50 Burning Sage Quotes For Clearing Out Energy

By Clifton Sankofa | Published July 31, 2023

Align yourself and clear out old energy with our burning sage quotes.

Cultures from across the globe have been using sage in spiritual ceremonies for many generations.

Find out more about the traditions and history of the potent plant with the quotes below.

What is sage?

Sage, better known as Salvia officinalis, or common sage, is a perennial-evergreen subshrub.

Sage is famous for its fragrant odor and connection with clearing out energy.

Check out these sage facts below:

Sage roots can go over 40 inches deep.
Sage is an oral washing solution and rodent repellent.
Sage originates in the Mediterranean but has spread across the planet.

The sage plant has woody stems and bluish-purple flowers.

Sage is a member of the mint family and has a long history of medicinal and culinary use.

Today, many people also use it as an ornamental garden plant.

Does Sage have special powers?

Anything in life can serve as a permission slip for us to experience what we desire.

Humans have believed that sage has medicinal and spiritual benefits for thousands of years.

Generations of people attest to its spiritual abilities, and scientists have confirmed many of its healing properties.

People have used sage to ward off evil spirits, cleanse rooms, and remove unwanted energies.

Many cultures have used sage for everything from curing snakebites to increasing fertility.

While some of the proposed abilities of sage have not been proven, the plant has many positive uses.

What do people use sage for today?

People use sage for all sorts of reasons.

If you are feeling indigested, sage can help ease stomach discomfort.

People who experience excessive sweating also use sage to help.

Even those suffering from mouth or throat inflammation have found sage to calm the discomfort.

Sage is also a popular flavoring for food.

In the US and Canada, people like to add sage to their turkey and stuffing dishes on Thanksgiving.

Sage is delicious when paired with brown butter.

People enjoy sage in pasta and chicken dishes as well.

Check out our sage quotes below to learn more about this versatile plant.

Short burning sage quotes about the powerful plant

Sage burning is an old tradition many cultures engage in.

1. “There is a dark side to sage burning.” — Jandra Sutton

2. “Are the ethical concerns around sage burning worth it?” — Jandra Sutton

3. “Burning sage can help you in the pursuit of mindfulness.” — Jandra Sutton

4. “The Latin word for sage salvia stems form the word heal.” — Brooke Bobb

5. “Burning sage creates fragrant smoke central to its benefits.” — Joe Leech

6. “Never let the burning sage stay unattended for any reason.” — Kristin Hickey

7. “Sage burning is more controversial than it would first appear.” — Jandra Sutton

8. “White sage is at risk of being endangered and is often illegally harvested.” — Jandra Sutton

9. “If burning sage can lift one’s mood, it could also be a great ally against stress.” — Joe Leech

10. “Tradition suggests that burning sage can literally lift one’s spirits to banish negativity.” — Joe Leech

The top burning sage quotes for cleaning

Check out these cleansing-burning sage quotes.

11. “Burning sage, also known as cleansing, is an ancient spiritual ritual.” — Joe Leech

12. “The practice of burning sage is fairly simple, with few necessary tools.” — Joe Leech

13. “You can also light and burn sage to improve odor, fragrance, and mood.” — Joe Leech

14. “The practice of burning sage is sacred in many communities and deserves our respect.” — Giselle Wasfie, L.Ac.

15. “Usually the dried plants are burned over a hot coal placed in a large shell or on the ground.” — Jandra Sutton

16. “Once you’re ready, hold the sage at a 45-degree angle, light it using your match or candle, and let it burn for about 20 seconds.” — Kristin Hickey

17. “In traditional Native American culture, burning sage is also thought to cleanse people of negativity and promote healing, wisdom, and longevity.” — Kristin Hickey

18. “A practice old as time, developed by indigenous peoples, burning sage, also known as smudging, has traditionally been used to help clear negative energy.” — Jandra Sutton

19. “Traditionally, people use an abalone shell to hold the sage and then use a feather to fan and spread the smoke around the space once the sage is burning.” — Colleen McCann

20. “Smudging is a tradition common to the Indigenous peoples that involves burning sacred herbs such as sage to cleanse a space, object, or ourselves of negative energy.” — Kristin Hickey

Sage burning quotes and sayings about the spiritual practice

Sage burning has a long history in many spiritual traditions.

21. “Some people burn sage over special objects, to acknowledge the object with sacred meaning.” — Joe Leech

22. “When sage is burned, it releases negative ions, which is linked to putting people into a positive mood.” — Brooke Bobb

23. “Burning sage has been traditionally used to safeguard against negativity that could interfere with sleep.” — Joe Leech

24. “As with a lot of holistic healing methods that have gone mass in recent years, sage is a common household tool.” — Brooke Bobb

25. “Other qualities believed to be associated with sage when burned are giving wisdom, clarity, and increasing spiritual awareness.” — Brooke Bobb

26. “Burning sage changes the energy for the home, so if you’ve had an argument or some form of stress, it removes negative energies.” — Karen Rose

27. “Burning sage is one of the oldest and purest methods of cleansing a person, group of people, or space and of getting rid of unwanted spirits.” — Brooke Bobb

28. “Simply waft sage smoke in and around your home. You can place the bundle in a fireproof bowl or burner and allow it to smoke for a while.” — Joe Leech

29. “Abalone shells are great because of the shape, they are easy to hold when walking around the space, and they can take the heat created from the burning herbs.” — Brooke Bobb

30. “Before burning sage, some recommend setting intentions if cleansing for spiritual, energetic, and negativity-clearing purposes. Remove animals or people from the room.” — Joe Leech

The best burning sage quotes for proper smudging

If you are going to smudge a space, you might as well smudge it right.

31. “One good way to clear and clean out bad energy is by burning sage, or in some cases, spraying it.” — Brooke Bobb

32. “But many burners don’t exactly know what they’re doing with it, or what it’s really doing for them and their space.” — Brooke Bobb

33. “Before you dive into burning sage in your living room, it’s important to make sure you understand where the ritual comes from.” — Jandra Sutton

34. “Even if you’re skeptical about the science behind burning sage, there can still be benefits to participating in the practice.” — Gina Smith Pasqualini, Good Living is Glam

35. “Burning sage is a powerful ritual that Indigenous communities have been using to clear negative energy for thousands of years.” — Kristin Hickey

36. “There isn’t a lot of research on burning sage, but on an anecdotal level, plenty of people say they experience benefits from doing so.” — Jandra Sutton

37. “If you’re going to burn sage in your own home, office, or apartment, be sure to do so safely and with respect for the origins of this sacred practice.” — Kristin Hickey

38. “Traditionally, people use an abalone shell to hold the sage in and then use a feather to fan and spread the smoke around the space when burning sage.” — Brooke Bobb

39. “Once you’re ready to extinguish a sage smudge stick, press the burning tip firmly into your fireproof vessel, dirt, or sand until the smoke no longer rises.” — Kristin Hickey

40. “Mindful meditation can actually change your brain and help you handle stress, so if burning sage helps you relax and enter a more focused brain space, then it’s totally worth it.— Jandra Sutton

Meaningful burning sage quotes about the spiritual realm

Some believe sage helps align the physical world with the spiritual world.

41. “Burning sage has long been used to connect to the spiritual realm or enhance intuition.” — Joe Leech

42. “Though scientifically unproven, burning sage is thought to release negative ions. This is said to help neutralize positive ions.” — Joe Leech

43. “Beliefs that burning sage clears out spiritual impurities, pathogens, and even insects have been fundamental to the practice.” — Joe Leech

44. “Those who engage in these cleansing rituals claim that burning dry sage can help clear the air and promote mindfulness.” — Jandra Sutton

45. “Be sure to buy high-quality and ethically, legally sourced sage, which means you’ll probably want to avoid mass-market retailers.” — Jandra Sutton

46. “For healers and laypeople in traditional cultures, burning sage is used to achieve a healing state — or to solve or reflect upon spiritual dilemmas.” — Joe Leech

47. “Smudging is the process of burning dried plants or other natural elements and then using the smoke to cleanse themselves, objects, or even places.” — Rosalyn LaPier, Ph.D.

48. “If you have any concern with negative history or energy attached to a new or unfamiliar object, burning sage may help bring peace of mind and make the object more sacred to you.” — Joe Leech

49. “Burning sage may also be used as a ritual tool to rid yourself or your space of negativity. This includes past traumas, bad experiences, or negative energies from others.” — Joe Leech

50. “Cultural appropriation is never cool, and as the practice of burning sage becomes more mainstream, it’s important to remember that we should respect and engage in the practice without co-opting it thoughtlessly. — Jandra Sutton