Did you know that burning Incense can help in reducing the chances of occurrences of mold in your house? Burning Incense is an ancient tradition originating in early ancient civilizations like the Egyptian, Indus Valley Civilization and Babylon. They were originally mostly used for practicing religious activities like in rituals that require worshiping of gods and goddesses. They were also used in making a place or situation relaxing, meditative, and calmly motivating.
Whether you are just starting or trying to move your incense experiences to the next level, this guide will help you understand everything you need to know about how to burn Incense for different rituals.
What Is Incense, And What Is It Made Of?
Incense originally in Latin means “to burn”. It is a fragrant substance made from natural ingredients of aromatic plants (mostly), like resin, bark, seeds, leaves, and stems. Herbs are also used to manufacture incense and essential oils in concentrated amounts for aromatic therapy and incense-burning rituals. When burned, it emits a soothing aroma that makes the environment better by taking over other objects’ smells.
Based on some factors like composition, shapes, burning rituals and origin, there are many types of Incense. In Nepal, bateko dhup (wrapped-up incense powder in paper mostly used for Hindu rituals) and potala dhup (Tibetan Incense made up of medicinal herbs and aromatic substances for spiritual and healing practices) are some of the most commonly used types of Incense. Similarly, Zimpua is another traditional Tibetan incense made up by blending 35 different spices and precious herbs. The most common types of Incense include:
- Stick: This is a type of Incense that is found to be the most convenient and widely used. The stick incense is often made up of thick aromatic paste made up of herbals and a bamboo/ wooden stick is coated with the paste.
- Cone: These types of Incense are designed mostly in the shape of small pyramids in a conical shape. They burn up the Incense quickly and evenly, and the aroma spreads out faster.
- Powder: This type of Incense is most popular in East Asian countries like China, Tibet, Japan and Korea. People use this particular type of Incense for treating conditions of respiratory diseases, aligning with the approaches of traditional Chinese medical methods. The aromatic powder is often set in a certain design to evenly spread out the aromatic process.
- Resin: To extract resin, dried sap, aka gum, from aromatic plants is collected. The smell of this type of Incense is long-lasting and has numerous health benefits.
- Rope incense: The powder extracted from dried herbal and aromatic plants is wrapped in the best quality and natural Nepali paper to make rope incense. In most cases, the manufacturers recycle flowers collected from temples that could have been just a waste. In Nepal, people consider rope incense to be purer and healthier for its natural scent compared to stick Incense.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Burn Incense for Everyday Relaxation
While you may burn Incense with just burners and sticks for the aromatic smell of the Incense, the process of indulging in it could yield much better results with mindful and guided practice. In fact, most mindful practices like relaxation, yoga, meditation and praying sessions include burning Incense to attract blessings. The procedure for burning Incense also completely depends on the type that you use. Besides the obvious beneficial factors of using Incense, it is better to watch out for your environment and check out the surroundings as fire hazards have been increasing, involving incidents caused by carelessness while using it. For yielding the best results, the major guide for burning Incense includes:
- How to Burn Incense Sticks
Place the stick in a holder or carry it in your hands. (While there are no scientific studies done on how the number of sticks used affects the results, many locals in South Asia and East Asia region often prefer using even numbers of sticks). Slightly incline the sticks in the Eastern direction as it is considered auspicious. Before lighting up, consider the surface region. If you own the required device, place sticks in it and set a plate underneath the burner. Light the tip with a lighter or a candle. When the fire in the stick doesn’t extinguish on its own, blow it off for a better release of the fragrance.
- How to Burn Incense Cones
Place the cone on a surface that does not lead to risk of fire incidents, like a plate or cone incense burner. Place the plate in an eastern direction and light the tip of the cone with a candle or lighter. When the flame is brighter and there’s release of smoke, blow off the fire.
- How to Burn Incense Sticks Without a Holder
If you do not own an incense burner or a holder, get an unused fruit or vegetable with sturdiness like a potato. Pierce a hole in it and stick the sticks. You can also place a stick in a bowl filled with sand, rice, or salt so that it can be rested horizontally. Make sure the stick is stable and away from flammable materials like paper, fabrics and clothes. Light it up with a candle and blow off the flame for best results.
- How to Burn Incense Powder
Place the desired amount of powder on a clay or iron pot or incense burner. Use a candle or a lighter to light the powder. You could also use a heat-safe surface. Light a charcoal disc, let it heat up, and then place the powder on top.
- How to Burn Incense Powder in a Bowl
Fill a ceramic/ wooden or metal bowl with the powder. Use a shape maker if you own the set. Light the end of the shape with a stick/ lighter or candle.
- How to Burn Incense Resin with Charcoal
Fill a bowl with a charcoal disc in a fireproof bowl. If possible, place sand on it to absorb the heat produced by burning resin incense. Light the charcoal disc with a lighter or candle.
Benefits of Burning Incense
Not only does burning Incense improve your health and prevent your place of residence from molding, but it can also help you be mindful and be present in the moment. Besides relaxation, the major benefits of burning Incense are:
- The aroma can promote relaxation and reduce anxiety and stress levels in certain aspects.
- The ritual of burning Incense on a daily basis while chanting mantras can help ward off evil and negative energies.
- By lighting Incense before daily routines like yoga, meditation and praying sessions, you’ll find yourself feeling more concentrated.
- The daily ritual of performing incense burning activity can also bring prosperity and fortune.
- Burning Incense obviously improves your mood and creates a pleasant atmosphere.
How to Choose the Right Incense for Relaxation
When choosing Incense, it is best to choose brands that are certified by international standards and environmental regulations. It is also important to consider what herbal scent/aromatic plant makes you feel grounded and relaxed at most. Similarly, the purpose of the scent could also vary based on what activities you want to use Incense for. For example, if you want to feel relaxed for a good sleep, it is best to choose naturally scented lavender and lemongrass.
Similarly, if you want to meditate or pray, it is best to use sandalwood. Furthermore, you should choose incense types based on your convenience. A stick incense works quickly but would break if you frequently travel and prefer using only certain types of stick incense. The powdered Incense requires a pot, and it may not be the most convenient for the Incense burning ritual.
Type: Sticks are convenient, and the scent quickly spreads out. The scent, however, could wear off quickly compared to resin, cones, and powder-based Incense. At the same time, cones have a more potent fragrance for a shorter duration.
Ingredients: It is best to choose chemical-free and naturally made Incense as the ones made artificially and chemically processed threaten your health. In fact, chemically processed scents are linked to causing respiratory diseases and induce asthma. This is why it is best to make sure that the ingredients are safe and for the best experience.
When to Burn Incense to Get the Most Relaxation
Burning Incense and practicing incense rituals mostly depend on what activities require you to feel energetic or relaxed. For example, it is best to use sandalwood cones if you are in a praying, yoga or meditation session earlier in the morning. Lavender-scented Incense would work best if you want to practice yoga nidra, hypnotherapy, or sleep with a relaxed mind
- Early morning: It is best to burn Incense early in the morning to begin your day with a calm mind and attract positive energy.
- Evening: Relaxing after a long day at work would yield better results than burning Incense in the evening.
- During meditation or yoga: To enhance the experience and concentrate on activities, burning Incense would be good.
- Before sleep: To soothe the mind and create a peaceful environment, various types of Incense could be burned.
Incorporating Incense into Your Daily Routine
By using a variety of incense products to get the best results while practicing meditation, yoga, praying or chanting mantras, you will be able to rejuvenate the energy level of chakras. This is why the particular ritual of burning incense holds a significant reason in many Asian cultures.
People also believe that it is best to burn Incense while journaling, reading, or practicing mindfulness. Light Incense burning during self-care rituals, such as baths or skincare routines, also makes you effortlessly achieve your goals.
How to Care for Your Incense and Holder
To not damage the Incense and preserve its fragrance, it is best to keep it in a cool and dry place. People also store it in the Eastern direction of their home or holy room for rituals like worshipping and praying to attract the blessings of the spirits. Use a box to enclose it and save its potency from dust and humidity.
It is best to clean your holder regularly to remove the ash and residues of the Incense. Moreover, it would be best to use the ashes of burnt Incense as a fertilizer for the plants.
Buy Incense from Nirvana Mala for a Relaxing Experience
Nirvana Mala, one of the best manufacturers and stores with spiritual accessories, produces high-quality and naturally scented herbal Incense products. We have a wide range of incense products like rope Incense, stick Incense, cone Incense, resin Incense and powder Incense for your needs and convenience.
Our products are most ethically sourced, naturally from the foothills of the Himalayas. For everyday life, from an energetic morning to a relaxing evening to a good sleep, we have the best quality incense for all kinds of rituals. The Incense at Nirvana Mala is also available at the most affordable price.
Conclusion
Incense burning is not a mere thing simply for the relaxation of mind. It is, in fact, one of the most significant aspects of life for monks, priests and followers of different religions. The ritual of burning Incense in homes, temples and rituals has been passed down from one generation to the next.
Besides this, traditional medicinal experts in the East and South Asia region highly recommend using it for healing purposes. This is why it is considered very important for you to fully indulge in the process of this particular ritual to yield the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it good to burn incense every day?
Your health could be a huge factor in determining the answer. If you are someone with asthma or other respiratory diseases, it is highly advised for you to consult doctors and professionals. In most cases, it is certainly good to burn natural Incense every day if you reside or work in a well-ventilated area, as burning incense results in creating a relaxed and calm mind.
2. Does burning incense relax you?
In most cases, people feel relaxed when Incense is burnt as a part of daily rituals. The relaxation, however, completely depends on the ingredients used to manufacture the Incense. Mostly, Incense emits a calming aroma that helps reduce stress.
3. Is it good to sleep with incense burning?
If the Incense is kept in an enclosed area and if your room is well-ventilated, then burning Incense throughout the night would be no problem. However, it is best to not burn Incense while sleeping as it can start a fire when left unattended.
4. Is incense good luck?
In Buddhist, Bon, Zen, and Hindu practices, burning Incense is considered to be a great ritual to attract good energies and prosperity. People in the East and the South Asia region also believe that burning Incense can ward off negative and evil energy. Because of its significance, Incense is burnt on major occasions like marriage, birth celebrations, worshipping gods and goddesses in festivals and even while performing funeral rites.
5. Where to place incense?
It is best to place Incense on the balcony, nearby window or door, as these are the major ventilated regions. This increases the chances of refreshing your home quickly and conveniently. However, be cautious about curtains and fabrics, paper nearby as it could result in fire accidents. Using enclosed Incense burning products for fire safety would be the best in such cases.