Peruvian Copal incense

Copal is an aromatic tree resin employed in Mesoamerica as incense. The word comes, by way of Spanish, from Aztec Nahuatl copalli.

This Copal is from the Protium grandifolium. The resin is harvested in the Amazonian Rainforest of Peru, without damaging the trees that secrete it.

Copal is sacred to the indigenous cultures of the Central and South Americas. It is burned year round in the churches of Mexico but is best known for its use in the homes during Day of the Dead. It is said that the familiar scent of Copal helps the souls find their way back during their annual visit home.

The Copal tree is originally believed to have grown in Mexico, but now it can be found in a range of places, including western Africa, India, Central and Southern America. It's the resin that's considered most precious and in ancient times it was even more so if it came from trees that had been hit by lightning. The Mayans regarded Copal resin as extremely sacred, only daring touch it on their altars with special instruments, not their bare hands.

Shamans also used the smoke to enter a trance state, and some made predictions based on the patterns in the smoke.

Usage

If you have never experienced an incense of this type, you are in for a real treat! You only need a little bit and it lasts a very long time. It’s great for mood enhancing in all environments, indoors or outside.

One of the easiest methods of burning is to light a piece of shisha coal in a suitable incense holder and let it heat up. Once the coal is hot, all you need to do is put as much incense as you want on top of the coal. It will begin smoking almost immediately and melt into the coal. You can continue burning incense as long as the coal remains hot. If you want it to burn longer, simply place another piece of coal into the burning container with the others. It’s a wonderful way to greet guests for gatherings by burning some on your porch next to the entry door, or any place you want to set a special mood. The fragrance is very strong either burning or unlit.