While in Mexico this past week, a young man dedicated to preserving his traditional Mayan heritage honored me with the gift of a beautiful piece of Copal resin. "If there is no Copal, there can be no ritual", he told me. The Mayan name for Copal is Pom, and the tree (a Pine) it comes from is Pome. It is burned before ceremony to purify the space and everyone participating, including those who are simply nearby. The smoke acts as a bridge between realms, between humans and gods. Traditional Mayans say that the smoke becomes corn tortillas for the gods...
University of Texas has published
a very informative paper on Copal. written by Brian Stross. If you are interested in knowing more about Copal and its traditional uses, this is really worth reading...
And, if you'd like to have some to burn, stop into
Radiance, my shop in downtown Lancaster, or order from
my web site...
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