Palo Santo and Sage are used as spiritual tools in different ceremonies and rituals. Knowing the difference between Palo Santo and Sage will help you decide when and how to use them in your home. This article will help you learn more about the sacred history of each and how I use them in our home.
Palo Santo
Palo Santo is known as “Holy Wood”. It is made from cut-up pieces of the Bursera tree, native to South America. These trees are typically found in Peru and Ecuador. When Palo Santo is appropriately harvested, it’s harvested after the tree has died and fallen to the ground. It’s VERY important to ensure your Palo Santo is sourced ethically, as it holds the energy of how it was taken from the land. You want to support ethical practices always. Also, that energy will be brought into your home and your ritual. Palo Santo has been used for thousands of years by indigenous healers and shamans in South America. It’s used for ceremonial, spiritual, and medicinal purposes.
I love using Palo Santo a few times a week. It’s said to add positivity, and inspiration to your space while relieving stress and purifying the air. I love to use it if I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed. I put on some devotional music and walk from room to room while thinking good thoughts and expressing gratitude for my life. It is important to have a clear intention while burning Palo Santo. Like anything, you get what you put into it, so you want to be fully present and treat the ritual with love and respect. I also love to burn it before I sit down to write my blog. It brings me a lot of peace and inspiration.
Sage
Sage has been used for thousands of years in Native American spiritual healing and purifying practices. Burning sage, also known as smudging has been used to help prepare people for ceremonies and teachings. It’s said to remove negative energy from a space and negative thoughts from the mind. It’s very important you know where your Sage comes from and how it was harvested as that energy will be in the plant. I recommend finding someone local and asking questions.
Sage is best burnt occasionally, and not overused. It’s very powerful and removes energy and spirits from your space. Set your intention before lighting your sage and be fully present while walking to each corner of the space you want to clear. You should wave the smoke using your hand or a feather while keeping your intention in mind. It is good practice to open some windows before you start so the energy has space to leave.
Using Palo Santo and Sage Together
Both Palo Santo and Sage have wonderful healing abilities. It’s very important to use both properly and with strong intention. Sage is best used on occasion, while Palo Santo can be used daily. After burning Sage and removing the energy you no longer want, it’s a great idea to burn Palo Santo after to bring positivity back into your space. Both should be lit using a match or a candle instead of a butane lighter. I don’t know the exact specifics of this but it makes sense to light something so sacred with natural fire as opposed to man-made chemicals. To break it down simply, Sage clears the out bad and Palo Santo brings the good in. I hope this article inspires you, and as always do what feels right for you and create your own rituals.
xo Alayna
