Incense Benefits: Our Top 20
Our sense of smell is powerful, influencing both our physical and mental well-being, as well as our spirituality. One way to harness this power is through the use of incense, which has the magical ability to heal both inner and outer wounds. But what are the other benefits of Incense? Read on as we delve into - "Incense Benefits: Our Top 20".
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What is Incense?
What Are The Most Popular Types of Incense?
Sticks
Cones
Natural
Natural incense is deemed the most natural and ancient 'incense type', with its ingredients naturally sourced from plant extracts. It involves burning essential oils, resins, water, and botanicals on a ceramic oil warmer, forming a cleansing smoke with natural healing benefits.
Natural incense is deemed the least harsh of the incense types - its smoke is described as fresh and pleasant, unlike the harshness of sticks and cones.
There are many different natural incense scents to choose from. In addition, you can always mix and match them, meaning you can never get bored.
How to Burn Natural Incense
- 1 tall ceramic oil warmer
- A pourable jug of water
- 1 Tea Light candle
- Your natural incense
- 1 long lighter or match stick
Step 1:
Firstly, place your ceramic oil warmer on a heatproof surface, away from children, pets, and anything which could cause hazards. But, ensure there is nothing on or around your warmer.
Step 2:
Next, fill three-quarters (3/4) of the height of the bowl-like surface of your oil warmer with water. However, ensuring the rest of your warmer doesn't get wet.
Step 3:
Now place an unlit Tea Light candle into the hole of your oil warmer (below where the oil and water goes) - there should be a ledge to place it on.
Step 4:
Then, carefully sprinkle or place your botanicals and resins onto the water. Beforehand, ensure your resin and botanicals are broken down into small pieces before use.
Step 5:
Once the previous steps ore completed, place a few drops (or the recommended amount) of the essential oil into the water and botanical mix, ensuring you don't touch the oil. If you get any oil on your hands, do not touch your eyes and immediately clean your hands with soapy water until the oil has gone.
Step 6:
Next, with a long lighter or match stick, light the Tea Light candle and enjoy for 10-25 minutes or until the oil has evaporated.
Step 7:
Once finished, leave your oil and warmer to cool for 30-45 minutes (or until cool) before touching.
Incense Benefits: Our Top 20
When burning any incense type, it is always important to follow safety guidelines on how best to burn it (free from hazards).
Read on as we discuss 'Incense Benefits: Our Top 20'.
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1. Soothes Feelings of Anxiousness
Our favourite scents for soothing anxiety:
- Frankincense
- Lavender
- Coconut
- Benzoin
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.2. Strengthens Spiritual Clarity
Burning incense has been utilised for spiritual purposes for over 5000 years, flourishing in ancient civilisations such as ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley, and Mesopotamia. In these societies, it was discovered that burning plants and using the smoke to fumigate temples strengthened their connection to spiritual realms and entities, thereby enhancing their spiritual clarity. Meanwhile, this knowledge has been passed on through to modern spiritual teachings.
Our favourite scents for strengthening spiritual clarity:
- Frankincense
- Agarwood
- Lotus
- Myrrh
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.3. Enhances Focus (on Tasks or Otherwise)
Certain essential oil scents have been studied and proven to enhance cognitive functions, such as thinking, problem-solving, and memory. This being said, natural incense and other types of incense that use essential oils in their production are also known to have similar cognitive-strengthening effects.
Not only does burning incense help improve cognition, but its positive impact on our neurological system allows a person to indulge in tasks and activities (examples include: studying, working, organising, and creating) with more concentration and less intrusive thinking.
Our favourite scents for enhancing focus:
- Sandalwood
- Frankincense
- Rosemary
- Patchouli
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.4. Reduces Feelings of Tiredness & Lack of Energy
Our favourite scents for reducing feelings of tiredness & lack of energy:
- Benzoin
- Sweet Orange
- Lemongrass
- Peppermint
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5. Removes Unpleasant Aromas
Our favourite scents for removing unpleasant aromas:
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Rose
- Jasmine
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6. Aligns the Seven Main Chakras
Our favourite scents for aligning the seven main Chakras:
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7. Relieves Stress & Tension
Essential oils have been used for aromatherapy purposes since 3500 BC (and maybe even earlier), whether thats as perfume, applied for topical therapy, or burnt as incense. Their benefits exceed, with evidence suggesting that certain scents can help to improve feelings of stress, and tension that coincides. When topically applying essential oil for stress, ensure to consult with a healthcare professional before hand. Essential oils should always be diluted before use.
One study, published in 2021, concluded the mood-enhancing benefits of citrus EOs on nurses in a clinical setting, especially those experiencing stress (and other neurological issues).
Burning incense during times of stress, grief, and sadness is a popular act, especially within religion. Our sense of smell is wildly impactful, with evidence suggesting its powerful impact on our neurological system, in turn healing feelings of stress and tension.
Our favourite scents for relieving stress & tension:
- Sweet Orange
- Lilac
- Rosemary
- Palo Santo
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8. Improves Insomnia & Other Sleep Related Issues
Our favourite scents for sleep:
- Lavender
- Chamomile
- Valerian
- Jasmine
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9. Enhances Dreams & Spiritual Visions
Our favourite scents for enhancing dreams & spiritual visions:
- Mugwort
- Sage
- Frankincense
- Peppermint
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10. Deters Pests
Peppermint: Mosquitos/Fleas/Moths/Fruit Flies/Ants/ Spiders Rosemary: Mosquitos/Ticks/Fleas/Wasps/Cockroaches Lemongrass: Mosquitos/Ticks/Fleas/Moths/Ants Tea Tree: Ticks/Ants/Spiders/Wasps/Bed Bugs Lavender: Ticks/Fleas/Flies/Fruit Flies/Ants/Spiders Geranium: Ticks/Mosquitos/Fleas/Flies/Moths/Cockroaches |
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11. Uplifts Moods, Bringing Positivity & Happiness
For over 6000 years, incense has been utilised for its positivity and happiness-enhancing qualities, with many religious and spiritual relics burning plants and essential oils during joyous ceremonies and rituals. It is an influential tool, sparking fond memories, balancing unruly emotions, and bringing about good fortune and prosperity.
Incensole acetate is a compound found in some incense scents, which is proven to have a beneficial impact on a person's mood and well-being and, in turn, promotes a positive mindset and balanced thinking.
Burning natural incense during mindfulness meditation is a great way to improve an individual's mood. It can allow a person to calm their mind and focus on inhaling the healing and soothing incense aroma.
Our favourite scents for uplifting moods, bringing positivity & happiness:
- Geranium
- Frankincense
- Cinnamon
- Sweet Orange
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12. Cleanses Disturbed Energy (Removes Bad Spirits)
From the 1400s to the 1700s, witchcraft was scrutinised, with tens of thousands of women prosecuted for witchcraft, whether they were innocent or not. However, witchcraft wasn't just rituals of curses and evil chants. These so-called 'witches' took pride in their concoctions, creating healing herbal remedies and cleansing disturbed energy with bundles of burning sage and other incense.
The indigenous people of America and Canada burnt bundles of Sage - or 'smudging'. Smudging was included in their ceremonies and rituals to purify the air and, in turn, remove any bad spirits, negativity, and unruly energies present.
Burning plants (and incense) have been a part of cleansing spiritual practices as early as 3600 BC. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, Grecians, and the people of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, burnt incense to cleanse the energy of their temples, cities, and homes. The Egyptians were also known for cleansing bodies during mummification - this would remove any negativity that may affect the safe passage of their soul.
Incense is still used for energy-cleansing purposes, with many spiritually inclined people burning it before meditations, prayer, and other rituals.
Our favourite scents for cleansing disturbed energy:
- Sage bundles
- Myrrh
- Juniper
- Palo Santo
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13. Purifies The Surrounding Air
Our favourite scents for purifying the surrounding air:
- Peppermint
- Lemon
- Jasmine
- Benzoin
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14. Improves Tranquility (During Meditations or Otherwise)
Some incense scents are known for their soothing, fragrant essence and natural tension-relieving properties. Therefore, can aid a peaceful environment, ultimately improving inner tranquillity and meditational vibrations.
Around 2000 BC, incense became revolutionary within thriving ancient civilisations thanks to its multi-purposeful qualities. From removing smelly odours to enhancing meditations, incense quickly and unknowingly became a global sensation. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese both burnt incense to improve the tranquillity of their worship spaces - however, neither civilisation knew about the other. Perhaps being evidence enough that incense is a divinely orchestrated tool?
Though its popularity has remained undisputed within the spiritual community, more and more people burn incense in their day-to-day busy lives, helping them to unwind, relax, and breathe in tranquillity.
Our favourite scents for improving tranquility:
- Amber
- Sandalwood
- Chamomile
- Rose
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15. Supports Hormonal Imbalance
Our favourite scents for supporting hormonal balance:
- Lotus
- Rose
- Ylang Ylang
- Clary Sage
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16. Enhances Creativity & Imagination
Incense is a fantastic solution for inspiring creativity and enhancing imagination which, in turn, strengthens the Sacral Chakra. Our sense of smell is instinctively powerful, so by burning vibrant and fragrant incense, our creative mind sparks colour, curiosity, passion, and discipline.
The Sacral Chakra is the second energy centre within the Chakra system, above the Root and below the Solar Plexus. When this Chakra is out of balance, a lack of sexual desire and creative expression coincides. Consiquently, burning Sacral-balancing incense is one of the most popular tools used in Hinduism for aligning this unruly Chakra.
Our favourite scents for enhancing creativity:
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Myrrh
- Ginger
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17. Elevates Prayer & Worship
For centuries, incense has been an integral tool in enhancing the divine energy of religious and spiritual spaces. From ancient civilisation to modern spiritual communities, incense has always played a crucial part in worship, enhancing prayers and meditations.
Ancient relics burnt incense within sacred spaces such as temples, churches, and pagan sites - this elevated the spiritual energy, allowing connection to divine entities during prayer and rituals.
Nowadays, incense has remained popular with religion, especially in Hinduism and Buddhism, where it remains burnt within almost all pujas.
Our favourite scents for elevating prayer & worship:
- Frankincense
- Myrrh
- Jasmine
- Amber
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18. Acts as an Anti-Inflammatory Solution
Our favourite scents for an inflammatory solution:
- Eucalyptus
- Myrrh
- Frankincense
- Geranium
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19. Increases Sex Drive & Libido
Our favourite scents for sex drive & libido:
- Neroli
- Saffron
- Rose
- Jasmine
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20. Improves Brain Function
Our favourite scents for brain function:
- Saffron
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Juniper
The Bottom Line
There are countless benefits of using incense. Despite its first documentation around 6000 years ago, incense continues to revolutionise due to its numerous advantages. So, why not light up some natural incense and experience peace, joy, Chakra balance, and much more?