2" Palo Santo

Palo Santo, the Holy Wood

Palo Santo is the wood of the Palo Santo tree (Bursera graveolens). It primarily grows along the coast of South America, and can be found in Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Galapagos Islands. Its wood is very aromatic -- it accumulates fragrant oil and resin in the wood fiber, which produces its distinctive scent. The oil is even affected by the moon. When the moon is new, the wood produces a smaller quantity of light oil. When it is full, the wood produces more abundant, deeply scented oil.

When the wood is burned, it gives off a dense, fragrant smoke. Palo Santo is used in rituals to cleanse and ward off negative energies (Palo Santo is related to frankincense, myrrh, and copal trees, three other powerful energy cleansers and protectors). The wood is also used to communicate with the divine, heal on the physical and spiritual levels, and improve concentration and mental focus during meditation.

Palo Santo is considered so holy, it must never be cut down. Any wood used in ritual should be sourced from fallen branches.

Cleansing with Palo Santo

Palo Santo drives away negativity, destroys obstacles, and attracts luck. To use it, light a stick, wait about thirty seconds, and blow out the flame. The end will continue to smolder, releasing dense, white, fragrant smoke. Carry this around the area you wish to cleanse, waving the smoke with your hand or a hand fan to make sure it gets into all of the corners. As you do this, state your intention.