Few essential oils take us on a sacred journey in the way that Palo Santo essential oil does. When you know the story of this amazing essential oil, you can’t help but be moved.
Palo Santo is a sacred tree native to South America. Named by Spanish monks, Palo Santo means “holy wood” or “wood of the saints”. The essential oil cannot be harvested from the tree unless it dies naturally. The tree must have fallen for at least 3 years before an oil can be extracted.
If you believe that trees have a spiritual nature while they are alive, the spirit of the Palo Santo tree lives on well after it has fallen. It’s no wonder then, that it provides us with healing qualities and spiritual connection.
Palo Santo has been used for healing and in ceremonies for centuries. It is one of the sacred oils along with frankincense, sandalwood and sage. It is very commonly known in its smudge stick form, and can be used in a similar way to burning sage to smudge your space.
The scent is truly unique, with a light woody note coupled with an almost fruity note. It is a stabilizing and grounding oil yet uplifting at the same time.
The essential oil is steam distilled from the wood, however, you can also find an oil steam distilled from the fruit. Double check the label so that you know which plant part your oil has been distilled from.
As is the case with many plants in Nature, there are male and female Palo Santo trees. The colour of the wood is slightly different, with the female tree having a more robust colour and heavier wood, while the male tree has a light and lightly coloured wood. The trees grow in groves with a ratio of one male tree to eight female trees.
Therapeutic Properties
1. Anti-inflammatory
You can use Palo Santo essential oil as a muscle and joint pain reliever. It has anti-inflammatory properties that are particularly useful in help with headaches.
2. Stress and Anxiety Relief
Find relief for everyday stressors. Let Palo Santo’s soothing scent invite a relief from stress and anxiety.
3. Cleansing your space
Known historically as an energy purifier, Palo Santo has been used for centuries to cleanse spaces and people. You can use either the essential oil in a diffuser or you can gently use the smoke from Palo Santo smudge sticks. If you are looking to avoid the smoke, another option is to create a smudge spray with the essential oil and mist it around your environment for energy clearing.
4. Meditation
Using aromatherapy for meditation helps to create a feeling of grounding, and mind clearing. When you use an essential oil that speaks to your heart, it encourages deep breathing, one of the fastest ways to get your central nervous system to relax and clear your mind.
5. Enhance Your Yoga Practice
Diffusing Palo Santo during your yoga practice will add a dimension of spiritual connection and calm. If you are leading a yoga class that allows scent, Palo Santo is a great choice for your studio. Just be sure to connect with patrons regarding any allergy constraints.
6. Improve Concentration
Palo Santo is one of the oils that can calm our mind from excess chatter. As the mind quiets down, we can more easily concentrate on the task at hand. With increased focus you can move your thoughts in the direction that you want them to take.
7. Allow Your Creativity to Flourish
Use Palo Santo for a creativity boost. As we become more calm, and we remove the unnecessary mental chit chat, we make room for inspiration. Unplug. Take your earphones out. Place your phone on silent and experience the gifts we are given from Nature. When you make space, it becomes filled with things that serve you.
8. Invite Calm
The aroma of Palo Santo is calm. I find all of the wood oils to be calming. Using wood oils in your diffuser is similar to forest bathing and brings about a soothing effect for the mind and body, allowing you to more efficiently rest while awake. This is a concept that is so important and should be practiced more than just on vacation days.
9. Massage Oil for Relaxation
Essential oils that provide a calming effect, while also being pain relieving and anti-inflammatory, often make excellent options for massage oils. Palo Santo pairs very well with other wood oils. Try blending this with cedarwood and a warming oil such as ginger for an extra calming massage. Be sure to use your essential oils in a very low dilution for topical application. Palo Santo should not be used at a concentration higher than 3%.
10. Support Against Colds
Palo Santo may help you fight that cold and flu bug. Place 1-2 drops in a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel over your head as you gently lean over the bowl to inhale the scented steam for a boost when you feel a cold coming on. Be very careful to not burn yourself on the bowl or the steam.
11. Spiritual connection
Palo Santo is definitely a go-to oil if you are searching for spiritual connection.
12. Chakra work
As a grounding oil, Palo Santo can be used to clear and heal the lower chakras. However, as a spiritual oil, you can be use it to clear and heal the upper chakras. If you are looking to do chakra clearing work, adding Palo Santo into your blend for full chakra healing will be delightful.
Final thoughts
It is important to research that your essential oils are coming from reputable sources. Where is the oil sourced? Make sure that the supplier is observing sustainable practices. Use your essential oils sparingly. Remember, less is always more when it comes to using oils.
Enjoy the diffuser blends below and take your full body healing to the next level.
