What Happens To You When You Burn Lavender

An age-old ritual known as "smudging," or burning herbs, involves filling both indoor and outdoor areas with the smoke from burning botanicals. This ceremony is meant to improve spiritual activities, affect mood, and purify the atmosphere. Lavender has many known medicinal uses, including as analgesic, relaxing, antifungal, and antidepressant effects.

CleansingPhoto byRichelleg

Herbs such as lavender, sage, eucalyptus, rose, and cedar should be purposefully collected, dried, and burned to drive away bad energy from your home, person, energy, and environment.

However, before you do so, make sure to always use common sense while burning anything, only burn a tiny amount at a time, and never leave anything unattended. Get a fire-safe bowl or plate and some dried buds, stems, or whatever you have on hand. Light your lavender pile carefully, and let it burn down.

The word "smudge" comes from an archaic word for a fire that produces thick smoke, which is frequently used to ward off insects. Smudging is a fundamental component of many rituals for cleansing ceremonial areas and home spaces.

This method of burning herbs yields a fragrant smoke with both therapeutic and euphoric properties. Sage is the most commonly utilized herb; mugwort, rosemary, juniper, lavender, and bay leaf are also frequently burned.

Lavender smokePhoto byRichelleg

What advantages does burning lavender offer?

Setting the Mood

Studies on lavender have shown reduced stress reactions and better sleep, supporting the notion that the aroma of lavender has a calming effect. The aroma is floral and sweet, with hints of woody herbaceous elements.

The perfume of charred lavender varies depending on the variety; some have a stronger camphorous scent than others.

Insect Repellent

Burning a variety of herbs, including lavender, can help deter insects, including moths, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes. These insects, unlike people, find the scent to be strongly repulsive because it contains ingredients found in essential oils like linalyl acetate and linalool.

Intentional cleansingPhoto byRichelleg

Cleaning

Burning herbs, such as lavender, is said to have purifying and cleaning properties and is frequently connected to witchcraft. Lavender has antibacterial qualities, so you might burn it to get rid of microorganisms in the air.

Ceremony and Spirituality

In a manner similar to the last example, burning plants such as lavender can be a regular practice to purify and sanitize space while banishing negative energy. The "Language of Flowers" states that lavender is a symbol for protection, clarity, tranquility, and purity.

Where to Find Lavender

So there are a lot of "lavender products" and room scents that are synthetic and may cause more harm than good. This goes for dried lavender as well. It's best to find a local farm or shop on Etsy that offers fresh organic or dried lavender right from a farm.

Making smudge sticksPhoto byRichelleg

It's also easy to gather the flower stems for burning if you have lavender growing in your garden. When they are almost done flowering, it's best to pick them. Pick with intention; however you're wanting to cleanse and clear, think of it as already done and gone. An attitude of gratitude while you harvest your lavender will make all the difference in how it works.

Pick the ones with blooms still closed, before they lose their good smelling oils. Gather the stems and hang them upside-down for a minimum of one week in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight.

Oven drying: To achieve rapid results, spread out your lavender stems on a baking sheet and place in the oven on low heat for around ten minutes. After ten minutes, check, then continue until the material is dry.

Crystals and dried flowersPhoto byRichelleg

An instruction manual for burning lavender

• Use a container or bowl that won't catch fire This seems like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised. LOL. Dried lavender can also be added to a wood fire and is great for mosquitoes outside.
• Choose your dried flowers, stems, leaves, or bundles.
• Select a space that is well-ventilated and large enough to prevent anything combustible from coming into contact with your burning lavender.
• Using a lighter or matches, ignite your bundle of lavender, let it catch fire, and then blow it out, leaving the stems smouldering.
• Allow the smoke to rise, and fill your space. Think about that smoke cleansing the walls, windows, and ceiling. Think about the negative energies and thoughts of not being able to stand strong anymore and fleeing your space and your life. Allow yourself to be thankful for the peace, the tranquility, and the thoughts of happiness and gratitude. Think about all that space that was once filled with negative things now being filled with beautiful, positive, happy, and opportunistic things.

Taro and lavenderPhoto byRichelleg

Make sure that any fire is extinguished before leaving your lavender unattended, and never leave it alone.

Is it harmful to breathe lavender?

Most individuals can safely breathe in lavender smoke, whether it comes from smoke or essential oil. While any kind of smoke can irritate the respiratory tract, lavender is mild and not toxic in any way. Take extra care when around small children, those with respiratory conditions, or people who have a history of lavender allergies.

Citations:

Ready, V. (2023, June 20). Burning dried lavender step by step to burning lavender. Willow Top Gardens. https://willowtopgardens.com/blogs/lavender/burning-dried-lavender-step-by-step-to-burning-lavender

Peden, E. (2022, September 6). How to make your own Lavender Smoke Cleanse Bundle - Edwina Peden. Edwina Peden. https://www.edwinapeden.com/how-to-make-your-own-lavender-smudge-stick/