What Spirit Animal represents Cultural Appropriation?

I am just going to say it: your woo-woo self-care might be based on cultural appropriation.

That’s right, you crystal toting crew. Instead of sticking to tarot cards and runes, it seems that the latest trend is now Indigeneity. And that sucks.

Nothing wrong with ethically collected rocks and crystals. The quick and honestly soul-less commodification of smudging practices (cleansing by using smoke) and calling anything and everything your “spirit animals” are just the latest addition to this expanding list of culturally stolen practices from First Nation and Indigenous Peoples.

In fact, the practice that has made the Palo Santo tree itself endangered. According to Well+Good, “After they die, a period of three to five years must pass by before its materials can be collected. The substance is then traditionally used ceremonially in prayer, shamanic ritual, and even healing. The harvesting practices in the tree’s native country aren’t entirely transparent; it’s difficult to know if every producer is doing their due diligence to wait for the palo santo to die naturally.”

And as far as burning White Sage, despite constant resistance from Indigenous people, sage sales continue in retail locations and online stores alike. According to Huff Post “Stores like Sephora and Anthropologie…