In 1990, I was one of an International Team, invited by Fundeac, Columbia, South America, to come and see Rural Education work in poverty-stricken rural Columbia. My experiences of Cali, Columbia, SA, was something one only dreams of; the land, the people, the culture, and the program. I will blog more of it at a later time. But something brought all those memories back to me…my young friend, Coria, gave me a gift. It was a block of Holy Wood (Palo Santa).
This comes from a tree found on the West Coast of South America. Mine was originally given to me from the people of Peru who came to join the group in rural Columbia for a week of our month there. The musky scent of citrus and sweet gentle spice is a smell you will never forget. We were told it was used for cleansing space and to ward off negativity. It is used as smudge. It has strong energy and lifts your own energy into spaces pre-ceremony to prepare for spiritual rituals. My large stick was given to me to use with other herbs that I smudge with.
Holy Wood is used to raise your own energy for deeper connection with spirit in order to enhance creativity and divine connections. (PS, it is also used to keep biting insects away,) To burn a stick is to enter a truly sacred space, a smaller space, I have found, than sage or cedar smudging.
In South America, (Ecuador and Peru), it is used as medicine for flu, stress, lung ailments, inflammation, anxiety, stress-relieving, and emotional pain. It, also, is used to boost immunity and why this gift to me, especially right now, is truly a gift of healing.
One thing that is so important, the wood and oils are extracted from dead trees so that the wood given is not ruining the beautiful South American forests, and using up all the medicine as society is wont to do.
Holy Wood can be found on the internet, for those who want to try it and cannot be flown to the sultry environmental scents of the real thing. You will never be sorry for getting some. I am truly grateful for this gift. It not only brought up memories from the first scent, but it will help me through the stress-driven shingles I have right now. Anything natural that can help, is worthy of use.
©Carol Desjarlais 9.24.20
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FUNDAEC
Carol so glad you have that gift of Holy Wood.
ReplyDeleteI am almost afraid to light it because it is so precious to me. I keep bringing it to my nose and drawing in the deep beautiful sweet smell.
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