If you’re using it in a quasi-spiritual way without sufficient knowledge or training, then yes, probably. Indigenous and Latin American peoples have developed their cultural heritage around many different types of herbal healing and spiritual ceremonies. While Palo Santo use has become very popular, it’s rarely done with the participation or consultation of these groups. “So, when you see a non-native person on Instagram smudging with sage or Palo Santo and taking an artistic photo of it, they likely bought that item from a corporate source. They use our culture but remove our faces from the image. This conveys the narrative that we don’t exist and that we’re not experts in our own fields and heritage. And that’s harmful to us because it perpetuates the extremely prevalent notion that we don’t exist,” says Chelsey Luger, founder of Well for Culture, an indigenous wellness initiative. You make the decision, but at least consider buying Palo Santo from a small, local business where the owners are indigenous and research the legacy of these spiritual practices.