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