Why Incense Makes Sense

 

There are interesting facts about incense that you may not have heard…

Besides being the most widely used ceremonial tradition ever created, incense has been used for millennia in countless cultures including Egypt, Babylon and Greece, for important events. It was also considered a way to repel evil spirits. Incense is derived from the Latin word “to burn”.

From religious events, to funerals, to daily housekeeping. Especially traditional scents like:

Musk — derived from glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer.

Nag Champa — made from a combination of sandalwood and either champak or frangipani.

Jasmine — made from dry extracts and jasmine essential oils.

Sandalwood — Sandalwood is a fragrant wood that comes from Australia and India. It is known to retain it’s fragrance for many years.

Besides just smelling good, there are interesting facts about incense that you may not have ever heard.

Most people don’t realize that there are two types of incense. They are direct and indirect burning. Direct burning is the easiest to use and most well-known type of incense today. It is bound to a flammable substance such as oil and rolled around a bamboo core using compression and water. This method enables a smooth and steady burn and typically used with incense holders.

Indirect burning is a form of incense that does not combust. There is a totally different method of releasing fragrance. A separate heat source, such as coals or embers provided underneath it. This incense is usually in a much more raw state. This is how it was traditionally used for many years. To this day, Frankincense and Myrrh are used in this way in many religious ceremonies.

But incense is not just a pleasant scent. It actually has practical purposes too. When Buddhist monks meditate outside they use a special type of incense infused with citronella (an oil derived from lemongrass) to ward off flies and mosquitoes. Today, citronella is used in a variety of forms to survive outdoor mosquito onslaughts.

The power of scent has an effect on the brain as well. Our brain tends to calm down and find balance when we smell something pleasant. It activates receptors associated with a feeling of warmth. A recent study has found that incense can boost the brain’s alpha waves, increasing our mind’s ability to disassociate from our bodies.

The scents of incense awaken significant responses in our brains and can bring us back to past events, people in our lives and emotions. They can transport us to Egypt, our childhood, Woodstock,or anything in our memory banks. They are accessible in price, easy to use, and in a wide choice of interesting and engaging scents.

The good feelings are just a moment away!