Guaic Wood

 

 Bulnesia sarmientoi— steam-distilled from the heartwood —warm, fresh, smoky, earthy sweetish slightly rosy-balsamic. An evergreen tropical tree  with leathery leaves and blue or purple flowers.  

Fragrance is complementary to rose-type blends and so used in those.. Used a lot in soap and cosmetics. It has a touch of rose to the aroma, and years ago was used to adulterate Rose Otto. The tree is called sacred by the natives of Paraguay. Note that this is a very thick oil. It can easily be spooned out of the bottle, if you have something small enough to do so. If not, the bottle will need to be warmed to turn the solid oil to liquid. It takes quite a bit of warming to do so.

The tree is also called Lignum vitae which means "tree of life". The tree contains rich supplies of fats and resins which make it hard and impervious to water. It was used for ornamental carving. It was medicinally used to treat syphilis and gout.

 Guaiacum or Guaiac (Guaiacum officinale, G. sanctum) produces a resin or gum with similar properties, but the tree is a different species and is not to be confused with Guaicwood.

CAUTIONS:   Generally safe, but can cause skin sensitivity in some individuals. Keep out of reach of children and avoid contact with eyes. Always dilute with a carrier oil before topical application. 

CHARACTER: “Quietly Mystical.” It feels like embers glowing after the fire — steady, soothing, deeply stabilizing. slow, deep, and ancient anchor

ETHERIC COLORS: Deep cocoa brown, Smoky Plum-violet, Amber

CHAKRAS:  Root, Heart, subtle Crown

MUSICAL:  C, G; low cello, Gregorian chant, slow drum pulse, meditative cadence

PERFUME NOTE: Base, Used as a natural fixative. 

CRYSTAL ALLIES: Smoky quartz, Petrified Wood, Hematite, Amethyst, Labradorite, Deep Garnet, Indigo Gabbro, Obsidian, Pietersite

ELEMENTS:  Earth, Gentle Fire  

ASTRO:  Saturn, Pluto, Scorpio, Capricorn

ENERGY:  4, 2; not roaring fire, but coal…

USED FOR THESE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Patience, emotional maturity, resilience, spiritual depth, inner stillness, concentration, compassion, meditation, concentration, uplift mood, mental clarity, restful sleep

USED FOR THESE NEGATIVE STATES: Stress, trauma, grief, tension, insomnia, exhaustion

USED FOR THESE PHYSICAL STATES:  edema, gout, arthritis, PMS, menopause; venous and lymphatic circulation; soothing to swollen or injured skin tissue

PROPERTIES:  lymphatic decongestant, anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, anti-fungal (especially for skin), antiseptic, diaphoretic/sudorific (stimulating sweat)

BLENDS WITH: Cistus (especially)Bergamot, Elemi, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Orange Blossom Absolute, Oakmoss, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang.

BLENDS:  Into The Woods,, Petroglyph, Muladahara, 

 Class: Alcohol. Greater than 71% guaiol, bulnesol, bulnesene, guainene

ARCHETYPES: HEALER, ARTIST, COUNSELOR, HERMIT SAGE, FOREST MONK, EMBER KEEPER, QUIET GUARDIAN

PERSONALITY: (More of a Yin Sandalwood)

 +Steady presence, Devotional consistency.

 +Not dramatic and not comforting in a sweet way. +Carries depth without display.

+One who endures or has endured hardship.

+Does not attempt to “fix”, but sits with you. Doesn’t hype you up, but helps gives you backbone.

+Observes without reacting. Contemplates without escape.

+Does not crave company. Content to be alone. Does not like noisy places.

+May feel older than their years.

-If negative, runs the risk of emotional withdrawal.

-Tends towards depression.