What's the use of incense?

(Margaret Brown/Flickr)

(Healthandyoga.com) It is worth wondering why incense has regularly been involved in various spiritual practices across religions -- Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, and more. One of the most important reasons is that it purifies the air. It also has an extraordinarily soothing effect on the mind. Just like candles brighten an area, the aromatic effects of incense offer tranquility.

Incense is said to have several medicinal effects as well. Many earlier civilizations used it as herbal medicine for treating various disorders. This, in fact, forms the basis of aromatherapy. Many natural incense ingredients [never their synthetic imitations] are used as primary medicine all over the world.

During meditation, incense is said to dissipate negative energy. Burning it helps create a positive state of mind and helps condition the mind to associate typical fragrances, such as sandalwood or frankincense, with meditative calm. Since successful meditation depends on the mental state of the meditator, incense can facilitate one's practice by adding relaxation and clarity.

Whereas a candle has a positive visual impact, certain fragrances impart positive impulses to the brain. More importantly these positive impulses, over time, become a natural [Pavlovian] response to that particular scent. The mind becomes "conditioned" to respond in a particular way when that scent is used. For the best effect the incense used during meditation should be of a special (non-synthetic) type used only during meditation. More>>