What is Incense?
There are many types of incense, but the most basic definition is that any plant matter that is use to produce an aroma or spiritual effect. Many people are familiar with Indian agarbatti sticks or small cones. However, raw material such as palo santo chips or sweetgrass can consider incense.
Incense comes in many forms
- Spirals and Coils
- Sticks
- Cones
- Loose powders
- Raw materials for plants
History & Benefits of Burning Incense
Since ancient times, the act of lighting has been a significant ritual. It is believe to have use for the fumigation of tombs by priests in Egypt during the Old Kingdom. Incense is use for rituals, ceremonies, spiritual and religious occasions since ancient times.
Incense was first discovered in India and Southern Asia around 3300 BC. It was believe that incense burning could be use alongside prayer and worship to ward off evil spirits, as well as purify the surrounding.
Trade in spices and incense was a major economic link between the east-west over 2,000 years ago. The Middle Eastern Incense Route was a route that ran through the Middle East and reach the Mediterranean, where it was popularise in Roman times. This route is estimate to carry 3,000 tonnes of each year.
Spiritually, what does incense do?
There are many spiritual reasons for burning. These can depend on the intention or ceremony during which it was use. Catholic churches might burn frankincense in order to honour their patron. Palo santo was use to remove bad energy during the Inca era. It has been adopted more recently by a growing community that is energy-aware. However, it remains to be decided if we should .
Our founder has a background in aromatherapy and decided to create scents based upon their physiological effects. These can be used to enhance mood, meditation, or even mood enhancement.
Burning incense is a common practice in many religions today, including Catholicism and Buddhism. However, its use extends beyond the spiritual. It is used regularly in yoga studios and wellness offices as well as in our homes.
Incense Burning
Incense can take on many forms, but the main function is to burn for a long time. To ignite the smallest amount , light a match or lighter. Let it catch fire and then blow out the flame quickly. The ember should remain as a smouldering flame that will slowly burn off its aromatic compounds.
You can either place the incense in a container that is specifically made for it or in a bowl of sand. The ember can be smothered by simply smudging it on a hard surface. However, it is best to let it burn out. Keep embers and open flames away from curtains, paper, and dry herbs.
Incense & Health
Are incense and sage bad for you?
As fundamental to human behaviour is sitting around a campfire, so is walking on two feet and making abstract connections. Incense makes this activity more manageable. A few studie have on incense smoke and its effects on human health. Some of these studies may be biasse . It is important to ensure that has a list of ingredients as the quality of materials can differ.
Incense continues to be flood with a mysterious ingredient. It makes expensive resins seem cheaper by using synthetic fragrances. Many will ask Why does cause headaches? The answer could be synthetic fragrances.
Incense: Synthetic or natural?
Incense use to be made from tree resins, aromatic herbs, and woody plants. It’s difficult to find high-quality on the commercial market today. Many of the incense on shelves today is made from a mixture of artificial fragrances and unsustainably harvest plants.
The government has no control over ingredients listed as “fragrance” and “parfum”. These chemicals can be harmful to the environment and humans, as well as our respiratory system.
Synthetic fragrances can cause skin irritations and headaches in the short-term. But, they can also have more severe long-term effects.
They can be emitt into your home as a result of being burn. These chemicals are known to disrupt the hormone system and have adverse effects on our hormones.
Do your research before you buy incense. You should only burn made with natural ingredients such as charcoal and essential oils. Avoid synthetic fragrances at any cost.
Burning incense with essential oils has many benefits
There are many benefits to burning made from all-natural ingredients. Indulging in our senses of smell is more powerful than we might think.
Aromatherapy is base upon the idea that aromatherapy can be use to heal and treat. Our limbic system receives signals when we inhale a scent. This brain part is responsible for hormone regulation, memory, emotion, as well as hormone regulation. Different smells can trigger different brain responses.
The pleasant aromas of burning and essential oils can have a variety of desired effects. These are our favourite low smoke incense.
Benefits of burning incense
- Focus and calm. Studies have shown that essential oils from citrus, rosemary, and peppermint can improve mental cognition, clarity, focus, and concentration.
- Stress and anxiety can be reduced. Certain herbs have been shown to reduce anxiety and stress. In several studies, lavender oil has been shown to reduce anxiety.
- Sleep aid. Lavender is well-known for its sedative properties and is believed to promote and combat insomnia. You may find it easier to fall asleep by lighting incense and lavender essential oils as you get ready to go to bed.
- Use incense to complement a practice of yoga or meditation. Incense is often associated with meditation and yoga. Burning incense can be a great addition to your yoga or meditation practice, as some essential oils used to scent incense sticks aid in stress relief and focus.
- Stimulate creativity. Incense burning can stimulate creativity and improve flow by stimulating and clearing the mind.
- Purify your space. Incense has been used by Buddhist monks to purify their space for thousands of years. One study found that burning incense for one hour could reduce the amount of bacteria in the air by 94%
- It is the simple pleasure of smelling a pleasant scent. The simple act of taking in a pleasant scent is an added benefit. Enjoying pleasant aromas can actually make you happier, trigger memories, and lift your mood.
You should only burn incense for these benefits. That is made from low-quality materials or synthetic fragrances can pollute, especially when it’s burn in small spaces. Find out which essential oils resonate with you by looking for companies that list the ingredients.
Sea Witch Botanicals makes all its incense using pure essential oils and natural herbs. We believe that waterways should be kept clean. This starts with the air we inhale. Our sticks have no synthetic fragrances or chemical preservatives. They are made from bamboo-derived charcoal, which cleans the air by drawing out germs and impurities.
For More Info : Sai Mangal Agarbatti