Sweetgrass: Native Americans have burned braided sheaves of sweetgrass for centuries. It is so scentful, it can also be wafted around as a wand to clear energy without lighting it. Native folks also brew a tea from it to use as an astringent body and hair rinse; you can do this by steeping a tablespoon of the dried chopped sweetgrass for five minutes in a standard teakettle or four cups of boiling water. .It is also used as an adornment woven into braids or as a crown. They go by the philosophy that “strong hair means a strong mind.”  This power herb cleanses both body, soul and your home but the highest use is for rituals when you burn it to call forth the ancestors and send away anything unwanted.

Copal: Mexican and South American tribal healers and modern shamans gather this tree resin to employ as ceremonial incense throughout the year. You will still smell the sweetly pungent smoke of copal on Day of the Dead as it helps us connect with our ancestors and loved ones who passed to the other side.  While burning it is part of the ritual, it is also believed by shamans and healers to help tap into the spiritual realm. Copal also has the power to bring about total relaxation.

Palo Santo: This dried wood plays an important role in South American cultures where it is burned to clear a space of bad energy. It also activates a higher power in those who use it. Smelling the scent of Palo Santo clears out psychic clutter and purifies both you and your environment. It is said it literally burn away negative thoughts in your mind, a deeply powerful experience.