How to use Palo Santo
Using Palo Santo is simple and easy to do, and although there are many forms, we will take you through how to use this incense’s most traditional variation.
Step 1: Hold the Palo Santo upside down and light the end
Hold the Palo Santo in your dominant hand and tip it so the point furthest away from your hand is facing toward the floor at an outward-facing angle. Light the wood tip using a lighter or match stick until you see a small flame.
Note: You should always light incense over a flame-resistant surface to prevent accidental fires if dropped.
Step 3: Extinguish the flame after 1 minute
Depending on how strong of a smell you want, let the flame burn for 30-60 seconds, then blow it out to extinguish it and allow only embers to remain burning.
Step 4: Use the Palo Santo as desired
When the incense is extinguished, the embers produce that wonderful woody, minty aroma; it’s ready to use. Many people use Palo Santo as part of their spiritual practices or prayer routine; others use it to cleanse their space, for aroma therapy during yoga practice and meditation or simply because they enjoy the smell.
Important: If you want to leave Palo Santo burning, place it on a fireproof dish to avoid accidental fires and surface burns.
Step 5: Extinguish the Palo Santo in water
Unlike incense sticks, Palo Santo can burn for a few hours if left to its own devices. However, if you would like to prolong the life of your wood and save it to use another time, simply submerge the burning end into the water until the embers are fully extinguished and no more smoke is emitted.