How to: Eucalyptus Cleanse - Verse Magazine (2024)

By Tabitha Lean

“Never underestimate the power of traditional tools from the land”

Many of our mob collect and smoulder native plants to cleanse our spirits. My leempeen would use the eucalyptus leaves mainly in a coolamon, but sometimes she’d make these cleansing bundles. It is with her permission that I share this practice with you. Leempeen would say that the eucalypt releases healing properties through the process of smoking. Eucalyptus rejuvenates your spirit, can aide your respiratory system and cleanses us by removing bad energy and spirits.

So to create them, I like to use native plants that we harvest in our local area. I was taught that it is important to take your shoes off and place your feet in the earth to thank and acknowledge the country for its resources. While you’re cleansing be present, be mindful, and give thanks to the ancestors and to the country for caring for us.

To create your own cleansing eucalyptus bundles you’ll need:

A generous handful of small, leaf covered branches. I use eucalyptus, melaleuca, casuarina acacia, banksia, lemon myrtle, wattle and callistemon. Make sure that the leaves are fresh, free of disease and dry (not moist)
Twine or some other fine string

To make your bundle:

Break off the branches to the same length, about 20cm, leaving a few centimetres of stem at one end to use as a handle
Arrange the stems in a bundle and bind and knot the end of the string to secure the branches together tightly at the stem end
Holding the bundle in one hand and the string in the other, wrap the string around the bundle, pulling tightly as you move toward the top
Upon reaching the top of the bundle, bend the leaves down and wrap the string around the top and secure it in a firm knot at the tip
You can use it straight away, but its best to leave your bundle in a dark, warm, dry position with good air circulation for 3-4 weeks to dry

To use it:

Hold the handle of your bundle, light the end with a match. Allow the end to remain alight with flame for a few seconds and then gently wave to extinguish the flame
I hold the burning end of the bundle over a coolamon to catch falling ash, and walk around the house letting the smoke wave through the rooms
We also use it to gently wave the smoke across our bodies cleansing our spirits
When finished, snuff the bundle out completely and bury it back in the earth.Alternatively, you can leave it in a ceramic bowl, allowing it to smoulder until it extinguishes naturally
You may relight and repeat this process until the bundle has completely burned

Feature artwork and photo by Tabitha Lean