Palo Santo

 "Wow, it smells great in here!"

says everyone that has visited me while I've been working
on setting up the new shop on Sheridan Street.

Next and obvious question is "What is it?"




 The 'it' is Palo Santo.

I've been burning it a few times a day to create
new and positive energy in my new place of business,
and because it smells so fantastically wonderful.

After discovering Palo Santo and then doing some investigating, I decided that it was
a 'must have' for the new shop and that many people would be sure to
appreciate this special wood as much as I do.

When holy men experienced its ability to cleanse and heal, they named the tree “palo santo,” which means “holy wood” or “the wood of the saints.”

Native from Mexico and throughout South America, this tree and its uses
provide an interesting story.

Palo Santo trees are either male or female, and
  grow in groups of one male and eight females.

While female trees tend to live around 40-50 years, the male can live up to 200 years.

Their wood also has distinct characteristics. Wood from female palo santo trees is yellow, solid and heavy, whereas that of the male is white, hollow, fragile and light.
Therefore, the female wood is the most fragrant, potent, and preferred.

Shamans teach that these trees have a distinct spirit that lives in the wood long
after the tree’s life has ended.

Harvest of the wood is strictly regulated, and
the wood MUST be taken from a tree that died from natural causes.
Not only is this important for environmental reasons,
but to allow the tree's resins to develop and concentrate its essential oils and healing properties.
Spiritually it's a must.




The scientific name of this tree that grows in the South American rainforest is bursera graveolens, or “a bag of oil” and the naturally aromatic wood from this truly unique tree is used in several ways for energetic and healing purposes. Its primary use is to burn small palo santo sticks as incense.

Palo Santo is widely used, especially in Ecuador, to cleanse the space and people it comes into contact with and to attract positive energy in a similar fashion to Native American smudging, which calls on the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance.

Commonly used plants for Native American smudging ceremonies are tobacco, sage,
cedar, sweet grass, juniper, and lavender.
 Sage is said to purify and drive out negative energy, sweet grass to attract positive energy, beauty and sweetness, cedar to ward off sickness, lavender to bring spiritual blessing.

Don't be concerned about the smoke from Palo Santo.
The sticks only stay lit and burn for a few minutes and there isn't a 'cloud' of smoke.
What smoke there is much less copious than an incense stick or cone
and the scent lingers for hours.

Shamanic wisdom explains that an attraction to the aroma of palo santo is a
sign of emotional and spiritual purity.

There are some, however, who feel a peculiar discomfort when in the presence of its aroma. If this happens to you, do not be discouraged! This is all part of its purifying effect and gradually you will also enjoy its natural fragrance as the wood’s cleansing and purification takes effect. Just try, try and try again, and you will soon find the palo santo aroma irresistible and enjoy a feeling that can only be described as being lighter.