In the most basic definition, incense is the burning of any aromatic plant material used to enhance, promote, protect life or to encourage and strengthen connection to the Divine. Burning aromatic plants for health, happiness and holiness has been a tradition in every culture throughout time. Smelling aromatic smoke can activate many different aspects of our inner life – the reaction to aroma can be primitive to sublime; archaic to evolved; inward or outward directed.

Ritual use of incense can be found within many cultures. Ancient Egyptians believed that their prayers were lifted towards the gods on the aromatic smoke.  Make the smoke smell beautiful and your prayers were guaranteed to be answered. Olibanum was burned in the morning.  Myrrh was burned at noon. And Kyphi, a blended incense, was used in the evening.  In Japan, an incense burning culture of sophisticated esthetics was developed.  Sensory delight stimulating the imagination led to the creation of Koh-do.  In Koh-do there is a fragrance ceremony in which selected individuals seek to intensify both their awareness and inspiration through the use of aromatic smoke. Native American traditions view the burning of aromatic “power plants” such as sage, cedarwood and juniper, as a means of purification and healing, and also help restore people’s contact with nature as a whole and with the Great Spirit specifically.

As Thomas Kinkele states in his book, Incense and Incense Rituals,
“Fire is the elemental force of change. In the world of nature, it destroys what is old and creates fertile ground for rebirth. Human encounter with fire is also confrontation with human fear. Overcoming fear is a major issue in the face of this regenerative power. For primeval humans mastering this force gave them both warmth and protection from wild animals … To perceive the purification that occurs in the presence of fire and to find a sense of peace deep within is to experience a rebirth.  Courage and capacity are ignited within when a human being encounters his very own fire.” (p.9)

There are several types of incense.  Some of these include:

• Incense sticks: There are two types – those with supporting wood (eg. thin bamboo) or those without supporting wood
  Supporting wood sticks have a moist aromatic paste applied to a thin bamboo stick then allowed to dry before use.  Without supporting wood sticks are made in a similar way to making noodles. An aromatic paste is squeezed out and left to dry before use.

• Incense spirals: created without wood sticks, the aromatic paste is coiled and left to dry. Large coils have the advantage of burning for a long time.  They can be burned using a specialty stand or delicately hung up with fine thread

• Incense cones: the most widespread and common form of incense.  Aromatic paste is shaped into cones, left to dry, then ignited at their tip and allowed to burn down to the base

• Smudge Sticks: plants known as “power plants” are burned for their aromatic smoke. Cutting of the herbs, bushes or twigs is performed “in the Right Way” ie. with mindfulness and respect. Then, they are bundled and left to dry. When ready, the tip is lit and once really burning, the sacred smoke is inhaled while it envelopes the body – cleansing it and its energy of negativity. Sometimes, the plants are braided instead of bundled, as in the case of Sweetgrass.

• Smudge Smoke: Dried “power plants” are placed loosely in a container (eg.abalone shell) and then lit to create sacred smoke.  The container may be left stationary or held and moved around the space or person, depending upon the situation, to cleanse and protect.

There are several ways to enjoy burning incense.  The classic way is to scatter it on a glowing piece of charcoal in a crucible (an Incense Burner) or fire-proof dish. Most folks no longer use charcoal for their heating needs or barbeques, so one must look elsewhere for the charcoal. There are specially made charcoal quick-lite tablets designed for incense burning which are usually available where you purchase incense.  If you have a real wood fire burning (not your inside gas fireplace!), you can easily sprinkle incense or dried aromatic plants onto it and let the aromatic smoke surround you.

If you have incense sticks, you can place them in a container filled with dirt or sand to use and enjoy the aroma anywhere.  It is a “trick” that I use on the back deck when flowers are not plentiful. A few well-placed incense sticks tucked into my patio containers provide aroma that wafts around the area, creating a magical moment while sitting outside.  Another method to consider is creating a large incense burn at the entrance of your home which greets guests as they arrive.  Not only do they love being greeted by it, but as they walk through the smoke, the incense helps cleanse them of any negativity they might bring into your personal space!

When deciding upon which incense is necessary for personal growth and transformation, it is helpful to look at how the aroma can be categorized.  The Four Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth all have corresponding incenses associated with them.  Additionally, we can look at how the Three Centers of Perception: Mind, Emotion, Body, respond and work with certain aromas.  To illustrate, let us look at examples of each with the Fragrance Message the aromatic incense conveys.  These notes come from the book, Incense and Incense Rituals by Thomas Kinkele.

FIRE
Mind:                  Amber   “Renewal at the place of origin”
Emotion:             Cardamom  “Confidence and joy in life”
Body:                   Cinnamon Bark  “Food for the inner fire” 

AIR
Mind:                  Pine Resin  “Staying in the game”
Emotion:            Rue  “The seeker is guided to the light”
Body:                  Yerba Santa  “Feeling love for yourself”

WATER
Mind:                  Lavender  “Shedding light on the emotions”
Emotion:            Rose  “Comfort and healing”
Body:                  White Sage  “Looking at what is essential” 

EARTH
Mind:                  Asafoetida  “At the center of the cyclone”
Emotion:            Angelica Root  “Walking your own path”
Body:                  Vetiver  “Accepting and loving yourself”

You’ve likely noticed that several essential oils are listed for more than one use.  That is their nature – oils don’t limit themselves to just “one-way only”.  Some of these essential oils are also helpful with the physical pains and changes felt during stressful times. This makes them valuable for helping both the psychological and physical manifestations of stress and anxiety.  Some folks combine an inhalation and application method with their selected essential oils so that they address their distress from all angles. Everyone’s aromatic journey is different, yet the goal is the same – Relief.

With these challenging times, it’s good to know that Mother Nature offers us support. Always has ~ Always will.  We just need to partner with her to find what works for us.

These are but a few of the aromatics that may be used as incense. May you enjoy exploring the many incenses available for enjoyment, healing and enlightenment

The sweet, slow nature of Summer “time off” has evolved into the hustle and bustle of Autumn’s “full speed ahead”. Work, family, school, groups, meetings all seem to be ramping up at the same time. It isn’t easy staying calm and centered when the world is pulling you in many directions and vying for your attention. No wonder anxiety issues are on the rise in all age groups.

Anxiety. Its basic definition is: an unpleasant feeling of tension and apprehension, accompanied by behavioural, physiological and psychological symptoms. Anxiety is an early warning signal that alerts people to impending real or symbolic threats to self, significant others or a way of life (Haber).  Low or moderately low level of anxiety can be helpful for improving one’s performance or improving one’s focus. But as anxiety goes way up, one’s ability to function, focus and attend to others goes way down. So, the trick is to not let one’s level of anxiety get too high.  Some days, we are better at doing this than on other days!

Anxiety affects physical functioning, emotional experiences and functioning, thinking (how and what we think) and our behaviour (what we say and do).  Those who have high levels of anxiety are at a higher risk of unwellness – physically, emotionally and spiritually. The higher the level of anxiety and the longer one is experiencing this anxiety eventually leads to exhaustion – and real health problems.

Stress is similar to Anxiety.  In general, Stress is regarded as the response to any demand made upon the body, whether it is physical or psychological. This forces the body to alter its structures, processes or behaviour in order to re-establish its balance and equilibrium (H. Selye). Any factor that disturbs the balance in the body or mind is considered a stressor – so in this way, anxiety can be considered a stressor, which can create stress for the person.

In Selye’s original model, there are three stages to Stress: Alarm ~ Alert ~ Exhaustion (or Resolution).  An Acute Stress reaction is unlikely to cause health problems because it gives the body a chance to reach balance again through Resolution. It’s quick to come on and quick to resolve. Under Chronic Stress, the body is prevented from feeling and achieving balance, because it always stays on Alert. Chronic Stress can create and/or worsen physical problems and is found to contribute to clinical depression.

Generally, we say that someone is experiencing stress when the stressor has exceeded that person’s ability or resources to cope with it.

Worry is a natural response to many life circumstances. It can be healthy or unhealthy. If you find you are consumed with your worries and you find yourself making choices and decisions based upon fears rather than on logic or reason, you may be experiencing Problematic Worry.  Excessive / Problematic Worry is the chief symptom of Generalized Anxiety.

Healthy Worry is focused on effective problem solving. Brainstorm alternative solutions, evaluate possible outcomes, MAKE A DECISION, develop a plan and form a timetable. Healthy Worry brings together emotions and information, reviews and decides what to do.  Then Action puts the decision into motion. We call this “following through” on a plan. An action plan can always be tweaked as new information or situations come to light. Most people find they have less anxiety when they are actually doing something about what has them worried.

Unhealthy Worry is focused on catastrophic thinking.  It leads to continually examining an endless list of all the potentially negative outcomes of a situation without looking for alternative, positive solutions. Unhealthy Worry spends time and energy looking at all the possible, “What if’s …“ which leave no time or energy to make a decision, set up a plan and put it into action.  Unhealthy Worry just spins your wheels and boosts anxiety levels higher and higher. The more anxious you become, the more your potential for other health and wellness problems increases.  And then you’ll have even more to worry about!

In the early 1990’s, J.M.Black and E. Matassarin-Jacobs presented their research on what people considered the 10 Most Frequent Hassles and Uplifts in life. These were the things that increased and decreased worry, anxiety and stress levels for the respondents.

It is interesting to see what people considered their Hassles to be, 30 years ago:

1. Concerns about their weight
2. Health of a family member
3. Rising prices of common goods
4. Home maintenance
5. Too many things to do
6. Misplacing or losing things
7. Yard work or outside home maintenance
8. Property investment or taxes
9. Crime
10. Physical appearance

It looks like many of these “hassles” are still with us today!

So how does Aromatherapy fit in with all this?  Good question!

When inhaled, essential oils used in aromatherapy can trigger responses in the brain and nervous system which can then alter the psychological and hormonal reactions one experiences with worry, anxiety and stress.  Some essential oils will have a calming, soothing effect on the mind and body, while others will have an energizing, clarifying effect.  Essential oils applied to the skin can help reduce physical manifestations of worry, anxiety and stress (eg.muscle tension, headaches, racing pulse etc.) and circulate in the blood and lymph fluids to assist with general health support.  Between inhalation and application, there is bound to be a method and essential oil(s) to help bring the body and mind back to balance.

Inhalation of essential oils can be accomplished in many ways.  A simple drop or two on a tissue can then be inhaled deeply as needed.  Personal or room sprays can quickly turn a heavy mood or situation into something that feels much lighter and positive. Diffusers offer a steady aromatic mist that keeps the air full with the aroma which is then inhaled at all times when in that environment.  This helps create steady exposure to the oils so that their effects are constantly felt.  Personal aromatherapy inhalers are a quick and convenient way to get a “hit” of the essential oil or blend you want – any time, any where. Inhalation patches are worn on the upper chest and emit a steady level of essential oil aroma for 8-12 hours, to breathe in. This is especially helpful when the anxiety and stress are preventing a good night’s sleep or when one is in a stressful situation and would like aromatic support to get through it (eg. work situations, family confrontation, funeral, medical procedure, dental appointment etc.).

Applications of essential oils are easily done. In these cases, the effects are more pronounced on the areas they are applied to.  Eventually, the oils penetrate the skin and enter blood and lymph circulations which then carries their component parts throughout the body to elicit more effects. The choice of the carrier product determines how fast and how much of the essential oil molecule can get into the body.  Water-based gels provide the fastest effects – they go in quickly and they are done quickly. Heavy creams and ointments, on the other hand, take much longer to penetrate the skin and deliver the essential oils to the body. This is a clue as to when to use what:  if you need fast relief, use a water-based gel.  If you want the effects to linger longer, use an oil-based cream or massage oil. If you want effects longer than that – look to an ointment or wax. Essential oils can also be used in baths, soaps, massage bases, scrubs, and compresses to deliver stress and anxiety relief. As a bonus: all application methods also have an inhalation aspect to them, as the aroma from the product wafts around you. It may not be as strong an aroma as is delivered by an inhalation method, but it is still there.

Undiluted essential oils should not be used on the skin for stress or anxiety relief. It is a method reserved for first-aid situations and only a few essential oils can safely be used this way and only for a very short time frame.  Overuse of undiluted essential oils on the skin can set up a higher potential for skin sensitivity reactions and irritations.

Choosing an essential oil or a blend of oils is exciting. As long as you have no special health conditions / allergies that would stop you from using an oil, feel free to experiment. Use your “sniffer” to find what you enjoy. Then decide how you would use it (which method) and blend it up (or have it blended for you). You may find that things really do begin to balance again and that you can cope with anything and anyone without undue worry, anxiety or stress. Feeling grounded, protected, resilient, capable and hopeful, go a long way to supporting health and wellness. And essential oils, when used properly and regularly, can help you find your way there.

Some of the most helpful essential oils to use for re-establishing balance in mind-body from stress and anxiety include:

Some of the most helpful essential oils to use for energizing and increasing clarity in thought and emotions include:

You’ve likely noticed that several essential oils are listed for more than one use.  That is their nature – oils don’t limit themselves to just “one-way only”.  Some of these essential oils are also helpful with the physical pains and changes felt during stressful times. This makes them valuable for helping both the psychological and physical manifestations of stress and anxiety.  Some folks combine an inhalation and application method with their selected essential oils so that they address their distress from all angles. Everyone’s aromatic journey is different, yet the goal is the same – Relief.

With these challenging times, it’s good to know that Mother Nature offers us support. Always has ~ Always will.  We just need to partner with her to find what works for us.