Palo santo (holy wood) is traditionally used for purification, cleansing, and protection by the indigenous peoples of Peru, Ecuador, and Paraguay. The tree is in the same family as frankincense and myrrh. To use, light the end of the stick on fire until the flame has caught, blow out the flame, and use the smoke to cleanse your space, ritual tools, or crystals. 
 
Sustainability / Sostenibilidad
We purposefully source our palo santo sustainably from small communities in the dry forests of the district of Piura, on the northern coast of Peru. The communities we work with are certified by the Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) for extracting palo santo in a respectful, conscious, sustainable way. This means the trees (Bursera graveolens) grow and live their full lifespan (7-10 years) until they die naturally and fall; only then can the branches be harvested. The Peruvian government prohibits cutting down live palo santo trees. Only those who have been certified by SERFOR can sell the wood they harvest, and SERFOR checks certification papers before the palo santo leaves Piura and before the palo santo leaves Peru. Every year, these communities participate in reforestation programs, planting one tree for every tree from which they have harvested palo santo. We are committed to only obtaining palo santo that is certified and continually doing our part to support local communities and the environment, ensuring that palo santo and other native Peruvian flora will continue to flourish for many generations to come.