White sage is believed to cleanse a space of any evil spirits or negative energies that may be present. This power is said to be released from the plant by the burning of the leaves, which are typically bundled into a wand or stick. Today many Native American tribes still use the stems and leaves for smudging as part of purification ceremonies. The practice has also been adopted by some modern neopagans, and for general spiritual uses, as an incense and for smudging or for purification.