Incense

What is Incense Burning?

Incense burning is the process of letting aromatic substances, particularly, those from the plant world, burn slowly over a heat source - such as a charcoal cone or a candle

The resulting smoke drifts in the air, carrying the scent thoughout the room.The smoke contains Psychoactive, Physical and Emotionally effective substances

Incense burning stimulates the senses in many different ways

Smell

The nose perceive the scent

The so-called thinking brain, the Cerebrum, developed from this fundamental olfactory center

Incense burning frees fragrant molecules embedded in plant tissue and releases them into space through smoke

When we breathe, these molecules come in contact with the mucous membrane at the base of the nose

And from the nose, this stimulation moves directly to the center of the brain, where fragrances begin to influence our emotions, the regulation of hormones and the nervous system

Effect on our Emotions & Well-Being

Incense burning directly influences our perception.This explain the profound effect that fragrant smoke has on emotions, mood and well-being and why it resonates so intensely in our psyche

Visual

The eyes follows the delicate smoke as it moves in the air, creating endlessly different shapes and spirals.We experience the warmth of the fire when we light the candle and observe how the black colour of the charcoal slowly begins to glow

Tactile Senses

Sands, pottery containers and various other vessels connected with incense burning - appeal to our tactile senses

The Benefits of Incense Burning

1. Incense burning provides us with a direct and immedialte experience

Messages & Prayers to the Heavens

2. Our ancestors (in every culture), used incense burning to convey sacred messages to the heavens and prayers to their destination - and in the process, the mortals present were pleasantly entertained and began to feel better

Prayer and Meditations

3 .To this day it deepens and supports prayer and meditations in all major religions

Disinfects

4. Our ancestors also used incense burning to disinfect living spaces, sick beds and animal stalls

Healing Properties

5. They believed it healed the sick

6. They used it to make clothing and other objects smell good

Dreams & Visions

7.To influence dreaming

8. To create visions

9.To improve the acoustics in churches and for many other purposes

The Science of Smell

Today only a few people have detailed information about incese burning. Science is discovering how very important the sense of smell is in human life

Spiritual Wisdom

10. The resurgence of interest in Spiritual Wisdom and renewed search for Religious significance, have also awakended an interest in incense burning. In ancient cultures people used uncense burning to support intellectual and emotional activities and experiences.Today when the emphasis in Western culture is so heavily oriented toward the external, our desire is growing for things that can connect us to the inner spiritual values that reach beyond our hurried daily living

Connection to Nature

11. We are in search of a new connection to nature. In ancient culture,burning incense was a way of joining with the energy that surrounded us, in order to receive messages and understand connections

The Power & Wisdom of Plantlife

12. During incense burning a plant reveals to us its power, its essence and its wisdom. In the past people understood this instinctively. If we pay careful attention when burning incense, we can get in touch with nature, with the secrets of the plant and with the mysteries of the energy of the plants

The Connection between Man & Plant

13. In return we will receive emotional enrichment. The original purpose of incense burning was to unlock the ancient wisdom of the connection between man and plant

Aromatherapy

14. It is the foundation of today's aromatherapy as well as that of the perfume industry.The word 'perfume' comes from the Latin word 'per fumum' which means 'through smoke'

Many people who have been dealing with essential oils during the last couple of years are also becoming aware of the practise of incense burning. They are interested in discovering the fundamentals involved in aromatherapy

info source:The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils-Julia Lawless