21 Reasons To Burn Incense & Benefits

From Wicked Good in Chicago, Illinois comes hand-scented incense pyres in a range of complex scents.

Wicked Good incense pyres are a contemporary update to the ancient tradition of incense burning. Based on our Wicked Good perfume concepts, each incense fragrance is unique and unexpected. 

If you love a good incense; and hate a bad one, try ours. By choosing a blend to match your desired state of mind, many people find that their mood is enhanced or are transported into their desired natural setting. 

Incense has been burned in sacred rituals for thousands of years but is enjoying a modern renaissance.

Forget everything you think you know about incense and don’t dare mention the word patchouli. The new breed of incense is more sophisticated than the cheap, smokey stuff your parents burned in their bedroom as a teenager.

In an age when the closest thing many of us have to a morning ritual is reaching for our phones to check social media, a little ceremony appears to be creeping back in.

Self-care Sunday has been trending for a few years now; as is the rise of meditation and mindfulness. Social media is awash with new age affirmations, crystals and goddess rituals. And incense is appealing to a new generation searching for ways to reinstall ceremony into lives which are largely spent on screen.

THE HISTORY OF INCENSE
Incense is a substance that's burned to produce a fragrant scent. In fact, the word “incense” is derived from the Latin word for “to burn.” Incense has been around since ancient times — it was used in religious rituals in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Greece.

One of the oldest extant incense burners originates from the 5th dynasty. The Temple of Deir-el-Bahari in Egypt contains a series of carvings that depict an expedition for incense. The Babylonians used incense while offering prayers to divining oracles. Incense spread from there to Greece and Rome.

One of the first purveyors of incense in the United States was Vantine & Co. Ashley Abraham Van Tine, established a business in San Francisco in 1854, to start selling oriental goods.  Following his return to his hometown, New York in the 1860s, he started importing ceramics and textiles from The Far East. One of the products he specialized in was imported incense - the use of which was growing in popularity in America. 

In fact, the US Patent & Trademark Office records that the trademark ‘Vantine’s’ was first used commercially in 1866 specifically for incense. Over the next few years his range of imported products grew as well as their countries of origin and in 1875 A A Vantine & Co was incorporated and gained a reputation quickly as a business specializing in unusual, eastern wares and was a unique destination shopping emporium.

INCENSE
Incense is a substance that's burned to produce a fragrant scent. In fact, the word “incense” is derived from the Latin word for “to burn.” Incense has been around since ancient times — it was used in religious rituals in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Greece.

INCENSE SYMBOLIZES
The smoke of burning incense is interpreted by both the Western Catholic and Eastern Christian churches as a symbol of the prayer of the faithful rising to heaven. This symbolism is seen in Psalm 141 (140), verse 2: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice."

INCENSE BENEFITS
Scents, aromas, fragrances (however you describe them) can be used to trigger specific responses. For instance; to encourage relaxation, aid sleep, promote concentration, stimulate creativity, increase motivation and heighten sexual desire. There are many benefits to burning incense including:

1. Relax
   Calm + Destress

2. Anxiety
   Comfort + Soothe

3. Meditation
   Presence + Peace

4. Mindfulness
   Conscious + Aware

5. Happy
   Blissful + Optimistic

6. Healthy
   Vitality + Renewal

7. Creativity
   Purpose + Passion

8. Focus
   Concentration + Productivity

9. Manifest
   Clarity + Trust 

10. Sleep
    Tranquility + Stillness

11. Goals
    Visualization + Commitment

12. Sexual Desire
    Confidence + Charisma

13. Forgiveness
    Compassion + Peace

14. Vibrance 
    Energy + Insight

15. Harmony
    Wisdom + Compassion

16. Braveness
    Courage + Resilience

17. Forgiveness
    Kindness + Joy

18. Willpower
    Confidence + Conviction

19. Wanderlust
    Adventure + Opportunity

20. Indecisiveness
    Confidence + Clarity

21. Procrastination
    Focus + Action

Incense can quickly and easily enhance your everyday. Whether you use it to purify the air, enhance your yoga practice or balance your mind, body and soul, burning incense is a magical experience. May your home be filled with as many luscious smells as it is gorgeous decor.