Healing Light

Using Palo Santo for Energy Clearing

I had a great market last weekend! At every market there is always a little surprise in what people gravitate toward from my offering. This time I had someone stop by that was thrilled to purchase a few bundles of Palo Santo. I have the bundles on offer because everything starts with a clear space so your intention has the most power. Today I’m sharing a simple guide to using Palo Santo to clear your environment of negative energy.

While there are many beautiful tools for smudging and energy clearing – from the fragrant smoke of sage and cedar to the resinous aroma of copal and the gentle essence of lavender – I often recommend palo santo for beginners. This sacred wood, sustainably harvested, offers a gentle yet powerful way to restore peace and serenity to your space. Its lightly fragrant, calming scent makes it a joy to work with, and you can easily find it at most crystal and tarot shops, as well as online.

Think of a stick of palo santo as a natural energy purifier. Unlike bundles of sage, palo santo comes as a single, well-dried piece of wood, about the size of a comfortable wand. This makes it easy to hold as you move through your home, directing its fragrant smoke wherever it’s needed.

If you’re ready to clear and protect your home, workspace, or any area from unwanted energies, here’s a simple ritual using palo santo, enhanced with the protective power of salt:

What you’ll need:

• A stick of palo santo wood
• A fireproof surface (a metal bowl with sand works well)
• Salt (sea salt or any natural salt)

The Cleansing Ritual:

1. Light the tip of the palo santo stick with a match or lighter. Allow it to burn for a few moments until you see a glowing ember.
2. Gently blow out the flame. The stick will begin to release a fragrant smoke. This is what you’ll use to cleanse your space.
3. Hold the smoking palo santo in your hand(s). Close your eyes for a moment and visualize your intention. What energies do you want to clear? What positive energies do you wish to invite in?
4. Allow the sacred smoke to fill your space. Walk through your home, directing the smoke towards the walls, into corners, and any areas that feel stagnant or heavy. I like to trace the perimeter of each room, ensuring the entire space is touched by the cleansing smoke. If you have less time or are working in a smaller area, simply focus on allowing the smoke to reach all corners.
5. The smoke is your tool, but your intention is the key. As you move through your space, clearly state your intention, either silently or aloud. For example, if you wish to remove negative energies, open a window and say something like: “With this sacred smoke, I release all negativity, all that no longer serves this space. May peace and light now fill this home.” Feel the power of your words and your focused energy amplifying the cleansing.
6. After you have smudged the entire area, allow any open windows to remain open for a while, letting the cleared energies dissipate. You can then close them, allowing the residual smoke to continue its work.
7. Offer gratitude. Take a moment to say a prayer of thanks to Spirit or Source for assisting in the clearing and protection of your home.
8. When you are finished, place the palo santo stick on your fireproof surface to extinguish. Because palo santo burns slowly, you can reuse the same stick many times.

Enhancing Protection with Salt:

After cleansing with palo santo, you can further enhance the protective energy of your home with salt. Here are a few simple ways to incorporate salt into your practice:

• Bowls of Salt: For particularly stubborn negative energies, place small bowls of salt in the center and corners of a room to absorb and transmute unwanted vibrations.
• Salt Barrier: Create a protective line of salt across doorways and thresholds to prevent negative energy from entering your home.
• Salt Spray: Periodically cleanse rooms with a salt spray. Dissolve about a tablespoon of sea salt in a cup of warm water, pour it into a spray bottle, and shake well. Lightly mist the air in each room, setting your intention for purification and protection as you spray.
• Protection Jar: Create a powerful talisman for your home by layering salt in a jar with other protective herbs like rosemary, sage, mint, cinnamon, basil, and clove. Charge the jar with your intention and place it under your bed, on a windowsill, or in a central area of your home.
• Sprinkling Salt: Simply sprinkle small amounts of salt in the corners of each room or the corners of your home, again focusing on your intention for protection as you do so.

Remember, just like with smudging, your intention is paramount when working with salt. As you perform these actions, clearly focus on your desire for a cleansed and protected space. With each ritual, your ability to set clear intentions will strengthen.

Ultimately, these practices are about more than just clearing negative energy; they are about creating a sanctuary, a space where you feel safe, peaceful, and filled with positive vibrations. By combining the sacred smoke of palo santo with the grounding and protective power of salt and your positive intentions, you can actively participate in creating the energetic harmony you desire for your home. So mote it be.

Have you ever smudged or used smoke from a natural material to clear your environment of negative energy? What is your favorite material to use? Share in the comments.

Light and Love ❤🔥

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