3 Things You Never Knew About Incense

Incense has been used for countless years in many different cultures for important events; in fact, it’s probably the most widely used ceremonial tradition ever created. From funerals to religious events to just plain ‘ol good housekeeping, incense has proved its worth time and again- especially when you consider the use of traditional scents such as musk, nag champa, jasmine, and sandalwood. But besides just smelling good, incense has some interesting facts that you may have never heard.

1. When most people think of incense, they don’t realize that there are two distinct types: direct and indirect burning.

    Indirect Burning– this form of incense does not combust; in fact, there is a  totally different method of releasing the fragrance. The incense requires a separate heat source, usually provided by something hot underneath it such as coals or embers. This is because the incense is usually in a much more raw state. In fact, this is how it was traditionally used for many years. Frankincense and myrrh are used in this way in many religious ceremonies.

     Direct Burning– This is the most common form of incense today, and the easiest to use. The incense is bound to other types of flammable substances (water based) such as oil and rolled around a bamboo core using compression and water. This allows for a very easy, smooth and steady burn, and is typically used with incense holders.

2. Bug Repellent– Incense is widely thought of as just a pleasant scent…but it actually has practical purposes too.  Often, when Buddhist monks meditate outside, they use a special type of incense infused with citronella (an oil derived from lemongrass) to ward off flys and mosquitoes. Very useful, if you find yourself outside trying to survive an insect onslaught. 

3. Brain Booster– Oddly, the power of smell has more of an effect on the brain than we realize.  When you smell something pleasant, your brain automatically begins to calm down and find balance. In fact, in a scientific study, it was found that incense can boost the brain’s alpha waves and increases our mind’s ability to disassociate from our bodies.

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How To Use Incense

Incense ceremonies have been used traditionally for tousands of years in many cultures and are practiced for a variety of reasons. In former times (also in Europe) hospital rooms were disinfected with smoke.

Especially in countryside areas, burning incense in house and on the farm was formerly practiced. Now this has been steadily gaining popularity for some years and not just in the countryside places.

Do you know the sentence, "There is thick air" when entering a room, in which has been a dispute? You can feel it, even if you don‘t see it. Burning incense can help to liberate the atmosphere from negative energies to re-create a harmonious environment. This even works, even if you do not believe it!

Why burning incense in rooms?

It is said that a house or a room stores all the events that took place in it. Positive ones, as well as negative. So it happens, that you feel well or uncomfortable when you enter a house / room. Is it a positive atmosphere, you can abandone yourself to the situition. But if it is a negative atmosphere, there is always a feeling of discomfort and the duration of your stay is usually shortened.

There are plenty of occasions for burning incense. Relocation, longer illnesses, new year, separations, dispute, general feeling of unwellness or just to relax. Surely you know even more reasons ...

What you need:

• a vessel of metal, stone or clay
• a lighter and / or a candle
• a incense charcoal
• Incense sand
• Incense of your choice

How it works with charcoal:

1. Light a piece of charcoal with a lighter or over a candle. Be careful not to breathe in the smoke of the coal. If you don’t want having some black fingers, take tweezer for the coal. As soon as there are small sparks, the coal usually ignites completely by itself. Otherwise refire. It is time enough to place them in a fireproof vessel. You can also use sand as a base, this will make the jar not so hot. The deepening on the coal should look upwards.
2. Wait until the coal gets brighter over a large area and glows properly.
3. Now the incense can be put on the charcoal. Do not inhale directly the rising smoke above the coal, but wait until it has spread throughout the room! We recommend to begin with a small amount of incense, because you can reload at any time. Coal with a diameter of example 33mm glows about 30-40 minutes.
4. Distribute the smoke with a fan or your free hand into every corner of the room. Of course you can also carry the vessel through the room or the house. But beware! The vessel gets very hot. To carry around, it is advisable to place the vessel in advance on a secure surface or to use a suitable incense burner/censer with a handle. Make sure it is slip resistant.
5. Always keep the vessel out of the reach of children and pets.
6. Attention: Fort he coal it takes at least two hours to burn up completely. The best thing you can do is to throw sand over the coal, it extinguish the embers.
7. Before leaving the house or disposing the ashes, make sure the embers are completely extinguished.
8. After burning incense, ventilate the room well to fill it with fresh air and oxygen.

This is how a room cleaning works with incense on charcoal:

1. Close all windows and open everything you can (cupboard, drawers, chests etc.)
2. Repeat point 1-2 (see above: How it works with charcoal)
3. Place the censer on a refractory base! Now the incense can be put on the coal. For a purification give as much incense as possible on the charcoal. Do not inhale directly the rising smoke above the coal, but wait until it has spread throughout the room!
4. Exit the room and close the door for about 20 minutes. Then return to the room to eventually refill the charcoal with incense.
5. Let the smoke stay in the room for a almoust an hour and then vent it well. Open the doors and windows until the smoke has completely disappeared.
6. Repeat point 5-8 (see above: How it works with charcoal)

... and in the meantime?

In all cultures of our world prayers and songs are an important part of theire ceremonies. The purpose and menaing has been researched extensively by science. Interesting studies have been revealed in the last 30 years. The conclusion is, that through our thinking and feeling, we have an influence on what happens around us. For a room cleaning therefore the practical application of burning only incense is only half work done. Join it with matching music, say some words such. "Old may exit, new things may enter ...". Be aware of what you want in your room, in your house and what isn’t needed anymore. Try to totally become one with what you are talking and connect it with your desired feelings. Let yourself go :-)

We wish you a lot of fun trying it out!