Palo Santo
Palo santo origin
Palo santo (Bursera graveolens) is a tree that’s native to Peru, Ecuador, and other South American countries. It grows in dry tropical forests and produces very fragrant resin. In Spanish, palo santo means “wood of the saints” or “holy wood.”
For thousands of years, the wood, resin, and oil have been used for medicinal purposes. It’s mainly used to treat pain and stress. It’s also said to clear negative energy.
There isn’t a lot of scientific proof behind these benefits. Nevertheless, palo santo has been used by indigenous peoples for centuries.
How to burn palo santo wood sticks:
Remove the cotton from your Palo Santo bundle and choose one stick to burn
Light a palo santo stick with a candle, lighter, or match.
Hold the stick downward at a 45-degree angle.
Let the stick burn for 30 seconds.
Blow out the flame. Place the stick in a heatproof dish to let it burn.
When the stick stops smoking continue to relight it as many times as you wish.
When using wood chips or powders, place them in a heatproof dish. Light them with a lighter or match, then blow them out after 30 seconds. If you want the chips/powder to burn for longer , place them onto a “Self Lighting Charcoal” - refer Instruction Guide
When used for smudging or burning, palo santo for clearing away stagnant energy, creating a calmer, more tranquil space. Set a clear intention about what you want to clear out of your space and what you want to attract, then move from corner to corner, removing any stagnant energy, uplifting your spirit, and filling your space with abundance, prosperity and harmony
Forms of palo santo
Palo santo is available in different forms. You can use it as:
Wood. The wood of the palo santo tree is available as sticks, chips, or powder. It usually comes from the branches of the tree, so it’s 100 percent wood.
Resin. Palo santo wood contains a very aromatic resin, which can be extracted and used separately.
Oil. The essential oil of palo santo can be derived from the wood and fruit.
Is the palo santo tree endangered?
Although palo santo has become very popular, the tree is currently NOT listed as endangered, however, it’s important for us to source palo santo that’s been ethically and sustainably sourced.
For many years, palo santo was harvested by deforestation. Deforestation has negative environmental effects. It also reduces local people’s sources of income.
But palo santo can be harvested without removing trees. The wood can be obtained from fallen branches, while the oil can be extracted from fruit. These methods leave the forest unharmed.
Before buying palo santo, make sure it was responsibly produced. This will help support the preservation of the palo santo species and the livelihood of the native peoples.
Synthetic palo santo
Watch out for synthetic palo santo, where chemicals are used to produce the signature palo santo scent. We don’t know how much is out there, but read the fine print on packaging. It will typically say “synthetic.”