Incense: A Simple Guide

Incense has been used for centuries, and may have originated in Egypt, where aromatic trees were imported from Arabia for use in religious ceremonies. It has been used globally for meditation, purification, worship and personal enhancement. Here is a simple description of the differences between Japanese, Indian, and pure resin incense to help you choose what suits your needs best.

Pure Resin Incense Sticks

The burning of aromatic and therapeutic plant and tree resin was the original form of incense. This ancient art has been simplified for the modern user by the creation of pure resin sticks. The resins are gathered from berries, bark, flowers, gums, roots, leaves, seeds, spices, and wood. Handmade in small batches, resin is a fragrant and intense form of incense. The smoke is thick and heavy with scent, and used as a form of aromatherapy is said to stimulate the brain, promote relaxation, work as an anti-inflammatory and aid in healing the mind and body in a variety of ways, depending on the resin source. Fred Soll's Incense is made in New Mexico and he uses natural pinon resin harvested in the forests of the region to bond nature’s ingredients to the incense sticks. These sticks will burn approximately 2 hours.

Indian Incense

Introduced in the USA in the 1970's, for many of us Nag Champa was our first step into incense culture. A perfect representative of Indian Incense, it is made from a mixture of herbs, floral extracts and Mysore Sandalwood oil, which are hand rolled onto a bamboo stick. It has a florally, sweet odor, and will overpower most any other smell in the room. Each stick burns for about 45 minutes, and the odor will linger long after. Used to purify and calm the mind. Best stored in a plastic bag, as it will tend to transfer it's scent onto anything stored nearby.

Japanese Incense

In Japan, incense evolved from medicinal and religious use to an art form that emphasized the enjoyment and skill of creating graceful aromas. Japanese incense is clean and beautifully simple, focusing on natural floral and woody themes and producing a lovely, purifying scent that will not overpower your space. The bark of the evergreen tree Tabu-o-ki is ground up and added to the incense mixture as a binding agent and does not affect the pure natural perfume of the other ingredients. The smoke is light and perfect for burning every day. Each stick will burn for approximately 25 minutes.

We leave you with the 10 VIrtues of Koh (Incense) introduced to Japan over 600 years ago by Zen master Ikkyū, which lists the benefits of using incense.

The 10 Virtues of Koh

It brings communication with the transcendent.

It purifies mind and body.

It removes impurity.

It keeps one alert.

It can be a companion in the midst of solitude.

In the midst of busy affairs, it brings a moment of peace.

When it is plentiful, one never tires of it.

When there is little, one is still satisfied.

Age does not change its efficacy.

Used everyday, it does no harm.

Visit Branches and explore our selection of incense to find your favorite!