— OUR JOURNEY
Every hand that has touched this path is part of why Temple Copal exists today.
— Written by Gustavo, carrier of Temple Copal
The Beginning
When my mother, Consuelo — "Chelo" — passed, she left something behind.
With it, I made a decision: to buy my first large batch of copal — enough to burn daily, to offer, to connect, to bring blessings, to open the path ahead. Enough, finally, to share.
From that beginning, I recognized its magic.
Since then, I always carry copal in abundance — to every place, to every home I visit. Not to sell it. To leave it as a gift.
That is how Temple Copal began — not as a business, but as my mother's quiet gift to me: something to share, and something to grow into prosperity.
The Birth of Temple Copal
Years later, my partner at the time, Paola, came into the story. She believed in copal the way I did — as something meant to be shared, with reciprocity.
She brought it to a Spirit Weavers gathering, and something shifted. People began asking where it came from, and where they could find more.
We traveled together across the United States for several summers, holding Cacao ceremonies, sharing copal wherever we went. Momentum built, gently, the way real things grow. Our first wholesale clients appeared.
Back then, the copal still traveled in a simple bag that read: 100% Copal Puro. I had a wish of my own — to find someone to partner with, someone who could help it become something more.
Among those early wholesale clients were Anna and Zane. That wish was answered, though not quite in the way I imagined: at first, we talked about building a brand together, but they had their own vision — they wanted to create and grow it on their own terms, with me simply providing the copal, wholesale, as I did for other clients.
So they founded Temple Copal. For some years, they cared for it and grew it, entirely on their own. I'm grateful they trusted the copal enough to build something around it.
Then Paola passed away.
I'm grateful for every mile we walked together, and for everything she helped this become.
The Return
Anna and Zane, who had by then become my biggest clients, offered me back the brand they had built. Their family was growing, their path was leading elsewhere, and Anna said she wanted Temple Copal to return home, to where it began.
I was overwhelmed. One of my dreams, coming true.
To make this a reality, I invited Giovanna, my wife, to be part of this dream. Without her, this wouldn't have been possible. She brings a level of care to everything she touches, so we joined forces to carry Temple Copal forward. Today, we run it together, as a team, in great harmony.
I'm grateful they trusted us with it.
And so, it came home.
Giovanna & I live in a small coastal town in Nayarit, Mexico. We are both ceremonialists and have studied and received transmission from different native elders in Mesoamérica. We find great joy in sharing our gifts and medicines with our community.
Copal is a big part of our day to day, and we are deeply grateful for the magic and abundance that it has brought into our lives.
Thank you for being part of Temple Copal!
— GRATITUDE
Every hand that has touched this path — Chelo, Paola, Anna, Zane, Giovanna — is part of why Temple Copal exists today.
THIS IS NOT THE STORY OF ONE PERSON. IT’S A STORY OF GRATITUDE, PASSED FORWARD