I had the honor of meeting Copal in a rainforest in Hawaii during a sacred Mayan Bath. Thinking back to our first meeting, I laugh to myself, yet in the same I am deeply humbled as I understand today, that the way she talked to me was the only way I would really hear her.
I read about a Mayan Bath and although I didn’t know what I was signing up for, something in me pulled me to do it. So I paid a stranger $200 (and at the time, $200 was pretty much all I had). I stood at the side of the road waiting for my healer to pick me up (as I was instructed). I felt free, curious and open-hearted when an old woman drove up in her old, beat up car and drove me far into the rainforest. Fear and judgement came in and the questionings and anxiety began the second I saw the 1990 Ford and wild haired, disheveled old woman. I immediately wanted my money back.
We drove far out and I thought for sure (1) I was crazy for signing up for this (2) She was crazy, period (3) The car was not going to make it.
After what felt like a lifetime, we stopped in the middle of the rainforest with no one around and she told me take off all my clothes (you can imagine the thoughts that ran through my head at this time).
Everything in me was saying “What in the…???” But, something far greater washed over me: my soul’s power within me was huge and I followed her words. She grabbed some things out of her car and disappeared. Standing buck naked, I felt awkward and vulnerable: not safe and ritualistic. Then it began to rain. I was freezing, cold….exposed...confused. I was wondering why paid for this. And just as I was about to become VERY anxious in my head and think the worse, I smelled her. The sacred white smoke of Copal enveloped around me. The rain and her energy cleansed me free and in that moment, I thought: I remember.
I remember who I am.
I remember what I am.
I remember all we are.
I remember love. I remember gratitude.
And just like, I was humbled, present, focus and alive.
In this place, the coldness dissipated. The awkwardness turned to love. The nakendenees felt like clothes. The judgement was gone. I was free.
I remember the woman chanting in a different language as Copal filled the air around me. I didn’t know the language but I was able to translate the song word for word. I know this because I asked her after my session. My soul was talking to me. It knew no bounds: it recognized far more than the brain could. It spoke many languages. It heard them all. And through this journey, Copal was holding me and blessing me the entire time.
A lot of stuff happened in that sacred ceremony that profoundly and perpetuately pushed me forward on my path to unconditional love and then later than night, fully clothed, back in the city on the island at a Farmer’s Market, I smelled her again. A vendor was selling different resins and smudge sticks, and there was my illuminator, Copal once again, calling me over with her smell. I followed the white smoke, and purchased her resin. I asked the vendor what I smelled and she confirmed it was my rainforest friend from earlier. With my few dollars left, I knew I had to buy her.
I know this day was initiation from her to me. I was ready to hear Copal’s medicine, and we have been friends ever since. I burnt her when I returned home and used her regularly and the day I met the essential oil of her, I felt at ease.
To me, Copal is the smell of sacred, divine love. It is the smell of knowing. It is the smell of the soul. If you come to my studio, the incense I burn regularly, and have since the doors opened, is only Copal, for she speaks the language of all languages: she speaks in timelessness and spacelessness. She speaks to us through the vibration of remembrance.
She will show you how to remember the great “secrets”: that is, the things your soul knows but your tangible body and moneky-mind forgets. She is grounding, still energy. A medicine that brings clarity and connectedness.
Copal is a sacred tree that grows native in the rainforests in Mexico and Central America and in the Amazon in South America. This tree looks like the tree of life: massive (yet not in the traditional way), wise, and all encompassing yet knowing of her space to be respectful and hold honor to the others that grow and live around her.....she is an umbrella of wisdom asking any one who is ready to sit under her and reflect. She blooms white flowers sacred in geometry. She enjoys the shade. She is very reflective and will teach you to do the same.
Her medicine is made from the resin of the tree. You can take her internally as an essential oil or burn her resin and heal energetically from her sacred white smoke. Generally, when using a resin as medicine, we are connecting with healing forces of the tree. Resin is not sap but rather consists of compounds secreted by or deposited in the tree. While scientists still don’t agree as to whether resin in a tree acts as a waste product or a means of protection against infection or insect attack, energetically, the resin is the communication efforts of the tree: it is the tree’s innate wisdom on how to take care of itself. It is the tree’s self care ritual. When we, humans, use the resin as medicine, we are tapping into the tree’s innate wisdom of self healing. From here, we are learning how to tap into our own innate wisdom our body holds to heal the self. Because of this, it is no surprise that doctors and researchers have classified Copal as a powerful medicine: in fact, many cough medicines and diuretics in pharmaceutical preparations are made from Copal’s resin. Copal has been proven to effectively treat bronchitis, hemorrhoids, constipation, diarrhea, and bladder infections and other urinary tract infections (UTIs), inflammation, cysts and insomnia.
Innate wisdom is simply remembering so what she is offering is remembrance of all that we are and from this place she brings us two valuable and profound medicines that speak directly to healing and continually aligning the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic self.
Copal is the medicine of acceptance and reverence.
Acceptance:
Because of Copal’s deeply grounding powers, she can’t help but teach you how to sit still and be still. Students have often described her as “heavy” saying things like “I was so relaxed, I couldn’t move if I wanted to.” or “I felt peaceful and like I couldn’t get up like something was on me.” She may feel heavy to us that are flighy and have a hard time paying attention/living in the moment. Copal, like a wise grandmother, resting her hands on your shoulder helping you stay put, helps ground us deep into the moment. She teaches us to be present in our life. She shows us that all we have is the here and now. She gently reminds us to take in all that is happening. She shows us to be (and that is it), …with this, then comes the realization of “I accept that I am here and that is all I am.”
When we can accept that we can’t change the past and we can’t predict the future, all that is left is the moment. Copal teaches us to be present, calmly still in the moment that has been gifted to us: she teaches to not live in a place of regret, resentment or remorse from what happened; she helps us surrender to reality: she helps us null and void worry or anxiety for the future. She says: Here is what we are. Here is what we have.
When this is accepted, profound peace engulfs that mind, body and soul.
If you have problems living in the moment, if stillness is a problem for you, if you live in your head as opposed to in your current life, Copal is a guru for you. If you have a hard time being here now, Copal is your teacher. For those that battle depression, anxiety, or other emotional or mental imbalances caused from thoughts of the past or on the future, Copal is a potent friend to have to teach you new ways of living. If there is something that you cannot accept in your life or if you use the word “except” or “accept” and are often looking for excuses, invite Copal into your spirit and see what happens.
Reverence:
From acceptance of the preset, all that can come is gratitude. Copal cleanses spiritual blockages and energetically clears a room/space/soul and she does so with pure appreciation. She helps us to breathe and opens our lungs. She is profoundly healing on a physical level to the cells of our body in numerous ways. She guides the mind to be present. She gives the human being the experience of being and she does so my saying “thank you” a million times. She helps us remind ourselves who we are and what we are: living. She does this simply by bowing to us. She is the mirror: the sacred mirror of spiritual reflection illuminating the internal light, the eternal knowing, the great mysteries of within. She is humbling. She is adoring. She is truth. She helps you say thank you...She helps you see gratitude...she replaces the fear/anger/angst with un-hindering appreciation. If you are one to complain as opposed to see the gift in everything (good or bad) or if you have a hard time living in a place of unwavering gratitude, call in Copal to be your healer.
Trust Copal will come to you when you are ready (and note that she is coming to you in this email today). She found in me twice in one day so I would get her message. She bows to us in honor. She humbly teaches us reverence and sacredness in all things: she is sacred and simple and her divinity will allow you to remember that you are too and she will speak to you in your language when you are ready to listen.
Special Note: Copal is actually the crystal known as Amber (famous for being used as a teething bracelet for babies as she helps with inflammation): she is wise and will show her face in many ways: as an oil, as a smoke and as a crystal healer. You can use your Amber for the same medicines described above, simply wearing her or holding her as you meditate. You may also put Amber on your body and let it heal as you lay with it. Talking to your Amber is a profound way to connect with the teachings of Copal.
