Copal is a white, pale yellow or yellowish-orange gum resin. When smouldered on charcoal it produces a rich, delicious, piney-lemony fragrance.
Copal is North America's equivalent of Frankincense. While it lacks some of frankincense's bittersweet odour, it is a fine substitute. When frankincense is left smouldering on charcoal for some time it eventually emits a very bitter scent. Copal, however, never varies as it burns.
It is native to Mexico and Central America, and has been used as incense in religious and magical ceremonies for untold hundreds of years, beginning, perhaps, with the Mayans or even prior to the days of that fables people.
Burn for protection, cleansing, purification, to promote spirituality; to purify quartz crystals and other stones before use in magic. A piece of copal may be used as the heart in poppets.
Copal is of particular importance among the Mesoamerican, particularly the Aztec. Copal purifies and protects and is offered to the souls of deceased during "Day of the Dead" celebrations.
Rituals are performed to please the Gods and obtain help with hunting, fishing, the harvest, and anything else affecting the community. Most rituals followed the same pattern: fasting or abstinence to purify the body, selection of a favourable day according to the calendar, expulsion of evil spirits from the participants, cleansing of idols and alters with smouldering copal, and the sacrifice of animals, ritual objects or blood.
Copal is placed on burning charcoal, which produces a thick, sweet smoke. It is regularly burned for protection, cleansing and purification ceremonies. Copal is burned in a home after a quarrel to bring peace.
All of our Resins & Gums are sold in dried form, are of the highest grade available non irradiated and GMO free, where possible are Organic, none of our products have been tested on animals.
All our Resins & Gums are available in quantities from 25g up to 1kg with a couple available from 10g upwards.
