Why We Don’t Use Palo Santo — And What To Use Instead

If you practice wellness and self-care, you’ve likely encountered the aromatic wonder that is Palo Santo. Whether you smelled its woody scent in a yoga class or saw it for sale online, it might be a tempting buy. What you might not realize is that this natural space cleanser is endangered.

Furthermore, healing with Palo Santo is a sacred indigenous ritual. Read on as we explain exactly why we don’t use Palo Santo, and which alternatives to use instead.

What Is Palo Santo?

Palo Santo is a sacred South American tree from Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, and Bolivia. Indigenous communities use the tree’s wood and oil for ancient rituals and traditions to ward off evil spirits and cleanse their environment and atmosphere. Palo Santo means “Holy Wood” in Spanish, which gives you a grasp of how cherished it is.

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As you can imagine, this ancient ritual went viral on social media, and now, yogis, influencers and wellness practitioners use it for space cleansing and smudging. Commercial retailers now sell it without any evidence of how it was sourced.

This revered indigenous ritual is now a full-fledged commercial trend. People use Palo Santo during meditation, space cleansing, morning rituals, and smudging. Wait—what?

What is Smudging?

The ritual of smudging dates back centuries, though it wasn’t always called that. The practice of burning herbs into sacred smoke is meant to elevate vibrational energy, ward off negativity, and amplify spirituality.

Today, it’s called smudging. People burn herbs and resins in smudging practices to enhance their wellbeing—much like crystal healing. However, Palo Santo is an endangered tree, whereas healing crystals are ample and abundant.

Is Palo Santo Endangered?

This raises an alarming issue: if the tree is endangered, are use of its byproducts sustainable? As you might imagine: no. In fact, the latest survey from United Plant Savers Medicinal Plant Conservation reveals that there are only 250 or less mature trees.

Now that people are using it commercially, you can imagine the toll it’s taking on the population of trees. Palo Santo trees are protected and cannot be cut down by law. The only way to access the oils from the tree is to wait for fallen trees to completely dry out.

This process takes years, so why is this ingredient readily available then? Because people cut the trees down before they fall and sell them for profit. Not only is this an environmental concern, but a cultural one as well.

If Westerners are eating up the supply, how are indigenous communities going to get access to this important material?

Who Uses Palo Santo?

It’s one thing to be enlightened, and another to have knowledge and neglect to use it. As the trend of Palo Santo rises, the cultural authenticity of it diminishes. After all, remember how it’s a precious cultural material for indigenous communities in South America?

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Buying Palo Santo on the internet from retailers compounds the commercialism of a product that should be reserved for the communities that depend on it.

Yes, it smells divine, but there are plenty of Palo Santo alternatives that smell amazing and don’t compromise cultural or environmental ethics.

Alternatives To Palo Santo

There are fragrant Palo Santo alternatives that are more conscious and ethical.

• Lavender is calming, proven to lower anxiety, and has a lovely floral scent.
• Mugwort smells similar to sage, with slight metallic undertones that enliven the senses and prevent fatigue.
• Juniper has a pungent-pepper scent with notes of pine, and it improves digestion.
• Rosemary has an aromatic, earthy, citrusy scent similar to basil, and improves mental clarity and awareness.
• Pine, like Palo Santo, has a woody, wintery smell because it comes from a forest tree.
• European Sage comes from woody shrubs and has undertones of sweet mint.

If you want to mimic the delightful smell, blend European sage, pine and citrus oil together.

Need To Cleanse Your Space? Use Healing Crystals

People use this ancient material to cleanse their space from negative energy and create a flow of positive energy. Want a sustainable alternative? Use healing crystals, which emit vibrational energy that acts much the same as Palo Santo — without the environmental or cultural consequences.

If you absolutely love the smell from smudging, you can incorporate essential oils into crystal healing. Here’s how:

• Grab a few of your favorite crystals like amethyst, clear quartz, or carnelian.
• Choose 2-3 of your favorite aromatic essential oils like rosemary, lavender, or pine.
• Dab just 1-2 drops of oil on your crystals, which will fill your space with a sweet fragrance and positive energy
• Use your crystals while meditating, or place them around your home to invite positive energy and lovely scents!

Why We Don’t Use Palo Santo

There are many rituals that Western cultures have adopted over time, and that’s not to suggest that doing so is wrong. Rather, that certain sacred traditions which involve time-honored materials belong to indigenous communities.

We don’t use Palo Santo because it’s harmful to an endangered tree called the Palo Santo tree and the cultures that depend on it. A once sacred practice is now a commercial trend that has, in turn, led to endangerment.

Fortunately, there are many natural alternatives that can cleanse your space, promote healing, and fill your home with positive energy and aromas.

If you are going to use Palo Santo, ensure that you purchase it from sustainable sellers. Below are two sustainable sources:

1. Sacred Wood Essence
2. Ecuadorian Hands

Each of these suppliers works directly with local harvesters to ensure that the product is sustainably and ethically sourced. Purchasing from conscious sellers supports the local communities and protects the sanctity of this truly holy wood.

The best way to protect this ancient tree is to choose alternatives that are conscious and ethical, like healing crystals and certain essential oils.

Nature gifts us wonderful treasures, and it’s up to us to protect them.

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