Luna Sundara is a sustainably harvested brand of Palo Santo; a natural wood aromatic incense used for centuries by the Incas and indigenous people of the Andes as a remedy for purifying and cleansing. Traditionally it is used for relieving common cold and flu symptoms, asthma, allergies, headaches, anxiety, inflammation, sea sickness and arthritis… it is even said to have cancer fighting properties. In Spanish, Palo Santo translates as “Holy Wood” and it is so named after the mystical Palo Santo tree that grows on the coast of South America and is a relation of Frankincense and Myrrh. Appropriately named, the enriching aroma of a burning Palo Santo stick is heavenly, with hints of mint and citrus at work.
“It all began with love.” This is the opening statement of Luna Sundara’s ‘About’ page on their website and really, how perfect is that? Inspired by their shared love of healing, tradition, aromatherapy and respect for nature, co-owners Thomas Konik and Sandra Manay founded Luna Sundara early this year (Luna is the Latin name for moon and Sundara means beautiful in Sanskrit.)
Thomas and Sandra are dedicated to creating their product in a socially and ecologically responsible way while building sustainable relationships with small family suppliers in some of the remotest parts of the world.
Palo Santo is wildcrafted and ethically harvested with sustainable practices, coming solely from naturally fallen trees. The magic is in the alchemical process that happens after the death of a limb or tree. In order to gather Palo Santo, the tree must die in a natural way; during the process of decomposition the tree becomes compressed, secreting its oil and acquiring its medicinal and aromatic properties. After this death, the tree must remain in its natural habitat for 4 to 10 years to complete its metamorphosis; cutting a Palo Santo tree without the decomposition process won’t result in the same benefits.
Collecting Palo Santo trees that are already dead contributes to cleaning the forests where they grow, protecting their habitat in a completely ecological way. As a result of ethically harvesting Palo Santo from naturally fallen branches in South America, thousands of trees have been replanted in these forests.
I first discovered Luna Sundara after stumbling across their Instagram page (no surprises here!) and heading straight to their website where I read their mission statement:
“Nature is a provider and it is our responsibility to respect and appreciate all that it offers. Be conscious of your impact, we are in a symbiotic relationship with our host.”
This sentence resonated with me and my own ideals so deeply. The fact that Thomas and Sandra are a Fair Trade focused company and are dedicated to creating a healing product while maintaining a respect for the nature it is taken from ticks all of my boxes and I have set an intention to introduce healing and cleansing Palo Santo to my morning yoga practice to promote peace and good energy!
I believe in trusting our instincts and, for the majority of us, I believe that our instincts let us know whether our day to day actions and decisions are coming from a place of love, respect and harmony or not. This extends to the effect of our actions on others, ourselves and the planet we are living on. This is why I think so many of us are beginning to make a move away from the mainstream and are seeking better information about making more intentional choices; for ourselves, our families and our Earth. Supporting sustainable and earth-friendly companies, such as Luna Sundara, is part of this current movement of conscious consuming and symbolises our vote for a healthier, greener, more peaceable planet and people.
You can find, like and support Luna Sundara via their website, Instagram and Facebook pages!
Post written by tribe member Louise (Papaya + Lime).
