"Palo Santo" means "holy wood" or "sacred wood" in Spanish. It comes exclusively from the Bursera Graveolens tree, which belongs to the same botanical family as Myrrh and Frankincense. Bursera Graveolens is endemic to South America. It is mainly found on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil.
Its use in spiritual rites dates back to the Incas! Shamans practiced fumigation rituals similar to those of Native Americans with white sage. The smoke of the Palo Santo, and its divine scent, helped to chase away negativity, but also to facilitate communication with the gods. It was also believed to have medicinal properties : the essence of Palo Santo was used to treat certain skin diseases, or to heal wounds. Dermatologists nowadays believe that its properties are due to its high concentration of limonene.
Regular consumers of Palo Santo are primarily looking for its special fragrance, which they know how to recognize among thousands. Its woody and balsamic aromas help to create a relaxing and harmonious atmosphere in a place.
Palo Santo most often comes in the form of sticks (or logs), or wood chips (or "chips"). It is also sometimes found in the form of natural incense or even home fragrance sprays, the latter having the advantage of not requiring combustion.
To perfume your home with Palo Santo, light the stick (or shavings, placed in a non-flammable container) with a lighter or match and let it burn for about 30 seconds. Palo Santo burn longer than white sage before extinguishing the flame. Then let the wood burn gently, in a suitable container, until it is completely reduced to ashes. Be sure to ventilate the room in which you burn the Palo Santo (keep a window ajar), so you don't inhale too much smoke.
To perform a fumigation and purification ritual with Palo Santo, the process is exactly the same as with white sage, see our description above.
There you have it, you know all about white sage and Palo Santo! Coco Papaya puts its products, but also its advice and know-how as an importer at your disposal so that you can easily find the best quality, at the best prices!
Magical rituals are not your cup of tea? So why not try your hand at a meditation session with feel-good scents instead?
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