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Palo santo is Spanish for Holy Wood.
Today, the harvesting of palo santo wood is strictly regulated. This holy wood is treated with respect and the collection process only uses naturally fallen trees, that have been lying peacefully for between 4-10 years.
For centuries indigenous people have been using palo santo for spiritual purification and energy cleansing.
Burning palo santo sticks will welcome creativity, love, and good fortune into your space. The scent can help brighten energy and promote feelings of positivity and joy. The scent is said to help reduce stress and anxiety, and enhance clarity and concentration.
When it burns, the aromatic wood releases hints of lemon, mint, and pine scents.
Here are a few ways to enjoy the benefits of palo santo.
Palo santo is a wonderful tool to use before you begin a Meditation practice, as it helps to clear and raise your vibration and also ground you for deeper connection to your Higher Power.
Light your Holy Wood and let it burn for about 15 seconds or so before blowing it out. The smoldering end will give off a white smoke for a few minutes, place it in an incense burner.
Smudging can provide the additional benefit of warding off mosquitoes in a natural, non-harmful way. Palo santo oils and aromatic resins send out a warning sign to pesky bugs, but without the harsh chemicals of products.
Crystals also benefit from a ritualistic cleansing to maintain their best qualities. Clear away bad vibes and negative energies that crystals can absorb over time. To cleanse your crystals, light the palo santo stick allow it to burn for about 15 seconds and blow out the flame, then fan the smoke over your crystals.
To cleanse a space or your home, first set an intention. Light the end of your palo santo stick allow it to burn for 15 seconds or so, blow the flame out and gently wave the smoke as you walk from corner to corner around the space.
Written by Katie Taylor