A sacred smoking ceremony has many purposes but often it is used as a welcome to a particular area. It may also cleanse an area or person and shows a sign of respect for people past and present. The leaves, bark and fungi from trees are the three sources of smoke for the smoking ceremony and what is used depends on the purpose of the ceremony.
The ashes from the burnt leaves must be returned to the earth. A hole is dug in the earth the leaves placed in it and the hole covered with soil.
As we have taken plants from the land to use in the cleansing and healing ceremony, it is important that after the smoking ceremony the burnt leaf sediments are returned to mother earth.