HOTW: Palo Santo + Cleansing Your Home for the Holidays
Thanksgiving is next week and soon after our favorite winter holidays. It’s such a magical time of year but can also be a bit hectic. We’ll be traveling to the East Coast this holiday season, but have been no stranger to welcoming family + friends into our home. It’s stressful and can get overwhelming.
One thing I always do before welcoming people into our home is cleansing the energy of our sacred space. Maintaining a welcoming, soothing environment at home is so crucial when bringing in different energy into your home. Gathering beautiful candles and items from the four elements of nature, like trust wood (earth), feathers (wind), Chrysalis Water (water—mist this in the air to reset moods and energy in the room) and Palo Santo (fire) is an immediate way to cultivate serenity + positivity in your home.
Palo Santo truly is mystical. It has a grounding and cleansing scent, somewhat smoky with notes of pine, citrus, and mint. The sticks have a lovely woodsy smell. Palo Santo can help clear out that hectic and buzzing energy of the holiday season. Burn this stick upon waking to clear old energy from the previous day + start the new day strong and inspired.
Complete this simple ritual before and after welcoming your loved ones into your home.
Make sure to open all your windows so negative energy can release out of your home. Burn the stick like you would burn incense. I usually use a candle for a more controlled flame and its flame is cleaner than a lighter.
Once it is lit, lightly blow out the flame.
Let the wood burn for a couple of minutes and then let the smoke engulf your space.
Move around your home, letting the smoke get into every corner of your space. Relish in the cleansing scent and clearing energy.
The uplifting scent will help you raise your vibration higher to tune out the lower energy that you most likely encounter every day. Palo Santo is especially helpful during meditation to help you connect to your highest self.
How do you prepare your home for the holidays? Are there any cleansing rituals your practice? Share in the comments below or connect with me on Twitter using #PhilosophieLove.
