This is a contributed guest post. I am newer than new to smudging. So when I was asked to test palo santo and sage smudging sticks for comparison, I had about a million questions for the Internet first. Smudging, as I learned, is an ancient and sacred tradition that’s been integral to the spirituality of some indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Only in the past couple of decades has it peaked in the Western consciousness. Vibe-cleansing, energizing, and (in the case of palo santo wood), positivity-boosting, space clearing is welcomed in a variety of contexts, including home and office, meditation and yoga practice. And as I discovered, the materials you start with - palo santo or sage, in this...
Cleanse Your Energy, Find Calm, Deepen Your Connection to the Earth When the three magi brought gifts to baby Jesus, they arrived with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It should come as no surprise then that palo santo, a mystical South American tree related to gifts número dos and tres, holds significant spiritual power. The name literally translates to “holy wood” and unlike “Hollywood,” with palo santo the magic is real. Palo santo is one of the most fragrant woods in the world. Its sweet scent of pine, mint, and lemon has, for centuries, been a harbinger of healing and good fortune. Shamans, saints, and those seeking a stronger spiritual connection with the world use palo santo to protect, experience, and...
Cleansing Inspiring Centering Looking at that list, it’s easy to assume we’re reciting the numerous beneficial properties of palo santo wood. While you’re not wrong, each of those adjectives also describes yoga, something we consider the “wood of the saints” spiritual twin. From its mystic beginnings in northern India five millennia ago to today’s modern studios, yoga has always been a deeply personal practice. Some use it to hone their bodies, improving their strength and flexibility. Some use it to relieve tension and stress. And for some, it’s a way to connect with themselves and the world around them on a higher level. Regardless of why people choose to practice, it’s hard to deny that the mental, physical, and...
First of all, let’s start by wishing all of you beautiful souls a very Happy New Year. What is your intention for today? For tomorrow? Second, if you’re someone who feels down when the complex season of winter has come, then we’re extra happy you’re here. There are plenty of benefits to burning palo santo year-round, including inspiring creativity, treating physical ailments like asthma and headaches, removing bad energy, and welcoming love and good fortune into our lives, but there’s something uniquely special in using the sacred wood of Palo Santo in the winter, a time when our hearts have a harder time opening up to joy. Manages Seasonal Depression & Anxiety Using palo santo wood for smudging goes...
For many, palo santo wood has an almost mystical ability to instil a sense of peace. The aroma of the wood itself is warm and delicately sweet. When used as a smudge, hints of mint, citrus, and light pine will fill the air as tranquility washes over you. Palo Santo is a healing wood. A spiritual wood. A wood that evokes mindfulness and being in the moment. Burning palo santo wood for smudging is among the most popular methods to explore its blessings but if you haven’t yet used it to make tea, you’re truly missing out! Benefits of Drinking Palo Santo Tea Beyond its energy cleansing and creativity boosting properties, Palo Santo has many other benefits. Historically, it has...
