Why Burn Incense?

I’ve been asked this question at times and my answer is “why not?” I have, however, explained probably the four most common reasons here.

You can burn incense for Pure enjoyment. Different smells and even odors can bring back fond memories of childhood experiences or othwe expierances in life. Things such as the apple pie you remember your mother baking, the smell of dirt from a popular playground, or the smell of your father’s aftershave can stimulate the euphoria of childhood. The smell of colognes and perfumes of a loved one can bring the memories of  love rushing over you in a flood of emotions. There are many wonderful experiences that olfactory stimulation can bring about, however, memories may have nothing at all to do with it. In many cases it is just because the aroma is pleasing to you.

Incense has been burned for thousands of years in many cultures for worship and spiritual reasons. In Exodus 30:7,8 of the Bible, Aaron is commanded to burn sweet smelling incense in the temple. Even in the vast differences between so many religions a common factor among many of them is the burning of incense.

Aromatherapy is a form of complimentary medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials know as essential oils and scented compounds of plants to stimulate a persons mood or health. Two main reasons are argued for the effectiveness of this. One is the medical use of the plant and the other is stimulation that triggers things in the brain such as the things covered under “Enjoyment” in this article. If laughter is good medicine, which I believe it is, then joy can’t be to far behind.

And last, but not least, I think one of the most popular reasons us is covering those bad smells. Sometimes we have to deal with offensive or even repulsive oders. Bathroom oders, spoiled food, the litter box, the list could be endless. Lighting some incense can be a quick fix to a sometimes embarrassing situation.

Posted by Kolfinna

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