History of Incense

Discover the fascinating history of Incense!

Burning incense is a tradition that dates back thousands of years, in practically all of earth’s ancient civilizations, and is well known for it’s mood-altering qualities.  The word Incense is derived from the Latin verb incendere, ‘to burn’.

It has been used to accompany prayer, to worship the Gods, purify the air, release negative vibrations, induce self-awareness and to uplift the emotional state.

There are many references to incense in the Old and New Testament and the Roman Catholics still use incense at mass and in many other of their rituals.  It symbolizes the sacredness of a person or occasion, and their prayer as it rises to God.

When Jesus was born, frankincense, myrrh and gold were presented as gifts to the newborn infant.  In Hindu tradition incense plays a very important role as the aroma contributes to providing the most favorable atmosphere for meditation and prayer.

In the worship of their Deities, incense is considered essential for any offering, so during the daily worship at their altars, Indian families offer incense, candles and flowers as a mark of devotion.  It has been explained that ‘our actions in our lives should give happiness to others, just as the incense stick gives off a beautiful smell’.

The Ancient Egyptians used incense in many of their temple rituals; they believed it purified both the worshipped and their worshippers.  It was said to drive away evil spirits while simultaneously attracting the gods. The tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes was discovered with huge quantities of perfumes, oils and incense surrounding his mummy.  Each incense had a specific purpose and effect such as Frankincense, which was regarded as ‘sustenance for the gods’.

In the ancient Sanskrit texts, there are many beautiful descriptions of festive occasions when incense was burned in the homes and streets, delighting the residents of the city ‘at every step’.  Fragrant waters were also used to spray the thoroughfares and scented garlands of flowers adorned and decorated buildings and entranceways.  The aromas created by these delightful activities were enough to ‘fill the heart with euphoria and uplift the mind to its highest state’.

In the Buddhist tradition incense has always been used to accompany their meditations, to induce self-awareness and free them of negative states.  It is associated with living with wisdom and compassion, gently permeating the world with their God-like qualities, just as incense wafts and permeates the atmosphere.

Each different fragrance has its own vibration, so incense can be selected to assist with mood enhancement, to help you feel good; soothing and uplifting – to reduce stressful situations, and to assist with personal development.  It is also excellent to burn whilst saying affirmations, to raise your consciousness and purify the atmosphere in which you live.  Most people choose their incense ‘from their heart’, thus allowing for intuition to guide them for their ‘highest good’.  Therefore, incense plays a very important role in creating a healthy environment in which those people seeking wisdom and truth can ‘tune in’ to their ‘purpose in life’.

There are many varieties of aromas within the incense world, some with a 'single note', such as jasmine, sandalwood or tuberose.  Oriental blends tend to be hot, spicy and sweet and complex floral harmonies are a blend of several floral notes together.  The ever-popular earthy tone of patchouli is a warm fragrance and is often used more in winter, to warm the heart and home; whereas the delightful, youthful fragrance  of strawberry is commonly enjoyed on a spring morning, when the sun is spreading its healing rays.