Palo Santo stick

Palo Santo stick

PROPERTIES: Palo Santo is one of the most fragrant woods in the world with its sweet scent of pine, mint and lemon. For centuries, Palo Santo wood had been used for spiritual purification and energy cleansing. Also used as repellent for mosquitoes!

Although Palo Santo has become very popular, the tree isn’t endangered at all. It’s population is very stable and is listed as "least concerning" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This misinformation comes from a confusion with another tree species which the common name also happens to be called "Palo Santo" which is often cut down and used for furniture.

The Palo Santo tree that is used for burning such as this one, can only be sustainably sourced, as the essence in the tree needs a couple of years to accumulate in dead branches.  It’s through the process of this natural death, followed by years on the forest floor that its essential oils and healing properties develop, giving the wood the power to purify, attract positive energy, heal and smell. So one can't cut down the trees in order to make profit. It is forbidden, and there is no use for it as it will not smell anything, and it is toxic since there is a big amount of methanol in fresh wood. The people of Ecuador who harvest this wood also talk about the fact that this wood was not used by them before, except to burn mosquitoes. So there is no cultural appropriation involved. If you would like more information on all of this, there is some short documentaries on my Instagram profile. (@pastel.avenue  - look at the story highlight bubble called "Palo Santo" right on my profile)

Light the stick with a candle or a lighter and hold it downward at a 45-degree angle. Let burn for 30 seconds, blow out the flame and place the stick in a heatproof dish to let it burn.