Burning Hair Spiritual Meaning: Transformation, Purification, & More

Maybe you’ve seen people talking about the spiritual meaning of burning hair on TikTok or Instagram—but is there any truth to these videos? In fact, burning your hair by accident or intentionally or dreaming about burning hair may carry spiritual significance! Come with us as we explore the spiritual meanings of burning hair and discover its importance in superstitions, the Bible, and different religions. (We'll also provide tips for getting rid of a burning smell if you smell it in your home!)

Burning Hair Spiritual Meaning: Brief Overview

The act and smell of burning hair have different spiritual meanings depending on the culture behind it. In some cases, it represents transformation and change. It can also symbolize spiritual purification, as well as protection — it's common in some cultures to burn discarded hair to guard against spells and curses.

Section 1 of 8:

Spiritual Meaning of Burning Hair

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Many cultures believe that hair holds the spirit of the person it belongs to. By burning hair that you shed naturally or cut off your head, some sources say you're embracing renewal and change and letting go of the past. It's also a way of honoring the passing of a loved one, particularly in some Native American traditions.^{[1]
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Some sources on the internet also believe that hair contains spiritual energy, along with a person's thoughts and memories.^{[2]
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Paige Ferris
Tarot Reader, Astrologer, and Intuitive Psychic

Expert Interview} One must burn their shed or cut hair to properly let go of all these things and recycle them back into the universe. In the process, the owner of the hair purifies themselves, enabling them to move on from the current phase or event in their life.^{[3]
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In some cultures, burning hair is a method people use to ensure their spirit doesn't get stolen or manipulated by people who wish them harm. Since they believe hair holds a piece of their spirit, it's plausible that if someone with ill intent gets ahold of it, they could burn it in a ritual or a ceremony to hurt the hair's owner. Setting their discarded hair on fire themselves protects the owner from that danger.

Section 2 of 8:

Burning Hair Smell Spiritual Meaning

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Smelling burning hair can be a call to transform or stay vigilant. It may be a signal from the universe that change is coming, and you need to prepare yourself for it. Alternatively, you might interpret it as a sign that your spirit is ready to let go of something from your past or something that's bothering you. It could also mean that a relative or friend is passing away or that someone else is jealous of you—so stay vigilant!^{[4]
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- The possible spiritual meanings of a burning hair smell can vary from person to person. If you smell it (and neither you nor anyone around you has just burnt their hair), take some time for quiet self-reflection and try to listen to what the universe is telling you.

Section 3 of 8:

Is burning hair good luck?

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People who burn their hair typically don't do so to bring down good luck. However, some people believe that throwing hair away instead of burning it is unlucky. So, while hair isn't usually burned as a good luck ritual, not burning it might bring bad luck.^{[5]
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Section 4 of 8:

Burning Hair Superstitions

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Some people believe that if you leave strands of your hair lying around or just throw them away, someone might steal them and burn them in a witchcraft ritual to curse you. Their reasons for doing so might include jealousy of your success and a desire to see you fail. They might also be envious of all the good things happening in your life and might try to create obstacles in your path.^{[6]
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Another superstition says you must burn hair to keep birds from stealing it. Birds will use just about anything thin and stringy to build their nests, including hair. In some Black cultures, people believe that if you allow a bird to steal the hair you naturally shed and build their nest with it, you'll get a headache. They burn their discarded hair to ashes with an electric lighter or match to prevent that from happening.^{[7]
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- Did you know? Birds stealing hair from humans to use for nest building is actually a real thing! This behavior is called "kleptotrichy" and has been observed by both researchers and bird enthusiasts. Experts suspect that at least some bird species collect hair and fur from mammals to line their nests and make them warmer.^{[8]
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In a study of women in South Africa who were asked to provide hair samples for therapeutic drug monitoring, a couple of the participants described a hair-burning ritual. They were taught that if they cut their hair, they must burn it the next day—not the same day they cut it or days later. If they didn't burn it the next day, they would develop a headache.^{[9]
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Section 5 of 8:

Burning Hair in the Bible

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In Numbers, Nazirites were ordered to burn their hair to complete their vows. In the book of Numbers, a Nazirite is described as an Israelite who takes a temporary vow to consecrate (or dedicate) themselves to God. As part of the vow, they promised to abstain from alcohol and grape products, let their hair grow, and refrain from touching corpses or graves. At the end of their service, they were required to shave their hair and burn it in the Holy Temple as a peace offering.
- Related Bible verse: "Then the Nazirites will shave their heads at the entrance to the tent of meeting, take the hair as proof that they had made this vow, and put it on the fire under the fellowship offering." (Numbers 6:18)^{[10]
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In Ezekiel, burning hair is a metaphor for the Jews' suffering. In Ezekiel chapter 5, God tells the prophet Ezekiel to "take a sharp sword" and use it to "cut the hair from your head and face" (5:1). He then tells him to divide the hair into 3 parts and burn each part in a different area of the city of Jerusalem. Theologians generally accept this as a metaphor for the ways the Jewish people would later suffer at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar.^{[11]
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- Full Biblical passage: "As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it to cut the hair from your head and face. Then weigh and divide the hair. A third part you must burn in the fire in the center of the city, when the days of the battle are completed. Then take a third part and cut it up with your sword as you move around the city. And a third part you must throw to the wind. For I will pull out a sword behind them. Take a small number of the hairs and tie them in the cloth of your coat. Take some more of them and throw them into the fire, and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to all the people of Israel." (Ezekiel 5:1-4)

Section 6 of 8:

Burning Hair in Religion

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In Hoodoo, a type of African folk magic, root work involves assuming power over someone else or a specific situation. One of the key ingredients in this tradition is hair. To protect themselves against people putting spells on them, Hoodoo believers burn their hair instead of throwing it away.^{[12]
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Hair is extremely important in Indigenous culture, so they only cut it for important events. For example, in the Lakota tribe, when someone dies, their relatives cut their own hair and burn it. The burning ritual symbolizes the deceased person's passing from this world into the afterlife. It also allows the person cutting their hair to release their prayers and dreams to their Creator (i.e., their God who created the universe).^{[13]
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Section 7 of 8:

How to Get Rid of a Burning Hair Smell

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Find and address the source of the burning hair smell. If you or someone in your household burned their hair with a flat iron, a hair dryer, or some other heating implement, apply baking soda or scented hair product to the hair to absorb and mask the odor.^{[14]
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Research source} If that's not the source, an electric appliance, cable, or outlet might be overheating. In that case, unplug whatever you think the smell is coming from.
- If the smell still won't go away, call emergency services (911). It might seem like overkill, but if there's an electrical fire in your home, the fire department will find it and may save your house from burning down.
After you deal with the source of the burning hair smell, open the windows in your home and ensure all the vents in the floor or ceiling are open, too. This will help circulate fresh air into your home and usher the burnt smell outside.
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Spray air freshener, light a candle, or turn on a scent diffuser. If you don't want to wait around for the burning hair smell to go away on its own, you can try to mask it with natural or artificial scents. You can, for example, spray air freshener, light a scented candle (or several), or turn on a diffuser that uses scented wax or oils.
- If you have pets or children, read the label of your air freshener carefully before using it. Some air fresheners release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are toxic to animals and young children.^{[15]
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- You can also make your own air freshener at home.

Section 8 of 8:

Takeaway

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Burning hair or smelling burnt hair has many possible spiritual meanings. Burning your hair on accident or smelling that acrid scent may be a sign from the universe that it's time for you to transform yourself or move on from the past. It could also mean that a relative or friend is passing from this world to the next. Finally, it might be a sign of danger that someone wishes you harm or bad luck. When you experience burning hair or a burnt hair smell in any form, take a moment to self-reflect and listen for any messages the universe might be sending you.^{[16]
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