– NOT FOR PREGANCY –

BEST FOR BLEMISHED & MATURE SKIN

INGREDIENT FEATURES

anti-aging

anti-anxiety

antidepressant

anti-inflammatory

antioxidant

antiseptic

cleansing

healing

insect repellant

USER BENEFITS

attracts good fortune

brings love

calms the nervous system

cleanses negative energy

decreases unpleasant sensory experiences

deters insects

eases discomfort

enlivens

helps alleviate stress and nervous tension

helps to balance emotions

improves mood

inspires creativity

lessens anxiety

neutralizes microbes

opens the Third Eye Chakra

purifies

reduces stress

relaxes cramping

soothes sore muscles

strengthens the nervous system

supports the immune system

temporarily alleviates headaches and migraines

uplifts

Helps people cleanse themselves of negativity and the obstacles it causes, in turn supporting them on their journey to love, happiness, prosperity, inspiration and fulfillment.

USES

acne

allergies

anxiety

asthma

creativity

depression

emotional problems

good fortune

grounding

insect repellant (mosquitos)

joint pain

love

mature skin

meditation

muscle pain

respiratory infection

stress

synchronicity

active

fragrance

ABOUT THE PLANT

Palo Santo grows throughout Central America through the Yucatan Peninsula into South America from Mexico in the north to Peru, Brazil and Paraguay in the south (including the Galapagos Islands). A gnarled tree with a small trunk that has curiously grey bark and long branches that make it topheavy, it flowers in January and February, and produces seeds in March and April. The resulting fruit and seeds are a major source of food. Growing wild in “dry forests”, it has long superficial roots that allow it to absorb water quickly (similar to frankincense), which is crucial for it to survive its long dry season without water then grow quickly when the rain comes. The average life of the Palo Santo tree is between 80 and 90 years.

The Spanish first named the Palo Santo tree Palo Dulce or “sweet stick”, after its Latin name: Bursera graveolens. The genus Bursera is named after the botanist Joachim Berser in the 17th century, and the species name graveolens is Latin for “heavy, penetrating odor”. Now called “Palo Santo”, its name means "holy stick" or "sacred wood”. Bursera graveolens is considered a distant relative of Boswellia trees which produce Frankincense and Myrrh from the same family. But do not confuse it with the Argentine or Paraguayan Palo Santo, the species "Bulnesia sarmientoi", with which it has little in common.

Unfortunately these very special trees are endangered, and their environment continues to be threatened by heavy deforestation. Ecuador (which produces most of the essential oil) is the first country in the world to give rights to plants and has passed a law that no Palo Santo wood can be removed (harvested) until it has fallen and lay on the ground for at least two years. It is critical for the survival of this sacred tree that its precious wood is respected in this way so as to leave the forest in as pristine a natural condition as possible.

If you are purchasing either the wood or the essential oil of Palo Santo make sure that it is ethically and sustainably harvested!

ABOUT THE OIL

A golden yellow mobile liquid, Palo Santo essential oil is steam-distilled from the wood of the Bursera graveolens tree, of which there seem to be a masculine and a feminine. The male trees live much longer but only produce a lesser quality and about only 1/10th of the essential the females do who live for a shorter amount of time. Curiously, the live tree does not produce the essential oil. A resin can be obtained by scarring the bark of the tree (which has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes), but a true essential oil can only be made of fallen trees. Furthermore, the tree will not produce oil if it has been cut down or died from disease, but only produce its healing oil when it has died from natural causes and matured on the forest floor for at least three years. Oddly, the longer the tree lays in its own forest habitat the more potent and pleasing the oil becomes, while removing it from the forest causes the oil to lose its potency and fragrance. Even the cycle of the moon and its relative distance to the equator during distillation affect the quantity and quality of its yield. Thus within the finished product are all the stages and all the influences that contributed to its creation: the death and resurrection of the tree; its location, altitude, ecophysiology, and removal from its forest home; the ratio of female to make wood; the consistency of the wood powder, the quantity in the still, and intensity of the flame and temperature of the water; the pull of the equatorial gravitational fields, and finally, the waxing and waning of the moon.

OF INTEREST

Palo Santo has an ancient ethnobotanical history and has long been worshipped by indigenous cultures for its purifying and healing powers. The wood holds a significant place in the shamanic practices of the region. The wood matures over time after the tree has died, developing a chemistry that makes for a very powerful essential oil—it is from wood of this condition that the essential oil is distilled. It is very interesting that the same chemistry does not occur in cut branches or the wood of cut trees. So it said that the spirits of the sacred Palo Santo trees are carried in the essential oil and are part of what makes the oil so potent.

To harvest the oil, only dead trees that have been left lying on the ground for a minimum of three years can be used. The resin is driven into the heartwood when the wood dies and matures, developing its unique and powerful chemistry. Palo Santo, like its cousin Frankincense, belongs to the category of "spiritual oils" renowned for their esoteric properties such as aiding in meditative practices and working in concert with the pineal gland, or "third eye". It is considered highly therapeutic.

( + )-Limonene

( + )-Menthofuran

α-Terpineol

Carvone

Germacrene D

β-Pulegone

γ-Muurolene

(Ε)-Carveol

Analysis of the essential oil reveals very high levels of limonene, a monoterpene well researched for its potent healing and immune support qualities.

AROMATHERAPY

Considered one of the best essential oils to use with direct inhalation, only a few drops in the palm and deeply inhaled can stop a panic attach. the energetics of Palo Santo essential oil is also experienced though diffusion. Diffuse for respiratory wellness.

brings good fortune

clears bad energy

inspires creativity

protects:

home

physical body

emotional body

mental body

spiritual body

supports:

meditation

deeper concentration

uplifts

Energetics

Ayurveda

primarily sattvic

when used regularly:

elevates the spirit

purifies the channels of the mind

alleviates problems caused by the Vata (wind) dosha:

slows down overly active mind

supports tranquility and peacefulness

alleviates problems caused by the Kapha (phlegm) dosha

lightens tendencies of:

sluggishness

complacency

melancholy

alleviates the Pitta (fire) dosha in certain circumstances:

pain and tension in the joints and muscles

supports heightened energy (prana) in the body

uplifts mood

Subtle Aromatherapy

calms

grounds

helps maintain emotional equanimity

induces synchronicity

settles

spiritually uplifts

In shamanic ritual it is a valuable tool for:

meditation

spiritual connection

enhancing creativity

tasks requiring sustained concentration

Very effective when working with the following CHAKRAS:

1st (Root) which deals with survival and living on the planet

6th (Third Eye) which deals with the spiritual gift of vision (how we see ourselves and others, how we see the world)

7th Chakra (Crown) which deals with our higher information and connection to Divine energy

8th Chakra (which sits above the head) and is considered pure soul essence and energy

PERFUMERY

As a “new” essential oil (distillation did not begin until the 1990s for this ancient tree) it is only beginning its history as a fragrance ingredient.

AROMA NOTES

clear

strong

fresh

balsamic

bouquet of citrus top notes

minty top note

complex woods

deep resins

chocolatey undertone

Blends well with: other woods and resins such as Cedarwood, Frankincense, Myrrh

Aromatherapy, A Complete Guide to the Healing Art by Kathi Keville and Miny Green

Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils by Gabriel Mojay

Essential Oil Safety, Second edition by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young

Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin by Steffen Arctander

The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy Second Edition by Salvatore Battaglia

The Fragrant Heavens, the Spiritual Dimension of Fragrance and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy and Herbalism

Sacred Smoke, the Magic and Medicine of Palo Santo by David Crow

DESCRIPTION

FRAGRANCE