The Gift of Beads

I like to give friends a simple strand of beads. I string beads frequently and give them as gifts of gratitude and good will. As a tradition, when a Native woman strings beads she thinks good thoughts and puts her positive energy into the beads. Perhaps her thoughts are of helping, healing, supporting or thanking when she is beading.....regardless, she is putting pride and power into her beadwork.
Beads are given as gifts from the heart. The season of winter is a slower time of prayer and reflection and this is when I string beads........so hopefully I get a bit more time in the coming months to do this!

Good Energy

Smudging is a a healing ritual performed by Native Americans using a smoking wand or stick made from dried herbs for cleansing the human aura, locations, or personal objects.

Most commonly used herbs for smudging are Sage, Cedar or Sweet Grass.

A smudge stick is generally ignited and then extinguished to a smolder, freeing the smoke to circle in the air. Whomever is performing the smudge will fan the swirls of smoke around a person's aura from head to toe.

Common occasions for smudging:

Ceremony / Cleansing / Purification / Releasing.

Smudging can be defined as "spiritual house cleaning." In theory, the smoke attaches itself to negative energy and as the smoke clears it takes the negative energy with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy.

My mother performs the most powerful smudges in her healing work. When she smudges me, I feel completely renewed and calm - not an easy feat in my hectic life!

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Indian Paintbrush

Native Americans from many tribes used Indian Paintbrush for medicinal purposes. Chippewa brewed its leaves for a tea for rheumatism, Hopi women used the entire plant in a tea as a contraceptive, Navajos made a tea from the blossoms to treat burns and insect bites.
And according to a Native American legend, a young man was painting a picture of a sunset, but was unable to capture the vibrant orange hues to his satisfaction. He asked the Great Spirit for aid and he was given many paintbrushes dripping with vivid orange and red paints. When the artist finished his painting he tossed the brushes on the ground, and wherever a brush touched the earth an Indian Paintbrush plant appeared.