A little history of incense
First a little history on incense. The fragrant smoke is from an aromatic material that is burned.
Since almost the beginning of time, well since the discovery of fire anyway, incense in one form or another has been used. Our ancestors realized that by throwing certain things into the fire it would give fragrance to the air.
Sending your good wishes to the heavens
Traditionally used in religious rituals, it is becoming just as common a practice to use for aromatherapy, meditation and just making a room smell better. It was/is also used for sacred events and healing purposes. It was use as dedication to the Gods and it was believe that the smoke would carry your good wishes and prayers to the heavens.
Can change your mood
Incense is widely used as Aromatherapy today, but did you know it has a history of being used for healing based on scent. It's only been recently that it has become popular for that again. Aromatherapy, which is now recognized as being able, via the stimulation of the olfactory nerves, to produce physical, emotional and psychological effects independent of the thinking process. Many of the reactions and decisions we make are intrinsically linked to our sense of smell, and many areas of our health and relaxation can be positively affected by smell, and by definition, through Aromatherapy.
Currency?
It was also discovered that burning incense heightened your senses and could change your mood. For many years Frankincense from the Arabian peninsula was considered more valuable currency than gold or silver.
Incense has many uses
Incense can help to:
cleanse the atmosphere
aid calm and reduce anxiety, stress, and fear
revitalize, stimulate, and renew energy
alleviate insomnia
prepare the mind and body for prayer, meditation and contemplation
accelerate healing
Burning incense is a big part of many cultures
One of the oldest surviving texts, (the Ebers Papyrus 2000 BC), defines a list of medicinal herbs in use around 1800 BC. Along with Egyptian Hieroglyphs. Teach us that burning incense is a big part of many cultures.
Priests would burn incense on street corners during festivals to appease the Gods. Also in the writings it tells us that a healer would burn incense to cast out demons from an ill patent. Incense was always kept burning within temples to honor the Egyptian gods and goddesses.
These books and writings teach us how many cultures use incense from the Hebrew and Christians, to Buddhists, Hindu, Pagan, Native American cultures and more.
Even the Torah, God instructs Moses on how to make incense. The Bible also has a few references to incense.
Even casinos use aroma
Mark Peltier, president of AromaSys, says smell is a powerful sense, and Strip resorts hire him to capitalize on it. Most use a sent called "Seduction" it contains a significant amount of musk and is described as "strong, soothing and sensuous."
Not much different than the reason movie theaters blow the popcorn smell through out the lobby.
Because humans always attach a memory to a smell and visa versa
It's a Fact
Studies show that the smoke coming from incense is more toxic than cigarette smoke.
Researchers have found that incense smoke is more mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic than cigarette smoke. Which means it is about to cause genetic mutations and cause changes in cells, DNA which can lead to cancer.
They do say that is was only a small study and only tested on mice. However it has been linked to the development of lung cancer, childhood leukemia and brain tumors.
People with respiratory issues and any lung disease should probably stay away from incense smoke.
Dr Nick Hopkinson, medical adviser to the British Lung Foundation said "Smoke from any source has an effect on the lungs, and it has a particularly bad effect on developing lungs. The main cause of lung disease is cigarette smoke, but there are other types of smoke.'Biomass smoke, from cooking and heating, is a big cause of lung disease across the world."
