Smudging is a ceremony for purifying or cleansing a person or place.
The question of whether or not to smudge as a non-indigenous person is a good one. Who am I to head to the local, new age shop and pick up a shell, some sage, and a feather to cleanse myself, my friends or family, and my home because it feels good? As a descent of colonialist, is it culturally insensitive of me to appropriate this traditional Indigenous practice from a people we decimated? Is it enough for me to educate myself by reading about the historical significance of smudging and have an intellectual understanding of its use?
I don't have a concise answer, but I am curious and exploring what feels right.
I found this video which was very sweet and generous.
But I still don't know.