Smudge is a medicine, a prayer, and a cleansing. One of the most identifiable practices among traditional American Indian culture this practice has been picked up by others.
To begin with the basics- what does a smudging ceremony entail? What do you need to smudge?
To smudge you can use a bowl, a small pan, or shell to place the medicine in, a match/lighter, one or more of the sacred medicines, and a feather (optional). First you would place some of the medicine in the shell and light it so that it is smoking but there are no flames.
Once the smoke rises you can use a feather or your hands wave the smoke on to your person, or item / space that you wish to bless or cleanse.
There are four medicines that are used commonly in smudging: sweet grass, cedar, sage, and tobacco.
As with all things spiritual, your internal focus & intent is where the meaning lies. Going through the motions without being open to the creator defeats the purpose of the smudge.
We have many reference materials on smudging for those who are beginners and would like more information on this practice.