Sacred Smoke: The Ancient Art of Smudging for Modern Times

Rating:
Summary: Smudging 101
Review: All that you need to know about the art of smudging (purification with sacred plants and fire) is contained within the pages of this well-written, informative, and interesting book. One of the most highly respected and nationally known Native American herbalists today, Harvest began her training at the knee of her Native grandmother. She has been healing and educating others for over 20 years, and few herbalists today can claim the scope of knowledge that she possesses. Harvest wrote this greatly expanded second edition of her popular first self-published work from the seclusion of her home in a small northern California native community. As an herbalist and an educator, Harvest is unsurpassed in her knowledge and skills as well as her ability to relate to people of all ages and backgrounds. If you buy one book about herbs this summer, let it be Sacred Smoke.

Rating:
Summary: A great book for for beginners AND experienced herbalists
Review: Recently, amazon.com delivered to my door a very wonderful book... Sacred Smoke by Harvest McCampbell is a primer and reference text regarding how to identify, collect, and even grow a wide range of sacred plants used for smudging. In her book, Harvest has succeeded in writing of sacred things without "crossing the line." She totally avoids being cloaked in shadowy mysticism and strives to communicate facts which can then be applied to one's own traditions and teachings.

I found this book to be valuable on two levels... As an "evening's read" I felt like Harvest was sitting next to me having a conversation about her grandmother and the wisdom she passed on regarding sacred plants. As a reference work, I found Sacred Smoke to be filled with well documented herbal facts and sources that are organized for easy reference.

One of the difficulties any author faces with works of this type is how to impart knowledge on paper that can really only be learned through experience. Harvest succeeds marvelously in this by introducing concepts, then directing the reader to other sources for further research - including the internet - all the while continually reminding us to seek out our own elders and find our own traditions.

In short, Harvest has crafted a book that should be of great interest both to beginning students and experienced herbalists.

It's been a long time since I've found a book I was so happy to have in my library for many years to come!

Voice of Golden Eagle
musician, dreamer...

Rating:
Summary: A deeply respectful accounting
Review: Sacred Smoke: The Ancient Art Of Smudging For Modern Times by Harvest McCampbell (who began her studies of herbs, smudging, and ritual with her Iroquois Onondaga Oswegatchie grandmother) is an informative and informed, step-by-step, "user friendly" guide to the spiritual practice of burning herbs, as undertaken by Native Americans for generations. A deeply respectful accounting of this enlightening and meditative practice, Sacred Smoke is a unique and enthusiastically recommended contribution to Native Am-erican Studies reference collections and Metaphysical Studies reading lists.