Mi'kmaw educator Trevor Sanipass brought sage to the CBC News studio recently to perform a smudging ceremony, a purification process that gets rid of negativity.

As Halifax prepares to host the North American Indigenous Games in July, Sanipass, who's from Eskasoni in Unama'ki, is acting as the guide to Mi'kmaw language and culture for CBC's Information Morning.

"You can smudge when you're having a bad day or you can smudge when you're having a good day," he said. "I try to smudge more so when I'm having an excellent day."

The ceremony can be performed as often as you want, said Sanipass, adding he believes it's OK for non-Indigenous people to perform a smudge on their own, as long as it's done respectfully and with the right intentions.

Sanipass lit a small bundle of sage on fire inside a shell, and using a feather, gently brushed the smoke over his eyes, ears, mouth and heart.

"You swipe the smoke in your eyes so you would see good in others," Sanipass said.

"You swipe the smoke in your ears so you would hear good things from others and you swipe the smoke in your mouth so you would not speak ill of others and you swipe the smoke in your heart so you can move on with your day with good intentions."