Incense

WHAT IS INCENSE? 

As Heddles.com puts it, “Incense is an aromatic biological material that produces fragrant smoke when burned.”  The origin of the word incense comes from the Latin word “incendere” which means ‘to burn.’

Incense is now used all over the world and it has a very complicated history that I will try to piece together for you. Today, my family and I have incense in my apartment and we love the smell of incense. When this project came up, I was pretty surprised to realize how many different religions incense is used in, both in past and present times. 

The incense we love to burn at home!

HISTORY OF INCENSE

Like I said earlier, incense has a very long and complicated history because it moved around a lot and many different cultures and religions have used it. But basically, as the Carrementbelle.com team says, “[t]he history of incense begins more than 6000 years ago” where we can trace the beginnings of using incense in religious ceremonies to Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. In Ancient Egypt it was used in funeral rites “[where] the souls of the dead were thought to ascend to heaven in the flame.” It was also used to cast away any demons and also during worship to the gods. It then went to India (which would become one of the biggest producers of incense in the modern world) and spread to China in the 20th century BCE, where there is evidence that “buildings were designed and built specifically for the burning of incense in late 12th-century China.” (Heddles.com) In Japan, it is thought that the Japanese Samurai in the 14th century AD used incense to perfume their helmets as representation of the people who could behead them in battle. To this day, “[t]he recreational and ritualistic use of incense [remains] present throughout Asia and many other parts of the world.” (Heddles.com)

USES FOR INCENSE TODAY

Incense is still used today for religious and also cultural purposes. For example, it is still commonly used during the Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos), which is a Mexican celebration of deceased loved ones, similar to the Christian All Saints Day. “Copal incense was burned in Mesoamerica in ancient times and is still burned for special ceremonies [it is] often placed on or near Day of the Dead altars as another olfactory element to draw in the spirits.” (www.thegracemuseum.org) Again, a reference to incense being used to represent spiritual meaning and/or using it to communicate with higher beings such as God, Spirits, etc… Incense is still used to bless religious objects, used at important occasions, meditation and also used to show prayers rising to the heavens in Hinduism and Christianity. More uses of incense include, funeral rites, Sunday Mass (in certain Christian churches,) to scent places of worship and more.

While many religions and cultures still use incense, certain people don’t use them for cultural or religious purposes at all. People use them to make their houses smell good, they can use it for (non-religious) meditation or yoga, and as incense seems to get more and more popular, people get more and more creative with incense holders. I have seen cute tiger shaped incense holders; owl, frog, dragon, flower, and dog shaped holders. 

Adorable Frog Incense holder

Cute Tiger incense holder

Incense is now sold in many stores here in Montreal, and I know for my atheist family, we use incense mostly to relax or to make our house smell good. You can also use incense for aromatherapy, as the hussincense.com article “Incense and Aromatherapy” puts it, “100% natural incense can effectively treat a number of ailments… There are several different types of incense that can be used in aromatherapy.” So there are multiple ways to use incense non-religiously in life. I just believe it is important that we acknowledge the cultural/ religious purpose for incense as well as enjoy it in everyday.

SOURCES:

INFO

The origin of incense: a perfumed travel

https://www.thegracemuseum.org/online-learning-blog/2020/11/4/dia-de-los-muertos-symbols-and-traditions?rq=incense

https://www.encyclopedia.com/philosophy-and-religion/other-religious-beliefs-and-general-terms/religion-general/incense

https://www.britannica.com/topic/incense

https://medium.com/kalis-brood/the-significance-of-incense-burning-the-hindu-way-87d6b570835f

https://adoremus.org/2012/02/holy-smoke-the-use-of-incense-in-the-catholic-church/

Incense 101: History and Products

https://hussincense.com/blogs/news/incense-and-aromatherapy#:~:text=The%20oils%20of%20the%20essential,treat%20a%20number%20of%20aliments.&text=For%20this%20reason%2C%20use%20our,can%20be%20used%20in%20aromatherapy.

PHOTOS

Photo one: https://www.simplyfragranthome.com/new-page-3

Home incense: https://www.thenaturalshop.co.uk/satya-sai-baba-nag-champa-agarbatti-incense-sticks

 Frog holder: https://www.amazon.ca/NAGU-Handmade-Ceramic-Incense-Burner/dp/B07XC5Y5ZN

Tiger holder: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/628808017/tiny-tiger-ceramic-incense-burner