Incense For Happiness: Our Top 5 Scents For Pure Joy
Sometimes life can get on top of us resulting in us feeling hopeless, stressed, tense, and anxious - all we need is a sprinkle of happiness!
For centuries Incense has been a popular negativity-deterring tool, used to encourage joy, spirituality, and tranquillity in our heart space and environment.
Over the last 3 years, we have studied plants, herbs, resins, and natural methods of burning incense. Through this, we have collated a list of our top 5 scents for promoting happiness, helping us to once again get our groove going!
What is Incense?
Incense is a sacred and ancient tool involving the burning of aromatic substances to produce a pleasant and purifying smoke. There are many types of incense: incense sticks, cones, coils, and our favourite natural incense.
Burning incense is not only good for ridding bad odours but it can promote serenity, ease neurological disorders, reduce tension, decrease stress, and increase moods.
What is Incense Used For?
- Fragrance: One of the most popular incense uses is for home cleansing and odour reduction. There is a great variety of different incense scents, all of which can leave a space smelling clean and fresh. Many people burn incense in their homes; you may also find it in spaces such as shops, places of worship, spas, and salons.
- Spiritual Enlightenment: Incense has long been respected for its magical qualities - one of the most well-known is its innate power to connect us with our spirituality. It has been known to naturally balance the seven aligning Chakras, thus inspiring fierce focus, creativity, spiritual clarity, and inner grounding. This also makes it a great tool for assisting meditation, affirmation, and manifestation practices.
- Negativity Cleansing: Incense is a brilliant way to purify the air around you and fight lingering negative energies. For centuries, witches have burnt natural substances such as herbs, resins, flowers, spices, weeds, and essential oils, mostly sage and henbane. This was known to ward off unwanted spirits.
- Worship: Incense was a critical part of ancient religious practices and sacred rituals. Nowadays, people of many faiths burn incense before and during their worship to ensure their space is thoroughly cleansed of negativity and to connect them closer to higher entities. The Ancient Egyptians burnt incense during the mummification process as it was a way of bringing peace and protection to the body's soul, thus ensuring safe passage to the 'other side'.
- Yoga: Incense is popularly used in yoga and pilates sessions thanks to its natural ability to promote deep concentration and muscle relaxation. It can also re-balance the body's energy centres, allowing for other aspects of your being to align. Yoga involves a deep connection to your mind, as well as to your body and breath.
Natural Incense: Ancient Ritual Enhanced by Modern Science
Why is natural incense our favourite?
The answer is simple, When I burn natural incense I feel more connected to the earth, nature, and my body.
Natural incense is the most time-honoured type of incense, simply because it involves the burning of natural and earthly substances without added chemicals and additives, much like what our ancient ancestors would do. Its healing effects are stronger and purer than other incense types due to its unadulterated natural ingredients.
There are a few types of incense that 'can' be deemed as natural, including natural bamboo incense sticks and loose incense, however, we at Burnt Beech believe burning essential oils, resins, and botanicals is the most ancient and innate way. You can burn them separately (best recommended on an oil warmer) but all together is when the real magic happens.
Though in some ways things have progressed for the better, we are unfortunately exposed to more toxins, chemicals, and artificial contaminants than ever before. So why not go back to our roots whilst maintaining the principles of health according to modern science?
So what are these so-called natural substances?
Botanicals
Botanicals are simply dried plant matter such as flowers, herbs, fruits, stems, bark, and leaves. It doesn't get more natural than that.
Aromatic Resin
Resin comes from the sap of trees. Aromatic resins like Frankincense and Myrrh are found in trees such as Commiphora and Boswellia. Aromatic resin stays in its cool natural form, usually solidified and rock-like, and when burnt, produces a beautiful balsamic, and grounding fragrance.
Essential Oils
Essential oil is the oil that has been extracted from a plant, this is usually done through methods such as cold pressing or steam distillation. Essential oils are used for culinary purposes, in cosmetics, and most popularly for aromatherapy. Our favourite thing about essential oils is that they are incredibly potent and concentrated in fragrance whilst maintaining the plant matter's innate healing properties.
Why Incense Sticks May Be Harmful...
Burning incense sticks is great for when you want a quick and easy incense option. Incense sticks come in all sorts of scents and blends, which create beautiful unique fragrances. When burnt now and then (1-2 times every week) incense sticks can have healing and spiritual effects.
However, incense sticks commonly have chemicals and toxins added to them which can be harmful to the body. It is important to research the incense stick product you want, but in the meantime, you can read here to learn more about why some incense can be harmful and why natural incense is the way to go.
Our Top 5 Incense For Happiness
1. Sage
The Sage herb and its essential oil are enriched with cleansing qualities - its natural incense can reduce reoccurring negativity affecting your sense of happiness, confidence, and stress. A study from 2006 suggests that burning Sage incense can help to improve moods and reduce feelings of anxiety.
Sage's herbaceous aroma, with light floral and earthy notes, combined with its natural healing essence and medicinal properties is known to positively influence the neurological system and improve brain function. Not only can this have a great impact on our ability to focus and our inner happiness, but it can also balance the Manipura Chakra, dictating our ego, motivation, and overall mental well-being.
Sage was - and still is - commonly used amongst the Native Americans to increase clarity and relaxation.
Other Benefits of Sage:
- Natural Antioxidant: Sage contains compounds that act as an antioxidant within the body. This can help reduce cell damage, fight free radicals, and protect you from certain illnesses. Sage also contains healing vitamins such as A and C, which can nutritionally benefit when ingested.
- Oral Health: You may find Sage as a prominent ingredient in your oral care, this is down to its anti-bacterial elements. It can also help to reduce inflammation in the mouth, perfect for healing ulcers, cold sores, cuts, sore gums, and a sore throat. Sage chewing gum, toothpaste, or sage tea can all aid and improve oral health.
2. Geranium
Geranium incense has a sweet and floral fragrance, along with subtly spiced and earthy notes - this combination naturally uplifts energy, inspires creative thoughts, and improves moods. It is also sure to increase feelings of happiness, gratitude, and contentment, especially when burned alongside some deep and engaging mindful meditation.
Though the Victorians believed Geranium to be a symbol of foolishness, many ancient civilisations saw these vibrant flowers to be sacred and soul-healing. In folklore, Geranium flowers are a symbol of joy, prosperity, protection, and good health, and this gives a true testimony to this plant's wonderful properties.
Geranium incense creates a calming, tranquil essence - a study from 2012, on the effects of Geranium essential oil on women giving birth for the first time, presented that Geranium has anxiety-relieving effects. Geranium incense can also help to ease feelings of depression and stress, whilst helping to improve a lack of concentration and motivation.
Other Benefits:
- Skin Purifying: Geranium essential oil has natural antioxidising properties which can reduce inflammation in the skin. This may help with skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and some wounds. Geranium essential oil is also known to help tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scars.
- Natural Bug Repellent: Looking to keep those pesky bugs at bay? Well, look no further... Geranium incense is a natural and effective solution for deterring mosquitos, moths, ants, and flies out of your home.
3. Vanilla
Not only is Vanilla the main flavouring in some of the most popular deserts across the globe, but its fragrant oil and vibrant incense have the power to rejuvenate and brighten low, dampened energy. It truly is one of our favourite sweet and summery scents.
Vanilla incense is popularly used in yoga, reiki, meditation, and pilates sessions -this is mainly due to its mood-boosting and motivation-inducing effects. But we believe Vanilla's muscle-soothing properties are what make it the perfect scent for enhancing these practices. It is known to naturally ease stress-induced tensions such as headaches and body pains.
Vanilla also has brain-stimulating abilities that can help to keep the mind focused, inspired, and clear from negativity - this has a great impact on our happiness and well-being.
Other Benefits:
- Natural Aphrodisiac: Vanilla is not only great for increasing happiness feelings, but it can also connect you closer to your heart's energy. Many sex and scent professionals describe Vanilla as a sensual scent that can increase libido and sexual desire. Ways to use Vanilla to increase sex drive include its botanicals as herbal tea, its essential oil as massage oil (with a carrier oil), as a flavouring in food and drinks, and most effectively its natural produce burnt as incense.
- Anti-inflammatory: The vanilla bean has natural anti-inflammatory properties. When consumed, these beans can help with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. We are unsure of the effects of Vanilla incense on these diseases, however, evidence suggests that Vanilla essential oil is naturally antioxidising.
4. Rose
Rose incense is commonly burnt to enhance manifestation sessions, mainly for its natural ability to attract love, sex, and money. But it is so much more than just a powerful aphrodisiac.
Rose has heart and soul healing energy which can help to relieve feelings of sadness, grief, loneliness, irritability, and unworthiness. Rose essential oil can act as a soothing remedy for depression and anxiety, but mainly symptoms that coincide such as tension, nausea, irritability, stress, and lack of motivation.
We recommend burning natural Rose incense, applying Rose essential oil-based cosmetics, and drinking Rose herbal teas for the best 'happiness-enhancing' results.
Other Benefits:
- Skin Care: Rosehip (from the wild Rose bush Rosa Rubiginosa) is enriched in nutrients and vitamins A and C. This can help to rejuvenate the skin's complexion and heal old scars, wounds, acne, and rashes. Damask Rose oil can help to keep the skin well moisturised and the skin barrier protected.
- Muscle pain: Due to Rose essential oil and its natural anti-inflammatory properties, when applied topically it can ease and relax muscles whilst reducing nagging pain. There are Rose massage oils, herbal teas, moisturisers, and incense, all brilliant for relieving muscle tension and pain.
5. Frankincense
Frankincense is a sacred and heart-healing aromatic resin. Its nature-esc, musky, pine-like aroma will leave you feeling grounded and truly connected to your surroundings.
This earthly resin is long known to spiritually enlighten - the ancient Egyptians would burn Frankincense to connect them to other spiritual realms and entities, whilst also uplifting energy. Many spiritually inclined practitioners burn Frankincense when meditating and manifesting, as it can unblock the Sacral Chakra allowing for spiritual growth.
Frankincense incense also has the power to uplift moods, deter negativity, and create tranquillity. Aromatherapy is a great way to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, and Frankincense is a perfect scent to use. It can help to keep happy energy flowing through your heart and home space, as well as assist in the healing of inner and broken wounds.
Other Benefits:
- Gut Health: Frankincense can help to reduce stomach inflammation and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) symptoms such as stomach pain and abdominal bloating. Its soothing effects may help with other symptoms such as fatigue and nausea.
- Oral Health: Because of Frankincense's anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, it can help to limit unwanted bacteria within the mouth. This may help with gum disease, plaque, mouth ulcers, and cuts.
Other Incense Scents for Happiness
Woodsy and earthly Sandalwood incense has a warm, cosy essence that can help reverse feelings of sadness and discomfort. It can also help to increase sex drive, reduce stress, and keep joyous energy circulating through your home or space.
Herbaceous Lavender is known for its calm, soothing energy. Evidence also suggests that Lavender can help to improve symptoms of depression, mood swings, and anxiety. Lavender incense can also be used to improve sleep and reduce nightmares.
How to Burn Incense For Happiness
On how to burn natural incense safely, visit here.
STEP 1 - Set your intention: 'Today I allow happiness and pure joy to enter into my life'. Repeat this, or a similar mantra, until you feel it resonate fully.
STEP 2 - Light your Incense: Safely light your incense stick or your tea light candle in your oil warmer.
STEP 3 - Enjoy: Enjoy the effects of your incense for 10-20 minutes.
STEP 4 - Blow out: Blow your incense out and leave it to cool for 30 minutes before touching it.
STEP 2 - Light your Incense: Safely light your incense stick or your tea light candle in your oil warmer.
STEP 3 - Enjoy: Enjoy the effects of your incense for 10-20 minutes.
STEP 4 - Blow out: Blow your incense out and leave it to cool for 30 minutes before touching it.
Other Ways to Improve Happiness
Enjoy The Outdoors
Stepping out into nature is one of the most healing things you can do for your mind, body, and soul, and it all comes for free. The cooling fresh air, the sound of birds and bees, and the smells of fresh herbs and heavy rain can all help to improve feelings of depression, stress, anxiety, and unhappiness.
Positive Affirmation
Affirmation chanting involves repeating a word or phrase, in the mirror or to yourself, at least 10-20 times a day so you begin to resonate with the words being said. If speaking the words doesn't help, try writing them down. Affirmations can help to positively change your brain chemistry, helping you to start truly believing and trusting the phrase you are repeating.
Affirmation: 'I have everything I need to be happy'
Exercise
Exercise is one of the most popular things to do to improve happiness and overall health. Exercise releases endorphins into the body, a chemical which can leave you feeling energised, joyful, and fulfilled. Exercise can improve mental health and symptoms coinciding such as a lack of concentration, mood swings, stress, and anxiety. And it doesn't need to be anything too strenuous - a brisk walk counts as exercise!
The Final Word
While incense certainly cannot fix all your problems, it can help you to feel more present and relaxed in the moment, as well as more energised, focused, and happy. Burning incense allows you to be mindful and engaged with your deepest emotions, ultimately encouraging feelings of pure joy.