What is incense burning good for?
The original concept of burning incense is found in the ancient Vedic scriptures and has more an energetical aspect rather than an emphasis on fragrance. The energy release by burning certain herbs, oils and resins creates an ambience which purifies the atmosphere and uplifts the body as well as the mind. Therefore, PremaNature’s incense is created to do just that. Of course, a pleasant fragrance is also important but with regard to burning incense, the energetical aspect is the basic principle. . To create pleasant fragrances many other tools are available on the market.
Is incense burning healthy?
Health is twofold: physical and mental. Regarding the effect on the physical health, one needs to take into account the different ways of producing incense and the variety of forms and shapes. Although it has been proven that some types of incense could be harmful for the body, it should be concluded that more in depth research is needed as there are still too many variables to give a conclusive answer. In our vision one should distinguish between the amount of smoke produced as well as the origin of the ingredients used. Other variables not covered in the majority of these studies are, frequency of burning, amount of ventilation and distance to the smoke. It is well-established that essential oils do not produce the same toxic effect on the body as certain synthetic aroma oils. The mental health is also influenced by burning incense. Fragrances have a very distinct effect on the mental state as there is a direct connection from the sense organs to the brain cortex. Fragrance can alter moods, mental states or even activate old memories. Therefore, the beneficial effects on the mental health can be manifold. There is also an argument from the Vedic tradition, the first texts which describe incense, that there are energetical benefits of burning incense that cannot always be measured with present day equipment. Finally, there are arguments that it can reduce the amount of bacteria in the air and thus purify it in a natural way.
Is incense worse than cigarettes?
To answer this question, one needs to consider many parameters. It is far too simplistic to draw conclusions from badly conducted research experiments that come up first in a Google search result. If a study concludes that inhalation of incense is more carcinogenic than smoking cigarettes, one needs to ask the questions: is it a realistic scenario to state that people inhale incense smoke in the same way as they smoke cigarettes? Also, which type and form of incense was used for the study? It is also advisable to check the background of the researchers and who funded the research to eliminate any possible bias.
What are the benefits of using incense?
The reported benefits are numerous and often in connection to the type of fragrance and incense used. The following effects were collected from customer’s feedback:
- Enhanced concentration with incense containing lemongrass essential oil
- Stress reduction with incense containing lavender and chamomile essential oil
- Improved sleep with incense containing honey and lavender essential oil
- Reduction of headaches with incense containing peppermint essential oil
- Deepened spiritual practice with incense containing different types of resins, cinnamon, patchouli, sandalwood, agarwood and frankincense essential oil
- Productivity boost with incense containing vetiver and sandalwood essential oils
- Increased mental wellness with incense containing ylang ylang essential oil and others
- Elevated creativity with incense containing benzoin resin, vanilla and lavender essential oil
- Purified surroundings with incense containing ghee, cow dung, camphor and benzoin resin
Are incense sticks good for you?
It all comes down to preference. In our opinion, health risks should not be considered as a deciding factor here as the research done so far still has too many grey areas and was often influenced by corporate interests. The origin of incense can be found in the Vedic texts, which are composed of ancient knowledge given by Hindu saints. In The bible and other religious texts also speak highly of the use of incense. Aside from spiritual benefits, incense is also used in everyday life to promote sleep, reduce stress or just to create a nice fragrance with a magical atmosphere.
What is the purpose behind burning incense sticks?
Incense sticks are burned to enhance concentration, reduce stress, promote sleep, reduce headaches, deepen spiritual practices, boost productivity, increase mental wellness by stimulating the production of serotonin, elevate creativity and purify the atmosphere.
How often should you burn incense?
The answer depends on the purpose of why you burn incense. As the effect of incense lingers on also after the incense has been burned, one type of incense per activity session (e.g. studying, painting, meditating, sleeping) is sufficient. However, in Vedic culture it is considered energetically auspicious for a family to burn incense every day at dusk and at dawn.
How many incense should I burn?
In the Vedic tradition pieces of incense should always be burned in an uneven number (1, 3, 5…) as this signifies the infinite aspect of the universal energy or the soul.
Does incense clean the air?
Smoke has been proven to have a purifying function. For example, a herbal mixture known as ‘Havan Samagri’, disseminated in the air for one hour, effected a 94% reduction of the bacterial count for a duration of 24 hours. Incense that contains this mixture of herbs or elements of it, such as camphor, sandalwood, clove, benzoin resin, ghee or honey, also has these air purifying properties.
