COVID-19 vs. Native Cleansing & Healing Rituals Is There a Solution Here?

By Tom Surface

For centuries, Native Americans have, and still do, perform spiritual and physical cleansing and healing rituals and ceremonies. In times past, tribal elders were trained or apprenticed in various healing arts. These people were known as herbalists, healers, medicine men, and spirit communicators.

Even today, many of these rituals and ceremonies are still practiced, and bring about positive results.

Various tribal healing practices and spiritual ceremonies very often include the use or burning of cedar, sage and sweetgrass. For instance, sage is used in sweat lodge ceremonies by the Lakota tribe where sage is sprinkled over hot stones during sweat lodge ceremonies The Ojibwe people burn sage, along with cedar, sweetgrass, and bearberry, ceremonially in pipes. The Ojibwe would burn sage and other herbs for prayers, weddings, naming ceremonies, and vision quests.

On a recent trip to the Hopi and Navajo Reservations, I met with a Hopi tribal elder to talk about traditional healing and cleansing practiced today. According to the elder, “I grew up with these remedies and still use them.” He told me a common cure used for stomach and internal disorders is the steam from a potion of boiled cedar. “This serves as a detergent to cleanse your digestive system, and it works,” he confirmed.

My friend also told me that several years ago he fell prey to Bell’s Palsy, an ailment that paralyzes facial muscles. “I went to our tribal medicine man who had me wash my face in a boiled cedar solution while massaging the muscles and breathing in the steam. I did this several times a day for about four days or so. It worked and the Bell’s Palsy went away.”

Many Native Americans who practice traditional cures use raw sap gathered from the cedar tree as a “drawing salve” to cure infections, and heal cuts and wounds. “The cedar drawing salve sucks out the infection and cleans the cut,” he stated. In fact, Cedar Sap is commercially sold in many drug stores and is available online.

My friend on the Navajo Reservation, with knowledge of traditional remedies, discussed a myriad of ailments and cures from natural plants, minerals and animals, all growing wild on the Navajo Nation. My Navajo friend said they often mix certain plants and minerals into teas or potions. To relieve headaches, coughs and fever, they sometimes use desert thistle, white horehound, or snakeweed. He fixes a brew of antelope sage or Indian paintbrush to settle an upset stomach and digestive problems. He went on to say other traditional medicines including yucca, blue corn, green brier, yellowtop, sage and sagebrush, and other local plants are used as general tonics, antiseptics and skin treatments.

The Hopi, along with many Native Americans, also practice the ceremony called “The Sacred Smoke Bowl Blessing,” also known as Smudging. This ritual removes bad feelings and evil spirits and cleanses both mind and body. Practiced for thousands of years, this powerful cleansing technique removes negative energies by sending them up in smoke to the Great Spirit. Smudging cleanses your spirit, mind, and body. It is also used to cleanse a house, building, sleeping quarters, pets, vehicle, work place, or another person. Although best known by use with Native American tribes, other cultures have incorporated this practice for many years. The Celtic druids used sage along with oak moss, not only for burning and clearing, but also for medicinal purposes.

According to Native American spiritual advisor Cherokee Billie, cedar is used for cleansing. Sage removes negativity and promotes healing and sweetgrass attracts positive energy.

Over the years, I have visited many Hopi homes where a similar ritual is performed. There is a pan on the stove with simmering cedar or sage that produces steam that family and visitors walk thru to remove evil, bad thoughts, or feelings. They also simmer cedar branches and breathe in the steam to cleanse mind and body after a burial.

My Hopi and Navajo friends are in agreement with what Cherokee Billie believes; “You will be amazed at what starts changing in your life, along with the mind and body healing that can take place!” From www.cherokeebilliespiritualadvisor.com