This holder is made for larger sage and smudge bundles. Its wooden base is 23 cm long and 9 cm wide, and with its two black metal rails it stands 7 cm tall. At one end sits a black metal tea light cup, and next to it, under a glossy coating, is the Sun card from the tarot in full colour. Made in India, it weighs 0.44 kg.
Sunflowers and a white horse
The picture follows the best-known tarot deck, the Rider–Waite. A bright sun with a face shines above a wall of sunflowers, a small child rides a white horse in front of it, and a red banner flies behind. Above is the number XIX, and below, the card’s name in English, THE SUN.
Tarot tradition makes the Sun the card of joy, success and vitality. If you read tarot cards yourself, the holder looks right beside a spread, and its yellow and blue stand out from across the room.
How the bundle rests on the rails
Two black metal rails rise from the back end of the base and then run level towards the front, above the tea light cup. Lay the sage bundle on these rails with the lit end facing forward. That way the bundle stays above the wood and the picture, and its glowing end can smoke freely.
A tea light fits in the cup, and you can light the bundle from its flame. You receive the holder; the sage bundle and tea light in the photos only show how it is used.
While you smudge
By tradition, sage smoke is used to clear a space. Keep a window open while you smudge, and stand the holder on a steady, heat-resistant surface away from curtains and paper. Do not leave the burning bundle or the candle unattended, and when you have finished, press the glowing end into sand until the smoke stops.