“Sorcery—which palo santo is historically related to—is in vogue,” proclaims Yana Wolfson, beverage director of New York’s Mexican café, ATLA. However what precisely is palo santo?
For years, Wolfson has served a cucumber-yuzu agua fresca made with a palo santo-infused water. Wolfson is among the many cooks and bartenders who’re trying again to maneuver forward by “sourcing and celebrating components of the previous,” of which palo santo is one. Native to South America and Mexico, the wooden is prized for its antibacterial properties and alluring citrusy-pine aroma, and was as soon as burned throughout historic ritualist ceremonies in Ecuador and Peru.
“Palo santo was burned by the Manteños, within the Manabí area of Ecuador,” explains Sacred Wood Essence founder Erik Suarez, referencing the nation’s pre-Columbian civilization that dates again to circa 850 CE, one of many earliest recognized information of palo santo use. “There’s proof of it being burned in ceramic bowls, probably throughout ceremonies or rituals.” In line with Ecuadorian historical past, when the Spanish arrived to the nation round 1500, they found the tree’s myriad well being advantages—its antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties, and its potential to deal with respiratory illnesses, amongst others—and they also named it palo santo, which interprets to holy wooden in Spanish.
Currently, it’s begun to seem in magnificence merchandise—one of many first manufacturers to embrace it was pure haircare model Rahua, whose founder Fabian Lliguin explains that as a hairdresser of Inca descent, he’s been aware of the wooden since childhood, prizing the wooden for its medicinal advantages and mysterious aroma. Now, palo santo is making its manner onto restaurant and bar menus. To see simply how one can use this magical herb, under are the 4 greatest advantages of palo santo. Learn on to see which one piques your curiosity most.
Atla’s cucumber-yuzu agua fresca made with a palo santo-infused waterPicture: Courtesy of Atla
Palo santo is understood to chase away dangerous spirits.
Palo santo’s most well-known use is a non secular one. In line with Sudha Nair, naturopathy skilled and wellness supervisor at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, the assumption that it could possibly chase away evil spirits is rooted in cultural and non secular practices for a lot of cultures, notably for indigenous South Individuals. “The smoke produced when palo santo is burned is believed to have the flexibility to clear unfavorable power and purify an area,” Nair says. “This cleaning impact is believed to dispel unfavorable influences, together with dangerous energies, making a extra optimistic and harmonious setting.”
Paula Benedi, integrative well being practitioner and founding father of Synergised, agrees and says that burning the wooden as incense is the standard follow; releasing the purifying smoke dispels unfavorable power.
