By Andrea Sipcic
The word incense is derived from the ancient latin word incendere, meaning ‘to burn.’ It is a natural (usually) aromatic substance that produces fragrant smoke when burned. This practice, of burning incense, goes back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt, China, India, and other southern Asian countries, where the practice was widely used for rituals and ceremonial purposes. Incense is used for several different purposes, and has various benefits, one of the most common ones being for energetic clearings in one’s home, or any other environment, mostly in enclosed spaces. Similarly, it is used for one’s own aura and energy cleansing. It can also be used to promote relaxation, a sense of calm, and for one’s own upliftment. This ties into using incense for meditation, another very common practice and purpose of incense use. Incense is typically made up of a blend of natural substances such as plants, herbs, and oils. While commonly seen in the form of sticks, incense can also be found in the form of cones and matches.
Incense sticks
To use an incense stick, start by lighting the end of the stick. Then allow it to burn for a few seconds before gently extinguishing the flame using soft but swift hand movements. Then place the stick in an incense holder and allow it to burn. While burning, you can also gently “wave” the stick around your own body, the body of someone else, or any object or space you wish to clear. These typically will burn for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or more.
Cones
These are used similarly to the incense sticks. It is first ideal to place the cone point side up in the holder, then light the tip, allowing it to ignite before blowing or fanning the flame out. Because of the size, cones will typically burn for a maximum of about 30 minutes, but give off a denser smoke than incense sticks, and the smoke is more vastly spread out in comparison to the sticks. There are many unique cone holders available to showcase the smolder, such as dragon and waterfall structures. Because of the placement of the cone, smoke is directed a certain way depending on the holder. For example, the dragon holder may create the illusion that the smoke is coming out of the dragon’s mouth, or cause the smoke to resemble a real waterfall.
Matches
These burn just like incense, but light like a match. They are like a quicker version of the sticks, when you don’t have a lot of time and need a quick refresher or pick-me-up. Just light the match, and allow it to burn down to about a quarter or half an inch. Then blow out the flame and place the match on an incense holder or any non-flammable surface.
Incense for Root Chakra Balancing
If you enjoy incense, and are looking to incorporate it into chakra balancing meditations and intentions, there are several incense that are specifically geared towards supporting, clearing, and balancing our chakras. For our first base chakra, the root chakra, here are a few different incense sticks available:
Chakras, 1st Chakra Muladhara Natural Champa, Dragon’s BloodHEM, Patchouli Natural Scents, Sandalwood Tulasi, Frankincense
