| Sandalwood has been used for over 4,000 years in | | | | species has been produced on the South Pacific island |
| Eastern medicine systems, meditative yogic practice | | | | of Vanuatu from successfully cultivated trees. This oil |
| and traditional rites and ceremonies. This great plant | | | | has a warm aroma, with a woody, smoky scent that |
| offers wonderful effects for the human body, mind, | | | | has been said to remind one of 'being at the beach' |
| and spirit - and it's use as an essential oil brings us in | | | | — a useful base note in perfume and cosmetic |
| the West the very heart of the tree itself. | | | | blends. |
| For over 4000 years, the Sandalwood tree has | | | | In the West, Sandalwood is perhaps best known in |
| played a significant part in Eastern culture as a | | | | the west as a natural, woody, sweet body perfume |
| material for art and artifacts, a medicine, and a divine | | | | used as is’, or as a familiar aroma in |
| aroma. Sandalwood products are obtained from the | | | | manufactured personal items. In the East, however, |
| sandalwood tree (Santalum album), which is a | | | | Sandalwood’s importance in cultural and |
| member of the Santalaceae family native to southern | | | | spiritual traditions cannot be overstated. The wood is |
| tropical Asia. It is an evergreen growing to a height | | | | carved into furniture, religious icons, used to build |
| of 9 meters, with leathery leaves, long slender | | | | temples and burned as incense in a great variety of |
| brangches, and small purple flowers. The tree also | | | | ceremonies. The oil is used to anoint the dead, helping |
| happens to be parasitic, relying on the | | | | their transition to the next life. In Burma, women |
| nutrien-gathering ability of one of several other tree | | | | sprinkle it on passersby on the last day of the year |
| species for its sustenance. Due to its seemingly strict | | | | for the release of sins. In Hindu marriages, |
| set of environmental conditions and its parasitic | | | | Sandalwood is burned in a tent such that the smoke |
| nature, the extremely versatile Sandalwood tree is | | | | surrounds the bridal couple. |
| quite difficult to propagate. | | | | In the traditional Indian medicine system of |
| One of the more highly-prized products of | | | | Ayurveda, Sandalwood is valued for it’s ability |
| Sandalwood is the essential oil it yields. Most | | | | to cool the fire of pitta. It is indicated for |
| commonly through steam distillation, a rich, deep, | | | | inflammatory conditions, such as inflamed skin, or |
| sweet, woody oil is produced that is values the world | | | | intestinal and genitor-urinary conditions that require |
| over. It is, in fact, one of the world’s most | | | | cooling. Modern aromatherapy considers the oil an |
| widely used aromatics — for it’s scent | | | | effective skin care agent for dry skin, general |
| in perfumery, for it’s therapeutic effects in | | | | irritation, and acne; it can help in cases of bronchitis, |
| Chinese, Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine systems, | | | | catarrh, dry persistent coughs, laryngitis and sore |
| and for it’s ability to center the mind in | | | | throat; it may relieve diarrhea and nausea, and can be |
| meditative yogic traditions. The source for this | | | | supportive in cases of cystitis. |
| wonderful oil is becoming scarce, however. It is the | | | | Beyond the physical body, Sandalwood essential oil |
| heartwood, the very center, of the roots of the | | | | well known as a tonic for the hyper-active mind. In |
| tree that produce oil of the highest quality and | | | | practical terms, the oil is considered an |
| demand - a sandalwood tree will not survive harvest. | | | | anti-depressant, relieving hot, agitated emotional |
| Pressure on the world's population of Santalum album | | | | states, and assisting release from over-thinking and |
| is growing; The tree takes nearly 30 years to mature | | | | worry. More esoterically, the aroma is considered |
| before yielding oil of significant value, and because of | | | | divinely sweet’ and softly balsamic, |
| its stringent environmental demands, successful | | | | characteristics which evoke the grounding nature of |
| cultivation is extremly difficult. Oil of the album | | | | the Earth element. It is used by yogis in the East and |
| species has a unique aroma with excellent tenacity | | | | West to bring stillness in meditation - a serene mental |
| and superior fixative properties. There are other | | | | state unifying conciousness of the body, mind and |
| varieties available, but the oil from this increasingly | | | | spirit. From this quiet, unified state, one may be able |
| rare tree is considered the most important | | | | to gain greater perspective and understanding on |
| therapeutically. The Mysore region of eastern India is | | | | what is known as the 'Univeral Self'. |
| thought to produce the highest quality of this | | | | Adding to the oils' grace, it happens to be one of the |
| essential oil, though it’s harvest is known to | | | | few aromatics that improves with age. Like a fine |
| be creating a strain on the area’s environment. | | | | wine, one may purchace a favorite vintage, put it on |
| Local forestry officials have been killed over the illegal | | | | the shelf, and be assured it will only be richer when |
| poaching of Sandalwood, and 'black-market' trading | | | | finally taken down. Because of it's growing scarcity, |
| continues. | | | | responsible use is suggested - but using a little is |
| There is hope, however, for meeting the world's | | | | highly recommended. |
| demands - Recently, an oil of the austrocaledonia | | | | |