Description
6 sticks of between 10 and 15 cm.
Palo santo means “holy wood”; it is the Spanish name for bursera graveolens. This tree grows in the South American region of Gran Chaco (in northern Argentina), Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.
Reference: ritual-santo-wood
Culture and Traditions
Used by healers and shamans in ayahuasca ceremonies, rituals, and healing and cleansing sessions. It has a surprisingly strong and sweet aroma when burned, which is why palo santo is used as incense to cleanse and purify the environment.
However, it should be noted that not all palo santo wood is useful. The therapeutic qualities are only present if the tree dies naturally of old age. No benefits arise from the cutting down of a palo santo tree. Additionally, the dead tree must rest on the forest floor for at least 3-4 years, and begin to decompose naturally. It is during this curious period that the wood begins to internally create an essence, an oil that, when burned, transforms into a beneficial, rich, and spiritual white smoke, which cleanses and purifies our energies.
When collecting palo santo wood, no forests are felled; only naturally dead trees are collected. This is an environmentally friendly way to clean the jungle and preserve natural resources. The active ingredient in palo santo is limonene, which belongs to the family of solvents or turpentines, responsible for both physical and spiritual cleansing.