Indigenous Smoke

Smudging is a Native American ritual that links smoke with spirituality in remarkable ways.
This is a common ceremonial ritual among indigenous people, held closely within these cultures to purify, spiritually cleanse, rid physical spaces of negative energy, and bless.
By definition, smudging is a ceremony that consists of burning plant herbs and resins in either a clay or shelled bowl while prayers are being done. This results in a smoke cloud formation that is believed to cleanse the air and those within it. Smudging is, in fact, the most popular ritual used to clear people and places of negative energy they would rather not surround themselves with. As a whole, smudging is used among many Native peoples within the western hemisphere and has played an active role for centuries.
Smudging: A Sacred Native American Ritual - PowWows.com