SWEETGRASS - VANILLA GRASS - MARY'S GRASS are names for a traditional incense herb in Europe and North America. It is a meadow grass rich in coumarin, which is used by Native Americans in all their rituals. It is a heart-warming, soul-soothing, life-affirming incense herb with the scent of hay, woodruff, and vanilla, belonging in every good collection :) Traditionally, the fragrant grass is braided and lit on one end for smudging. Our Sweetgrass braid is a marsh grass from Canada.
Today, the Native American custom of using sweetgrass to open a ceremony or ritual and harmonize the energies in the space is particularly well-known. Was it similar in Europe? For me, sweetgrass is a very warm, feminine, inviting smoke.
A classic: First, you swing the cleansing smudge stick with White Sage, and then fill the room with the sensual, comforting, harmonious vibrations of sweetgrass.
- Scent: warm, vanilla-like, herbaceous, like a freshly mown summer meadow
- Theme: feminine power, harmonizing, sensual impulses, opening the heart & connecting, comfort
- Braid length: approx. 50 cm
The sweetgrass native to Europe is called Mariengras or Ruchgras (Latin: Anthoxanthum odoratum) and was dedicated to the love goddess Freya in pagan times - which is why another name for it is Freyakraut (Freya's herb). It also smells warm and coumarin-rich, just like a summer meadow - though not quite as aromatic as the sweetgrass primarily native to North America - and grows wild in damp meadows.
Smudging - here's how:
To smudge, you can light the sweetgrass braid directly on one end. Wave it a little, then the braid will continue to smolder and you can use it for smudging (it's best to hold the braid over an incense bowl for falling glowing plant parts). Of course, you can also burn the braid on an incense charcoal; for this, cut off a small piece. You should definitely put a heat-insulating layer (e.g., sand) on top, and only then the sweetgrass, otherwise it would smolder too quickly. Sweetgrass is also well suited for incense burners with a high distance to the candle.
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Our incense range is a treasure chest; here you will find resins, woods, and herbs from all over the world. We source these from selected specialist incense retailers and other trusted colleagues, and herbs from specialist retailers for natural raw materials (just like our food). For us, smudging is pure plant helper power! That's why we invest a lot of time in researching the sources of our raw materials to be able to offer them as sustainably as possible.
And it should be noted: We offer our resins, woods, and herbs exclusively for smudging, and all our good advice is taken from traditional lore and our own experiences. Of course, these do not replace a qualified advisor (doctor, naturopath, ...). And whether something works as it is written, well, never forget: Only you can open the door :) Just as only you can bear the responsibility for yourselves ...