The Mystical Palo Santo and How to Use It

Palo Santo is Spanish for Holy Wood, and is one of nature’s awesome tools for raising vibrations, and purifying and cleansing your space. 

With a beautifully aromatic, woody smell hinting of lemon and mint, along with the ability to bring peace, calm and clarity to a situation or place, who wouldn’t want to get smudging with Palo Santo?

Are you embarking on a Spiritual path? Our beautiful monthly boxes are designed to take you on a journey through different spiritual aspects.  The perfect way to gather crystals, healing tools and other goddess necessities! 

What is Palo Santo exactly?

Originally hailing from the coast of South America, Palo Santo has other mystical relatives such as Frankincense, Myrrh, and Copal. It’s considered a deeply sacred and spiritual tree which possesses a cleansing energy and healing properties similar to Sage and Cedar. However, Palo Santo is actually part of the citrus family and has the sweet smell of pine, mint, and lemon.

Popularised for its presence in keeping energies clear, and chasing away cheeky spirits or bad vibes, Palo Santo also has its practical uses: it creates a pleasant, fresh smoke which may work in keeping mosquitoes and other flying insects away. Give us a sweet-smelling, natural mozzie repellant over stinky Deet any day!  

You might have seen Palo Santo in the form of cut-down sticks, packaged together in a small bundle. It can be used like this for purifying your home or office, cleansing your crystals, and in preparation for meditation.

Palo Santo is said to enhance creativity and bring good fortune to those who are open to its wondrous ways.

What can Palo Santo be used for?

Traditionally said to be used for the relief of common colds and flu, stress, asthma, headaches, depression, anxiety and inflammation, Palo Santo is also commonly used for calming the immune and nervous symptoms, aiding fast recovery from ailments and illnesses. 

Palo Santo works well for smudging or clearing a room of negative energies, or simply for refreshing a room in your home after you’ve had guests or visitors to stay. The smell is so fresh and beautiful, we like to use it in place of traditional air fresheners and diffusers.

How to use Palo Santo

Using Palo Santo is really very simple. You can use it either to clear a space of negative or unwanted energies; for meditation; or for cleansing your crystals.

Cleansing the Home

• Take one stick and light it with a candle, match or lighter.
• Allow the Palo Santo stick to burn for 30 seconds to a minute, then carefully blow it out.
• Move around the space in which you wish to clear the energy - be it your bedroom, office, car or your entire home - allowing the smoke to waft around each area.
• As you take the Palo Santo stick into the corners of each room or space you are cleansing, say aloud: "I ask that the plant spirit of Palo Santo please infuse this space with blessings". 
• A rich smell will fill the air, bringing peace and clarity to the moment.
• Once you feel you have cleansed your space, place the Palo Santo stick in a fireproof bowl and allow the embers to burn out.
• Remember to always exercise care and caution when working with fire.

Creating a Morning Ritual with Palo Santo

• Arise in the morning with intention.
• Light candles and allow some sunlight in.
• Light a stick of Palo Santo and allow it to burn for 30 seconds to 1 minute, before carefully blowing it out.
• Place the Palo Santo in a fireproof bowl.
• Sit quietly for 10 - 15 minutes and focus on your intentions for the day, holding gratitude and thanks in your heart.
• Stretch your arms, legs, hands, feet, neck and back.
• Start your day feeling refreshed and positive!

Cleansing Crystals with Palo Santo

• Place your crystals together in an area.
• Light the Palo Santo stick, allow it to burn for up to a minute then blow it out.
• Allow the smoke from the stick to envelope the crystals and the area they are in.
• Once the stick has burnt out, your crystals will be cleansed and you can start afresh with new intentions.

Get smudgin'! 

Whatever you choose to use Palo Santo for, we're sure you'll love its cleansing and energizing properties and its gorgeous smell. We've got Palo Santo available, here. It makes a great high vib'n gift too!