For thousands of years, the beautiful, smooth, aromatic wood of the Sandalwood tree has played an important role in Eastern culture. It has been carved into religious artifacts, made into medicines, and distilled and burned for its hypnotic aroma. Interestingly, this tree - which is now ENDANGERED in many areas due to ever-increasing demands for its products, is completely parasitic - it cannot survive on its own. The Sandalwood tree ONLY grows up the trunks of other appropriate host trees. And herein lays the difficulty with Sandalwood harvest: the host tree on which it grows is typically destroyed when the Sandalwood is culled. Further, because of it's apparent 'strict' environmental needs (including its parasitic nature), Sandalwood is extremely tough to farm using traditional methods.



One of the more highly-prized products of Sandalwood is the essential oil it yields. Most commonly produced through steam distillation, the rich, deep, sweet, woody oil is valued the world over. It is, in fact, one of the world's most widely used aromatics - for its scent in perfumery, for its therapeutic effects in Chinese, Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine systems, and for its ability to center the mind in meditative yogic traditions.

In the West, Sandalwood is perhaps best known in the west as a natural, woody, sweet body perfume used 'as is', or as a familiar aroma in manufactured personal items. In the East, however, Sandalwood's importance in cultural and spiritual traditions cannot be overstated. The wood is carved into furniture, religious icons, used to build temples and burned as incense in a great variety of ceremonies. The oil is used to anoint the dead, helping their transition to the next life. In Burma, women sprinkle it on passersby on the last day of the year for the release of sins. In Hindu marriages, Sandalwood is burned in a tent such that the smoke surrounds the bridal couple.

In the traditional Indian medicine system of Ayurveda, Sandalwood is valued for its ability to cool the fire of pitta. It is indicated for inflammatory conditions, such as inflamed skin, or intestinal and genitor-urinary conditions that require cooling. Modern aromatherapy considers the oil an effective skin care agent for dry skin, general irritation, and acne; it can help in cases of bronchitis, catarrh, dry persistent coughs, laryngitis and sore throat; it may relieve diarrhea and nausea, and can be supportive in cases of cystitis.

Beyond the physical body, Sandalwood essential oil well known as a tonic for the hyper-active mind. In practical terms, the oil is considered an anti-depressant, relieving hot, agitated emotional states, and assisting release from over-thinking and worry. More esoterically, the aroma is considered 'divinely sweet' and softly balsamic, characteristics which evoke the grounding nature of the Earth element. It is used by yogis in the East and West to bring stillness in meditation - a serene mental state unifying consciousness of the body, mind and spirit.

The source for this wonderful oil is becoming scarce, however. It is the heartwood, the very center, of the roots of the tree that produce oil of the highest quality and demand - a sandalwood tree will not survive harvest. Pressure on the world's population of Santalum album is growing; The tree takes nearly 30 years to mature before yielding oil of significant value, and because of its stringent environmental demands, successful cultivation is extremely difficult. There is hope, however, for meeting the world's demands - Recently, an oil of the austrocaledonia species has been produced on the South Pacific island of Vanuatu from successfully cultivated trees. This oil has a warm aroma, with a woody, smoky scent that has been said to remind one of 'being at the beach' - a useful base note in perfume and cosmetic blends.

This South Pacific Vanuatu species has been reviewed favorably in comparison to the East Indian Variety by the Journal of Essential Oil Research, likely having very similar therapeutic properties because of their closely related chemical profile. Because of its growing scarcity, responsible use is suggested - but sampling a little is highly recommended. And now, with the increasing availability of a very high-quality sustainably-farmed variety, unadulterated, therapeutic-grade Sandalwood essential oil can responsibly be enjoyed by a much larger audience. You may find this aromatic, prized so highly for so many millennia, a little source of peace for you.