Incense has been around since ancient times — it was used in religious rituals in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Greece. Over the centuries and into the present day, people throughout the world have used incense for a variety reasons, including as a:

Component of various religious practices

To counteract bad or disagreeable odors

A way to repel negativity

Incense is typically made up of an aromatic material that produces a scent and a combustible binding material that holds it together in a particular shape.

The aromatic materials used for making incense are typically plant-based and can include a variety of resins, barks, seeds, roots, and flowers.

The specific ingredients used in incense can vary by region and manufacturer. Some specific examples of aromatic ingredients that you may recognise; Cinnamon. Mush, Myrrh, Frankincense, Sandalwood.

In order to burn incense, you first gently ignite it. For example, to burn an incense stick you would use a lighter or a match to light the tip. Once the incense has been ignited, you then gently extinguish the flame, typically by blowing it out. The incense will then glow and begin to produce scented smoke..

Incense has been used throughout the world for centuries, but does it have any benefits to health or wellness?

iIt is know that frankincense resin that can cause a response similar to an antidepressant.

Additionally, a response to this exotic smell is associated with anxiety as it acts as activated receptors connected to a feeling of being safe and comforted.

Shoyeido incense is considered the highest quality, most natural incense available on Earth. ... The results are remarkable, subtle scents that beckon us to use all of our senses — what the Japanese call mon-koh, or "listening to incense,Over 1,400 years ago, a large piece of fragrant driftwood washed ashore on the tiny Japanese island of Awaji. Realizing the uniqueness of the marvelous fragrance emanating from the wood, island locals presented it as a gift to the Empress Suiko. With this gift of precious agarwood began a new era of refinement of — and appreciation for — the enjoyment of fragrance. 

In the early 18th century, Rokubei Moritsune Hata began incorporating incense-making techniques he learned as an employee of Kyoto's Imperial Palace. He would eventually introduce a new world of scent to an audience beyond the realm of royalty.  Twelve generations later, the Hata family continue to create an amazing array of fragrances. Shoyeido incense is considered the highest quality, most natural incense available on Earth. 

There are many other brands and varieties available in the world today.

I burn incense every morning - it is a ritual I follow to pray and to relax by when meditating.

Love Elizabeth x