Herbal Smoking Mixtures & Smudges

The power in the combination of herbs and fire is by way of smoke. Aromatic plants have the longest history of burning as incense, their volatile oils being carried through smoke to evoke a physical and psychological shift. Guido Masé describes this practice particularly well:

“As the smoke from the aromatic plants permeates the hall, memories are evoked, consciousness is shifted, and all participants begin to occupy a space that is not just physically, but also psychically, different. Without being intoxicating, the incense nevertheless has an effect.”

I’m sure we can all relate to the physical and psychic shift that occurs from noticing the shifting aromas as we walk through town or even within our own home. We burn incense sticks, light aromatic candles, or even just take a deep breath (inviting in all the aromas in all their intensity and depth) to shift our consciousness and physical way of being, conjuring memories, facilitating peace. All is heightened through smoke.

“The smells in this ritual are carefully orchestrated for the express purpose of evoking this shift in consciousness. They serve as a message to the gods above (smoke always rises) as well as those of the underworld. They tap into deep-seat patterns of association, linked to a unique fingerprint, while relaxing the body and focusing the mind on the task at hand.” - Guido Masé, The Wild Medicine Solution, p. 35

Physiologically, many herbs retain their efficacy when burned, especially aromatic plants, but also many others like bitter nervines (skullcap, mugwort). When you inhale the smoke of an aromatic plant, either directly through a pipe or herbal cigarette, or indirectly via incense or smudge, the herbal constituents carried through the smoke are directly contacting the tissues in the nose, throat, and deeper respiratory tract, not only providing a topical effect on the mucous membranes, but also an internal effect, as the aromatic oils are absorbed into the bloodstream. Absorption in this way is one of the fastest delivery systems of herbal constituents (as anyone who has ever smoked tobacco or cannabis can attest).

Despite the energetics of a particular herb, when burned they will always become hot and dry. Fire itself is hot and drying. Place a cool, wet pot on a stove and crank up the flame beneath it, it will become hot and the moisture will evaporate. Same with herbs. So herbs like mullein (Verbascum thapsus) which are cooling and moistening become hot and dry when smoked or burned as incense. Something to keep in mind when considering the use of smoke as a delivery system for particular herbs.

Before we go to preparations, I just want to talk briefly about the safety of herbs delivered via smoke and why people throughout the ages have enjoyed smoking. I am hesitant to say that smoking is inherently ‘bad for you’. I fully agree that our culture has commodified, abused, and appropriated tobacco (a sacred plant of many indigenous people), to a degree that is harmful across many groups of people. I also agree that smoking does have an irritating effect on the lungs and encourages inflammation.

With anything, living or not, there is right relationship and wrong relationship. Our culture lives in deeply wrong relationship with the human act of smoking, but that doesn’t mean right relationship doesn’t exist. Smoking in a ritualistic sense for many people was a way of communicating with ancestors and spirits. The much stronger tobacco typically smoked in these cases, Nicotiana rustica, was smoked in reverence, ritual, and respect, not as an escape or while we’re waiting for table nine to pick up the damn check so we can close out for the night (again not trying to demonize coping mechanisms, just drawing a distinction here).

As Howie Brounstein, in his excellent writings on herbal smoking mixtures states, there are several reasons why people smoke (tobacco, cannabis, or herbal smoking blends).

• Recreation - There may not be a long-term dependence on smoking, perhaps in company with an old friend every once in a while, or at a wedding. Perhaps under social pressure, perhaps just to just give it a try.
• Medicine - The use of calming or sedative herbs to relax physically or mentally. Or the use of expectorant herbs to get stuck phlegm up and out or to calm the lungs.
• Spiritual and Ceremonial Uses - The use of smoke to generate altered states of consciousness. While some might seek entheogenic smoked substances for pure recreational use, others still go to these substances respectfully to support their spiritual journey.
• Addiction - This is where long-term dependency sets in. Relying on smoking for stress relief, social anxiety, creativity, etc. rather than occasionally enjoying.

In the first three, recreation, medicine, and spiritual/ceremonial uses, there is the possibility for right relationship, with a very slippery slope towards wrong relationship. In addiction, we are in wrong relationship (this is not to shame, judge, or make any value judgements on those who have or are currently experiencing addiction–I’ve been there too–I just want to acknowledge what’s true so we can move back into right relationship with these sacred plants.

smudges

Smudging is the practice of lighting dried herbs on fire, blowing out the flame, and letting the herbs smoke and smolder. This allows us to indirectly inhale the smoke, bask in the aroma, ‘wash’ a person or object with the smoke, and penetrate the nooks and crannies of a room with the aromatic qualities of a given plant. People often use certain herbs in this way to clear away energies, cultivate protection, cleanse a space, among other psychospiritual purposes.

smoking mixtures

Many herbs, when smoked, provide medicinal benefits. Some herbs, like mullein, help to break up congestion and support expectoration and clearing of mucous out of the lungs (clearing of stuck energy / clearing of stuck mucous – smoke working in multiple dimensions!).

Pipes are helpful here, but if you are skillful with the hands, you may roll an herbal ‘cigarette’ as well. When combining dried herbs for a smoke blend, note that there is far less moisture present in the herbs than tobacco (which goes through unique drying and curing methods to retain moisture), so if you smoke the herbs as is, they can be quite harsh and not make for a very smooth smoke. Howie Brounstein suggests adding a few drops of water or the tiniest drop of honey to remoisten the herbs before smoking.

To create a well-balanced smoke blend, you need roughly:

• 2 parts base herb(s)
  • Light and ‘fluffy’ herbs to carry and create an even smoke
  • Mullein, damiana, marshmallow leaf
• 1 part supporting herb(s)
  • These can be nervines, bitter aromatics, lymphatics, etc.
    • Mugwort (also light and fluffy), skullcap, red clover
  • Try to use at least one astringent herb or bark here which offers body to the blend and gives for a fuller smoke experience.
    • willow bark, raspberry leaf, pipissewa, bearberry (aka kinnikinnik / uva-ursi), blackberry root, sumac leave (once they turn red in the fall)
• ½ part flavoring (aromatic herb)
  • Here is where you add the aromatic herbs, note that it is the smallest amount of herb in the mix (often people put mostly aromatics which can create a smoke blend that is unpleasantly heady that can give you a strong headache, so use sparingly).
    • Lavender, rose, mint, anise hyssop, fennel, chamomile, sage, tulsi and others.

People also often add Lobelia (Lobelia inflata), a powerful antispasmodic and muscle relaxant herb, to their smoke blends to support quitting smoking (this herb is powerful and should not be mixed with any other pharmaceutical tranquilizers/sedatives or alcohol). Your body perceives Lobelia’s main constituent, lobeline, as nicotine (prescription smoking cessation gums have lobeline as their main ingredient). Lobeline is the same shape as nicotine and fits into the receptor sites that accept nicotine, thus tricking your body into thinking you’ve been smoking tobacco. Lobeline, unlike nicotine, is not addictive when used properly in the short term.

Do your research when attempting to use lobelia in your blends to support quitting smoking. It is also a powerful emetic, and if taken in too large of doses will induce vomiting. Start with Howie Brounstein’s article here.

Finally, while I believe proper use of smoke blends can be a powerfully supportive way to deliver herbs, I must say that there is a big difference (in terms of health risks) between smoking cigarettes as a habit and occasionally smoking tobacco and other herbs purposefully and with respect. Smoking is a powerful act, ceremonial at its root. It is not intended to be a habit, and if you find yourself in the habit of smoking on a regular basis, your overall health will inevitably decline, and that’s not what I’m here to support. Smoking in moderation, with respect, clarity, and reverence, on the other hand, potentially outweighs the risks and invites a sense of relationship and respect for the plant you are taking in, transforming, and offering back to sky.