The Beauty and Blessings of Incense and 5 Reasons to Burn it Everyday.

The Beauty and Blessings of Incense and 5 Reasons to Burn it Everyday.

There is a lot to love about Incense!

The word incense is derived from the word ‘incendere’ which means ‘to burn’. It is essentially considered that when we discovered fire, we discovered the earliest forms of incense too; by throwing cedar, roots and berries into the fire and allowing the smoke to purify bad odours.

Fast forward to ancient Egypt and the priests would use incense to fumigate tombs as well as in ceremony, ritual and significant spiritual occasions. As early as 3300BC, India and Southern Asia were embracing the use of incense in their worship and prayer traditions and I absolutely love imagining what it would have been like 2000 years ago to travel the silk roads, trading and transporting exotic spices and incense of frankincense and myrrh, traversing over 2000 miles from the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean!

The purpose of incense has always been and still is to purify, protect, bless and create sacred space for self and ceremony. There are so many ways to burn incense but it’s true function is to burn slowly and allow a lingering fragrant smoke to permeate your senses. You light the tip of the incense stick with an open flame (match, lighter, etc), let it catch fire, then quickly blow it out to leave a smouldering ember which will release the aroma of the resins. Place the stick in a specific incense holder or even sand…it is meant to be a ‘set and forget’ offering, so let it smoulder in a safe space, where it cannot touch fabric, paper or dried herbs.

The quality of the incense that you choose to burn is very important! There are some dreadful synthetic incense products widely available and trust me, the chemicals will give you terrible headaches and promote feelings of discomfort rather than well-being. 

I choose to sell only The Mother’s India Fragrant Incense range for 2 reasons; firstly because there are ‘no nasties’ in any of their products. They are hand-rolled from the finest ingredients, including essential oils and the key element of Halmaddi, which is a native Indian resin sourced from the Ailanthus Malabarica tree, also known as the Tree of Heaven. And secondly, because I have actually spent time in the ashram of The Mother in Pondicherry, India, so I have personally experienced the integrity behind their products.

I am always burning incense in my home; I love the rich exotic aromas and the different feelings they can invoke. Here are my top 5 reasons for burning incense:

1. PURIFY - lighting incense instantly creates the feeling of sacred space. Consciously choosing incense made with essential oils that naturally cleanse the air is powerful. I read that one study proved that burning incense for only an hour reduced the bacteria in the air by 94%…how amazing!

2.   MEDITATE - incense supports your ability to focus and flow. Frankincense is perfect for any meditation practice and hints of citrus help to cleanse away negative energy.

3.   LOVE - the aromas of burning rose and jasmine incense will open your heart to feel the fullness of giving and receiving love, especially Divine inspiration. Another heart chakra favourite of mine is Oudh Nagchampa, the blends of cedar wood, rose and vanilla smell like heaven to me.

 4.   RELAX - burning incense with sandalwood or perhaps hints of lavender will evoke feelings of inner peace and harmony, calming your entire nervous system and bringing you into the moment of now.

5.   CONNECT - your sense of smell is very powerful! It will travel directly to your brain and often to a specific memory, sometimes of a previous lifetime! From the moment I first lit the Mother’s India Sweet Frankincense Incense I felt a connection to a holy place, a temple where I frequently worshipped, it is a particular scent that can instantly bring me into a place of peace within…naturally it is a non-negotiable in my life!

My intention for writing this article was to inspire you to experiment with different fragrances and perhaps even purchase some incense for the very first time. Over the years incense has sometimes received a bad rap, like something only hippies do, but trust me, the burning of incense is a holy experience.

I also wanted to freshen your perspectives around incense because I have added a wonderful new product to my Inner Light Collection in the store. It is the Bhava Brass Incense Burner and it takes incense holders to a whole new level!

Bhava is a Sanskrit word that means a moment of feeling a oneness with the world. A state of being in pure peace and bliss.

This supreme brass incense burner is for ritual, ceremony and self. It is packaged in an exquisite gift box by Amod Aromas, the leaders in bespoke craftsmanship, offering timeless temple aesthetics for your modern abode or healing space.

Handcrafted in solid brass in a ‘funnel’ shape, reminiscent of your beautiful vessel receiving Divine inspiration. Created to hold a fragrant incense stick and capture the ash to perfection. You will love the stunning sleek design in your decor and delight in the feeling of well-being, balance and harmony.

Every purchase comes with a packet of my absolute favourite, The Mother’s India Sweet Frankincense Nagchampa so you can experience the fragrance of heaven for yourself!

May you be blessed beyond belief…all love, Tanya xxx

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