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Gifts for the Soul
As you meditate, surround yourself with pleasant aromas from around the world and lift yourself to new heights. Incense has always played a significant role in religious ceremonies from ancient civilizations; from Egypt, India, China, Japan, Greece. Christianity and yes, even from the Native American Indian. In our Incense Collection find incense burners, incense holders, incense sticks, incense cones, inscense kits and boxes. Find great gift ideas from Cosmeta's New Age Giftshop.
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A Brief History of Incense
The creation of traditional herbal incense was a sacred ancient art form. Incense has always played a significant role in religious ceremonies from ancient civilizations. An Egyptian tablet dated from 1530 B.C, mentions its useage; and it is also described in the Vedic scriptures of India, dated at 5,000 B.C. Natural ingredients and scents are an important part of ceremonies in Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as in Chinese and Japanese Shinto rituals. We find it's useage in ancient Greece as early as the 8th century B.C. as well. Incense are also used in the Christian church for centuries. It is well known that frankincense and myrrh were offered to baby Jesus by the three wise men upon his birth. In America, for example, sage, and other aromatic herbal substances are important ingredients in traditional Native American Indian medicine and ceremonial rituals.
The Manufacture of Incense
With the advent of the perfume industry in the early 1800's many naturally prepared incense began to be replaced with artificial chemical ingredients, giving way as it were to a whole new manufacturing industry---incense. Synthetic production of incense has also had a hugh effect upon the once valued traditional methods associated with ritual creation as well as ritualistic usage. But in the mid to late 1800's American and European interest in incense has been rekindled.
Incense has become increasingly popular, especially with the advent of Madame' Helena Blavatsky Theosophical Society, to which our modern New Age era owes much. In a manner of speaking we could say, that we have arrived at an era in time where East meets West. And although we of the 21st century may use incense as part of our ceremonial New Age practices such as meditation, prayer and/or smudging, the incense itself is not as sacred as it once was. We may purchase it, but we do not create it. We do not grow it, harvest it, or make it into a finished product; for example. This unfortunate result is also magnified because those with the knowledge of this ancient art form are slowly dying away with each and every passing generation.
Ingredients of Incense
Common ingredients of incense include: aromatic woods, tree barks, roots, herbs, leaves, flowers, seeds, resins, gums and oils. Traditional scents most frequently used are frankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, rose petals, cinnamon, pine, benzoin, cedar, bay, rosemary, and basil. In India, for example, sandalwood, lavender, golden champa, patchouli, rose, jasmine, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, citronella, sesame, hibiscus, cardamom, saffron, ginger, lotus, kadamba, hena, and camphor are widely used.
Delivery Method of Incense
Two delivery methods for the usage of incense are most popular: non-combustionable and combustionable---those that will not burn of their own accord and those that will. Non-combustionable incense particles are sprinkled onto charcoal embers to produce a rich aromatic scent filled room or outdoor area. Combustionable incence contains potassium nitrate as one of its ingredients and is used to help intensify the flamability of the product allowing it to burn for a considerable amount of time. The finished product comes to us in the form of various shapes, but the most popular are cones and sticks.
Zen Scented Incense Cones
Natural aromatic woods such as sandalwood, essential oils derived from flowers and herbs, were used as a natural scent. Incense were most often used to banish so-called evil spirits or to bring natural herbal ingredients into the body for healing; but they can also be used to mask unpleasant odors by replacing them with pleasant aromas. It is not always about ritualistic protecting, smuding, or warding off evil . Sometimes it is what it is---a very simplistic way of bringing the outdoors to us in a very natural pleasing way.
Buddha Candle and Incense Burner
A mini Zen garden gets its gleam from gilded finish and glowing candlelight! Before the seated Buddha figure, holders allow you to burn your favorite incense sticks for an air of sweet serenity. Polyresin. Uses two tealight candles (included). 9 1/2" x 3 1/4" x 5 1/4" high. Suggested retail price: $17.95
