In Spanish, Palo Santo means “holy wood.” For thousands of years, the wood, resin, and oil have been used for medicinal purposes. It's mainly used to treat pain and stress. It's also said to clear negative energy.
The Benefits: Burning these sticks is a sacred practice used by Indigenous communities of the Andes to cleanse their space and ward off evil spirits. This practice is called smudging – a spiritual practice where you clear your energy fields using a piece of burning Palo Santo or a herb bundle, such as white sage. Burning Palo Santo wood creates an uplifting, pleasant, fresh smoke that works miracles in keeping away mosquitoes and other insects. It is said that the smell enhances creativity.
Sustainability: As the demand for Palo Santo grows in the North Western countries, these sacred forest spirits are being harvested with unsustainable practices. So no matter where you source it from, please, please ensure you are sourcing it from a someone that sustainably harvests the wood from a tree well lived and reached the ground.
No spiritual, physical or religious practice heals us if we harm the environment and disregard our actions towards it.