be arrested for using materials such as white sage in their spiritual practices. (This was, of course, part of the United States Government’s plan of forced assimilation and cultural genocide.)

Now, decades after the Act was passed, the burning of white sage has been co-opted by non-Indigenous folks as a form of spiritual cleansing (also known as smudging, a term that also shouldn’t be used unless this is a part of your culture). Because of this, white sage is being overharvested and exported around the world. 

White sage is only native to California and Northern Mexico. Due to the trendiness of white sage, poachers harvest hundreds of pounds of it, which damages the population of native plants and decreases the availability of sacred plant material to the Indigenous population. It’s also illegal to pick white sage on public land, but that doesn’t stop the poachers trying to profit (good old capitalism!).

Well, what about “ethically sourced” white sage, you ask? Honestly, anyone can say something is ethically sourced. Given the unregulated nature of the market, there is no way to prove that it was harvested legally. In fact, virtually all of the white sage sold in the open market is called “wildcrafted,” which just means harvested from nature.

Now, back to smudging. Smudging is an ancient ceremonial practice that holds significant cultural and spiritual importance for many Indigenous tribes (which was illegal for them to practice in the United States until 1978!). It’s highly problematic to see the use of white sage and the term "smudging” popularized by the same culture that banned it up until 48 years ago.

The good news? You can practice smoke cleansing with different types of herb bundles! Some alternatives include lemon balm, lavender, pine, rosemary, and mugwort. You can also research your own ancestral or cultural traditions to see if there is something similar in your own background that you may want to explore. 

For example, I have Scottish ancestry. A Scottish folk magic practice of purification, called saining, uses smoke from juniper branches to cleanse and ward off evil. You can even use bells, candlelight, or music to cleanse spaces.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also address the use of Palo Santo. It, too, is being overharvested due to its popularity and is ethically questionable for use by non-Indigenous folks. A great alternative to Palo Santo is something you may have in your pantry or spice cabinet right now; cinnamon sticks!

This is why we don’t (and will never) sell white sage, Palo Santo, or use the term smudging. This is something that we feel strongly about, and the beauty of owning your own business is that it allows you to make these decisions! We personally don’t want to profit by co-opting a culture that is not our own.