Aromatherapy

The burning of incense can be said to trace its roots to earliest man and fire, this is when man most likely discovered that certain woods had aromatic properties that brought about emotional effects. But the burning of incense and fragrant oils, known as aromatherapy, truly has its origins nearly 3,000-6,000 years ago when the ancient Egyptians discovered the therapeutic properties of certain herbs, plants, and aromatic woods. Incense artifacts have been found throughout the world and appear to be a part of nearly every culture. The history of aromatherapy is difficult to trace with great accuracy largely due to the fact that it is largely an esoteric and oral tradition that has evolved alongside religion and medicine.

The earliest archeological evidence for the burning of incense in Egypt comes from finds of spoon-shaped burners with long handles. Although no chemical evidence of the exact resin used has been found, researchers have managed to chemically characterize frankincense from a site at Quasr Ibrim. Besides burning herbs and plants in religious rites to honor the Egyptian deities, many plants and oils were used in healing as well as mummification, the primary usage of aromatherapy in ancient Egypt. The mummified bodies of Egypt's Pharaohs were covered with aromatic fragrances and their tombs filled with precious metals, jewels, and fragrances, all to please the Gods who would hopefully grant immortality to the tomb's sole inhabitant..

But the Egyptians were not the only civilization to utilize fragrant herbs and essential oils. The use of aromatherapy followed the trade routes so that the ancient Babylonians, Persians, Hebrews, Carthaginians, Greeks and Romans all had knowledge of aromatherapy. As the use of aromatherapy spread around the Mediterranean basin and as far east as India (in India incense and herbalism went hand-in-hand and is shown as such in the Vedic texts) and China, so did its characteristics.

One of the oldest and most valuable of all essential oils was Frankincense whose roots lie in these ancient times (to learn more about Frankincense click here). Each culture that adapted aromatherapy developed their own methods and practices, each contributing to the development of aromatherapy in their own ways. In more "modern" times, some physicians began to use essential oils for healing and treating diseases such as the Black Plague.

With the coming of modern science, the use of oils and incense waned until the early 1900s when a resurgence “accidentally” occurred. In 1937, a French chemist named Rene Gatefosse coined the term “aromatherapy” when he discovered the wondrous healing properties of a certain oil. Gatefosse was working in his perfume lab when he severely burned his hand. Seeking relief he quickly stuck his hand in the nearest bowl of liquid, which happened to be a bowl of oil of lavender. Gatefosse’s hand healed quickly with little scarring due to the antiseptic qualities of the pure lavender oil (to learn more about lavender click here).

Today, aromatherapy is used in hospitals, doctor’s offices, massage clinics, spas, and homes all over the world and spans the ancient world and the new millennium. The burning of incense and fragrant oils in your home is the most common form of aromatherapy and we here at the Prince of Patchouli are happy to assist you in your search for that “just right” fragrance. With that in mind let's explore the different types of incense, oils, and the methods of employing them.

Incense

The last half-century has seen a resurgence of popularity in incense for domestic use. Today incense is used for scent, relaxation, mood creation, spiritual purposes, and to combat cooking, bathroom, pet, and tobacco odors. In the following paragraphs you will be able to click on several terms to view an image on another page, when finished, don't forget to hit the "Back" button on your browser to return here.

The term incense originated as meaning "the aroma given off with the smoke of any odoriferous substance when burnt." Combustible incense such as cones, sticks, or powders, require burning to release their properties. Non-combustible incense is primarily just the ingredients themselves after grinding and mixing, their properties being released when the material is heated, not burned (such as aromatic oils).

Incense today comes in many forms: herbs, pastes, powders, and even liquids and oils, but the incense that most of us are familiar with is primarily in the form of incense sticks and cones which come from many cultures and traditions such as Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and Tibetan. Tibetan incense generally means incense found in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan, and they tend to have an earthy scent to them and may contain 30 or more ingredients in the mix. In Japanese incense the two most popular ingredients are sandalwood and agarwood. There are six categories of agarwood and one of them, kyara, is literally worth its weight in gold.

Cored stick incense, very common in India and China, is made from a thin bamboo reed that is dipped into a paste of incense material. The only problem with this, and few people really complain about it, is that the smell of the burning core can be apparent to those with sensitive noses. Masala sticks are a South Indian blending of ingredients into a paste which is hand-rolled onto bamboo cores. Another popular bamboo cored stick incense is agarbatti, whose name is derived from "agar" (aloeswood or incense), and "batti" (stick). The extremely popular Nag Champa is an agarbatti incense.

You'll often see the term joss stick incense. Traditionally the term joss was used by the Chinese to describe their religious idols. A joss house was a temple and a joss stick was a stick of incense burned in their temple. Today many people use the term joss to describe incense in general, whether it be sticks, cones, or coils. It is also confusing to discover the term describing both cored stick incense as well as hand-rolled sticks with no core. Indian joss sticks are traditionally made with a bamboo core, while Japanese joss sticks are manufactured without a core. Confused? Here's more food for thought on the subject...Chinese joss sticks can be made either way. As a side note, Chinese temple and festival joss sticks have been known to be made into very large cylinders, sometimes as big as building columns!

Other types of stick incense include smooth, thin spaghetti-like sticks like Japanese senko incense or the thicker hand-formed cylinders such as dhoop and simpoi. Dhoops are of Indian origin and are solid sticks of incense that come in a variety of sizes although they are typically of two types: dry, inflexible sticks, or soft gummy cylinders or logs. Dhoops tend to have very concentrated scents and put out a lot of smoke when burned. Simpoi is a Tibetan style incense stick that is based on deodar cedar and is a bit thicker than senko.

Cone incense was an invention of the Japanese and were introduced to the Western World at a World's Fair in Chicago in the late 1800s. The ingredients are the same as for stick incense except the mixture is formed into cone shapes. Coil Incense is also made up of the same ingredients that are shaped into a coil designed to hang suspended in the air, the coils spiraling downward under their own weight, the incense burning upward spirally.

How Incense Is Burned

If you are using stick incense the method of burning is straightforward; light the end of the stick (hold it by the uncoated end-if it is a solid stick you can light either end), then place the uncoated end of the stick in an ash-catcher (a long piece of wood that catches the falling ash, a disk or plate that serves the same purpose, or a box burner that encloses the burning incense-some even have incense storage underneath), a bottle burner (where the stick is held upside down by a ring at the top), or in a more elaborate poly-resin burner. After a few seconds gently fan out the flame (in some cultures it is considered disrespectful to blow out the flame) and allow the incense to burn naturally (it will have a red glow and give off a wisp of smoke). The same holds true for cone incense. Place it in a burner, light the tip, fan out the flame, and allow it to burn. If your incense goes out it may not be getting sufficient oxygen; this can happen if your burner is too small, if your burner has a lid try removing it. If you are burning an incense coil light the tip of the coil and follow the same procedures as above using a coil burner or by placing the coil atop a bed of ash or sand. If you are burning dhoop sticks you can break of a piece about an inch long and gentle roll it between your fingers, giving it a cone shape. After lighting the tip and extinguishing the flame, place it in its burner. Remember, a small piece goes a long way. With a bit of practice you can burn the entire stick with little if any waste, this will work with cones too. Start by placing the entire stick in the ash and then wiggling the stick slightly. This creates a small pocket of air next to the incense stick allowing it to burn longer and sometimes completely.

If you are burning loose incense mixtures or incense pellets you will need either charcoal or makko to heat your mixtures. If you are using bamboo charcoal (WITHOUT saltpeter-see below), light the piece of charcoal and place it in the center of your bowl filled with ash or sand. It helps to build up the base medium into a cone shape and place the charcoal on top of it. After your charcoal has acquired a grey/white ash cover (it takes about 5 minutes) sprinkle your mixture directly on top of or right next to the charcoal and allow the charcoal to heat the materials and release their fragrance into the air (don't use too much incense as you can smother it). If your charcoal has a concave indention on one side, place it in the burner with this indentation facing up and fill it with your incense to be burned. Add more incense as you use up what is in your burner. The use of loose mixtures and pellets has probably been the most common method of burning incense throughout history. In Japan, Tandon charcoal tablets are used in the Japanese Koh ceremony. They are fragrant free and not made with sulfur, saltpeter, or any chemical additives.

Also for use with charcoal is a small mica plate that is placed on top of the charcoal. Another method of employing the mica plate is to bury the charcoal in a cone-shaped mound of ash and poking a vent hole form the top of the mound down to the charcoal. The mica plate is then placed atop the mound and over the vent hole. Sprinkle your incense on the mica plate and as the mica plate heats the incense will release it's fragrance into the air. This method produces less smoke than any other.

Makko, sometimes called tabu, is a natural combustible material derived from the tabu-no-ki tree, Machilus Thunbergii, which grows in certain parts of Asia. Makko comes in a fine powdered form that burns slowly yet produces high heat. Again, using your bowl filled with ash or sand, make an indentation in the material (an ash press is used for this, or you can use anything that will suffice such as a heavy spoon) and fill it with makko powder and compact it (again using your ash press). Light the makko powder and when it is burning sprinkle your incense upon it.

If you are burning outdoors, the incense can be placed on a rock on the outer edge of your campfire or on the glowing coals (no open flames).

In the last fifty years or so, saltpeter has been used as an oxidizer in a common ingredient in many charcoals today. Saltpeter may be in the form of sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate, both of which are toxic and you are warned against inhalation of vapors born of this chemical. Prince of Patchouli recommends using bamboo charcoal or makko to burn your incense. A good way to tell if your charcoal has saltpeter in it is to light the charcoal and see if it crackles, if it does it most likely has saltpeter in it. "Self-igniting" charcoal (meaning the charcoal lights with only one match) contains potassium nitrate and often creates tiny sparks when lit.

Safety Precautions When Burning Incense

Unfortunately, for some it is not as easy as lighting a stick of incense to begin to enjoy its fragrance, care must be exercised. The Prince of Patchouli knows that most of you reading this are familiar with the safer aspects of burning incense, but for those that don't we offer the following.

Burning incense is HOT, it will burn you and/or your clothes if you come in direct contact with it. Always place your burner on a heat resistant surface, a very hot burner can damage or discolor wood and shatter glass table tops. If you're using charcoal it can burn at up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not use charcoal in a glass container without sand or ash, the glass can shatter from the high heat. Make sure that ash falling from you incense stays on your ash catcher, it may discolor furniture and may often be hot enough to ignite whatever it may land upon. Never burn incense directly underneath flammable objects such as curtains, hanging clothing, or lampshades (bear in mind that the smoke from burning incense may discolor such items). While you'll want to burn only in a well-ventilated area, you must also be aware of drafts and make sure a gust doesn't blow hot ashes on a flammable surface. Keep burning incense out of the reach of children. Never leave burning incense unattended, put it out before going to sleep. When discarding the spent incense, make sure it is truly extinguished and cool to the touch before trashing the remains (charcoal ash can remain hot for hours after your incense has been burnt). For stick incense, you can break off the burning end or just dip it in water. If you are employing a censer, turn the stick upside down and thrust the burning end into the ash or sand, it can later be reused. If you are burning coil incense you can break off the burning tip and discard it in water, and for charcoal you can use a pair of tweezers to remove the embers to discard them in water as well. If you suffer from respiratory problems, are pregnant, are prone to seizures, or have had a stroke, check with your physician before burning incense. Never take incense internally.

No medical claims are made involving the use of any our aromatherapy products..

All information given on this site is for educational purposes only.

If you have any medical questions contact your licensed practitioner.

Some essential oils have contraindications. Please seek advice from your health care provider.

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