Baya Bundles: Modern Rituals with Guava-Leaves

Guava leaves plucked from the branches, fall to the earth below. They grew upon the limbs of the tree with the sole purpose of taking in light, energy, that would yield fruit. Audrey De Guzman, holistic healer and founder of Baya, has other plans for these leaves. She gathers and sorts them thoughtfully. Small leaves are kept for tea infusion. The larger ones are set aside to dry under the sun–these are essential to her process.

Where Ancestral Meets Healing

Audrey sees Baya as both a product and practice.

She's created a holistic lifestyle brand, rooted in Filipino identity. She had experience using other products personally. In the past, she had used white sage that she was gifted, but there is controversy surrounding the use of white sage by non-indigenous folks. This is especially true for anyone who might be crafting incense for profit. It didn't sit right with Audrey. Often, she would even feel "heavy" when burning sage, and it drove her to search within herself and find what her culture used. When she discovered the use of bayabas, Audrey felt it was her way to practice with authenticity.

Smoke and Bayabas

Pausok is a Filipino practice of cleansing with smoke.

The juicy, tropical fruit that many folks know as "guava" goes by another name in the Philippines. In the Tagalog language, "Bayabas" is the word for psidium guajava. Dahon ng bayabas (guava leaves) are used in bundles to be burned like incense for cleansing and smudging.

Audrey handcrafts all of her guava leaf incense herself. She calls them "Baya Bundles," for short. Pleasant aromatics aside, her Baya Bundles are made to cleanse spaces of heavy energy. She utilizes mainly dried guava leaves, but she has multiple incense products that also include loquat leaves, lavender, and jasmine–all wrapped in dahon ng bayabas. Audrey recognizes that not everyone is always able to utilize smoke in their spaces, so she has worked to create an alternative product while staying true to her roots.

Baya's gentle sprays are prepared for no-flame spaces, keeping the ritual’s heart while fitting modern needs. She does this by infusing essential oils that are derived from guava leaves and calamansi. Currently, all the essential oils are sourced from the Philippines. There is a lot of intention put into each ingredient, where it is sourced, and how it is handled.

Setting Our Intentions

Before lighting the bundles, she sets her intentions.

Audrey explains, "It could be something as simple as, 'I release tension and invite peace,' and after lighting the bundle, let the smoke rise and wave it around your space or your body."

The lit Baya Bundles smell deeply earthy and lightly sweet. She says when she burns her bayabas, "It feels like my ancestors are in the room with me and I can feel my root chakra lighting up. The color I get is red."

The correlation between color and emotion feels deeply aligned with the abstract aspects of sensory analysis–as does setting intention. The strong associations made in our memories between aroma and emotion make the ritual of burning incense like Baya Bundles incredibly fascinating.

Often when preparing to taste or smell something I will also set intentions, though in this context it is for what flavors I expect to encounter. Setting our intentions this way emotionally is a similar process. As if setting a table for dinner, we save a seat for the flavors, feelings we are expecting–the emotions we hope to encounter.

More of Baya Wellness

You can purchase your own Baya products here. Her products celebrate heritage by showcasing ingredients, aromas, and traditions rooted in Filipino culture. Audrey recently released a roll-on that features an uplifting and illuminating scent.

A quick note: Burning incense or plant materials should always be done mindfully and in well-ventilated spaces. Never leave smoke or flame unattended.

Thanks for reading the blog! You should check out some of my other articles as well. I write about lots of different food, beverage and sensory topics.

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