Welcoming the Spirit of Palo Santo
There are some ‘tools’ in my healing journey I cannot be without, and Pala Santo is up there. Ancient spiritual tools like Palo Santo are gently guiding us back to centre as it grounds us and is connected to earth. Known as “holy wood”, Palo Santo has long been revered in South American cultures for its profound healing and purifying properties. Today, it is widely used in energy healing modalities such as Reiki sessions and cacao ceremonies, including those offered by I AM BEING, to create sacred space, cleanse stagnant energy, and reconnect us with our hearts.
Whether you’re new to energy work or deep into your spiritual journey, understanding how Palo Santo works can enhance your experience and bring a deeper layer of intention to your healing practice. Let’s explore what Palo Santo is, its ancient roots, and how it supports healing in Reiki and cacao ceremonies.
What is Palo Santo?
Palo Santo (its real name is actually Bursera graveolens) is a mystical tree that grows along the coasts of South America, particularly in Peru, Ecuador, and parts of Venezuela. The name Palo Santo translates from Spanish as “holy wood”, a name that speaks to its deeply spiritual reputation.
This fragrant wood is known for its rich, citrusy scent with hints of mint and pine. When burned, it emits a grounding smoke that is said to cleanse energy, enhance creativity, and restore inner calm. Traditionally, Palo Santo is used as an incense in shamanic rituals, ceremonies, and healing practices but today, its not uncommon to see it in houses. I often cleanse friends that come into the house, its actually a wonderful gift of healing to give them!
However, unlike many woods, Palo Santo must fall naturally and age for several years before it can be used ceremonially. This respectful process ensures the wood retains its sacred healing qualities and therefore, where you get it from matters a lot. Don’t just buy it anywhere, be sure it has followed this process so you receive the living and magical benefits.
Ancient Use of Holy Wood
The use of Palo Santo dates back thousands of years to the indigenous peoples of the Andes. Shamans of the Inca and pre-Inca civilisations would burn Palo Santo during spiritual rituals to purify their surroundings and call in benevolent spirits.
It was (and is) considered a powerful tool for:
- Energetic cleansing: removing negative or heavy energies
- Healing illness: believed to aid in respiratory and emotional wellbeing
- Connecting with spirit: enhancing meditation and prayer
- Protection: acting as a spiritual shield during ceremonial work
Today, many of these practices continue within indigenous communities and have been respectfully integrated into modern spiritual wellness practices such as Reiki and cacao ceremonies. One of the things Keith (Keith’s Cacao) would say about Mother Cacao and how it is coming to the modern world is that out job is to bring it out of the rainforest and into the modern world to drink and help heal us. I feel the same about this wood. There are so many beautiful mysteries in these rainforests and they are there to help bring us back home. How we do that matters, with respect and authenticity.
Palo Santo in Reiki Sessions
Reiki is a gentle Japanese energy healing modality that channels universal life force energy to support emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. In Reiki sessions, the environment plays a key role in allowing the energy to flow freely and this is where Palo Santo becomes a valuable ally.
How Palo Santo Enhances Reiki:
- Cleansing the Space
Before a Reiki session begins, Palo Santo is often used to energetically cleanse the room. The smoke purifies the space of dense or stagnant energies, allowing for a more harmonious healing environment. This is especially helpful for Reiki practitioners who hold multiple sessions in the same space throughout the day. - Grounding the Practitioner and Client
Palo Santo’s grounding aroma helps both the practitioner and the recipient come into stillness. Its scent is calming to the nervous system and encourages present moment awareness — essential for both giving and receiving Reiki energy. - Deepening Spiritual Connection
Many practitioners feel that Palo Santo helps open intuitive channels, allowing Reiki energy to flow more clearly. It can act as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, heightening the sensitivity of the practitioner and enhancing the experience for the client. - Clearing the Aura
During or after the session, Palo Santo may be waved around the body to clear lingering energetic residue. This helps “seal in” the healing and supports the client in integrating the experience with greater ease.
If you’re seeking a deeply restorative and energetically attuned Reiki session, consider exploring the Reiki offerings with I AM BEING, where Palo Santo is respectfully incorporated into the healing process.
Palo Santo in Cacao Ceremonies
Cacao ceremonies are sacred heart-opening experiences rooted in Mesoamerican traditions, where ceremonial grade cacao is consumed with intention in a meditative or communal setting. At I AM BEING’s cacao ceremonies in London, Palo Santo is a sacred component used to prepare the space and support participants in connecting with the wisdom of the cacao spirit.
Why Palo Santo is Used in Cacao Ceremonies:
- Energetic Preparation
Before the cacao is shared, Palo Santo is burned to clear the space and the participants’ energetic fields. This ensures the ceremony begins with a fresh, high-frequency vibration that honours the cacao and those who are present. - Creating a Sacred Container
Palo Santo smoke sets the tone of reverence and respect. Its aroma signals the start of ceremony, inviting participants to move from the ordinary into the sacred, and helps them feel safe to open their hearts. - Supporting Emotional Release
Cacao works on the heart chakra, gently dissolving emotional blockages and encouraging self-love and compassion. When Palo Santo is used alongside, it assists in gently releasing old energetic patterns, grief, and stress, making way for joy and healing to emerge. - Amplifying Intention
Just as cacao responds to intention, Palo Santo enhances the clarity and power of those intentions. Whether you’re calling in self-healing, creativity, or connection, the smoke of Palo Santo can act as a vehicle to carry your prayers to the universe. - Ritual and Respect
Using Palo Santo in ceremony reflects a deeper respect for indigenous wisdom. At I AM BEING, the Palo Santo used is ethically sourced and used with conscious reverence to the traditions it originates from.
Ethical Considerations When Using Palo Santo
As Palo Santo has gained global popularity, concerns have risen around sustainability and cultural appropriation. Here’s how to honour the use of Palo Santo respectfully:
- Buy from Ethical Sources: Always source Palo Santo from certified sustainable suppliers who harvest fallen trees and reforest the species.
- Use Mindfully: Burn only a small amount with intention. This is not incense for background scent – it is a sacred medicine.
- Honour Indigenous Roots: Take time to understand the cultural significance of Palo Santo and engage with it in ways that are respectful and reverent.
At I AM BEING, all ceremonial tools including Palo Santo are chosen with care and respect, ensuring that the energy shared in ceremony is rooted in integrity.
How to Use Palo Santo at Home
If you’d like to bring some of the ceremony and healing into your own space, here’s a simple way to use Palo Santo with intention:
- Light the stick and allow it to catch fire briefly.
- Blow out the flame and let the stick smoulder, releasing fragrant smoke.
- Set an intention — for example, “I release all that no longer serves me.”
- Waft the smoke around your body or space in a circular motion.
- Let the stick extinguish naturally or gently press it into a fireproof dish.
Use this ritual before meditation, journaling, drinking a cup of ceremonial Cacao or simply to clear your energy after a long day.
A Sacred Companion on the Healing Journey
Palo Santo is not just a fragrant wood. It’s a sacred ally that can profoundly enhance your spiritual practice, whether in Reiki sessions or during heart-led cacao ceremonies. Its grounding, cleansing, and heart-opening properties make it a beautiful companion on the path of healing and transformation.
When used consciously, Palo Santo reminds us to slow down, breathe deeply, and return to what truly matters: our connection to ourselves, to spirit, and to one another.
If you’re feeling called to experience the magic of Palo Santo in a held, ceremonial space, explore our Reiki sessions and cacao ceremonies with I AM BEING in London. You’re warmly welcome to join a circle where sacred tools are used with love, care, and purpose.
Being,
Gizelle Renee Xx
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