Sandalwood - the scent of spirituality, depth and sensuality

sacred aroma of meditation, brings you closer to the divine, reveals from within, restores the aura, relieves stress and depression, gives a feeling of well-being, aphrodisiac, increases sensuality, excites passion, cools after meditation, cleanses the room

Sandalwood famous for its wood, which gives a woody, resinous, rich aroma, with a hazy musky undertone. The aroma of sandalwood is not strong, not flashy, without harsh notes, but very persistent. It has practically no analogue in nature. This is a classic, erotic, expensive scent. In India, everything that is most beautiful, expensive, and best is called the word "chanda" those. "sandalwood".

In Hinduism, sandalwood is an integral part of religious services and rituals; it is used in meditation, “transfers” the believer from the material world to the subtle world, brings him closer to the divine, purifies the mind, helps overcome obstacles on the path to enlightenment, helps open the “third eye” , directs consciousness inward.

The scent of sandalwood is considered sacred, and in Indian culture there has always been a clear connection between sandalwood scent and religious life.

According to Indian mythology, Paradise is filled with the scent of sandalwood, the gods love it, so it was “offered” to the gods during puja (worship) - they used incense sticks with the scent of sandalwood, and added sandalwood oil to smoking lamps. They cleaned holy places with it, and smoked it in houses to ward off evil spirits. Interestingly, the scent of sandalwood attracts snakes. In Indian illustrations you can find an image of sandalwood entwined with snakes.

It is believed that the scent of sandalwood allows the soul of the deceased to reach God, as well as calm the mourners and reconcile them to the inevitable.

In addition, sandalwood aroma has excellent antiseptic properties, cleaning the room and killing bacteria and germs.

Sandalwood scent - One of the classic aromatherapy scents. This is a complex philosophical scent. It has the following effects:

- on a psycho-emotional level- relieves anxiety, stress, depression, a state of fear, relaxes and warms, gives the opportunity to open up from within, removes barriers, lets go of the imagination, opens the springs of creativity, helps to adapt to change, protects from impulsive actions not related to the nature of Good and Light, removes obsessive thoughts, gives a feeling of well-being, eliminates tearfulness, helps to face unpleasant life surprises with dignity, in stressful situations and conflicts

- at a therapeutic level- normalizes heart rate, nervous system, relieves irritability, gives sound sleep, treats sexual disorders arising from psychological problems, relieves sexual tension, helps to realize any love desires and fantasies, makes sexual intercourse exquisite, increases sensuality, helps with neurotic loss voice, difficulty swallowing, menopausal problems, hiccups due to nervousness, skin inflammation, irritation of the throat and nasopharynx, relieves tension after intense mental activity

- on a magical level- excites passion, a “spiritual smell” used for meditation and harmony, personifying the balance of day and night, cold and heat, masculine and feminine, spiritual depth, develops intuition, restores the aura, gives clear dreams, helps to concentrate during meditation and “cools” » after meditation

Aromatherapy has long established itself as an effective method of influencing the entire human body as a whole: both its physical and psycho-emotional spheres. Incense used in aromatherapy comes in different forms and has different compositions. Incense sticks have gained the most popularity for their ease of use and high quality at a very reasonable cost.

Are incense harmful?

The pros and cons of aromatherapy have been discussed for quite some time, but there is no clear definitive answer to the question “What side effects does aromatherapy have?” still no. Only one thing can be said for sure: like everything else in the world, incense sticks are harm and benefit in one package. The fact is that aromas affect both the psyche and physics almost instantly. However, we are not always fully aware of this. The consciousness of modern man is accustomed to relying mainly on the organs of vision and hearing, while the subconscious (which is approximately 90% of brain activity) continues to use the basic, animal method of receiving information - the sense of smell. Therefore, the main recommendations when using any incense at home or in the salon are the following:

• - well-ventilated area;
• - short-term use of incense;
• - taking into account the specific effects of a particular aroma on the body.

If you remember these simple tips, then aromatherapy will always be a pleasant healing procedure for the soul and body.

Types of Incense Sticks

The most common on the Russian market are Indian incense. Sometimes not particularly attractively designed, they nevertheless perform their function perfectly and are inexpensive. These are bamboo sticks with an odorous base applied to them, which is then further impregnated with essential oil, so their aromatic effect is immediately noticeable.

Thai incense is usually sold in colorful packaging, but it is of lower quality and more expensive.

Nepalese and Tibetan (Himalayan) sticks are pressed and often consist of an aromatic mixture of various herbs. When burned, these incense changes its aroma, which is used in long-term meditative practices.

It should be said that the color of incense sticks has nothing to do with their quality. Black sticks have a charcoal base soaked in essential oil. When burned, coal will not impart any additional odor. The light color indicates that this is a masala base made from pressed crushed aromatic plants or fine wood chips, which will add a slight tint to the main aroma. You should pay much more attention to the smell of essential oil: it can be natural or synthetic. Of course, a natural component is preferable.

According to their effect on the body, incense is divided into:

• - stimulants, uplifting and activating;
• - adaptogens, harmonizing incense, normalizing the functioning of the nervous system;
• - sedatives, used to relieve stress, mental and physical fatigue.

Whatever incense sticks you need, you can always buy them at the IndoChina store. An aromatherapy session is a pleasant and useful gift for both yourself and a loved one.

Treatises have been written on how aromas affect a person’s mood and health. Incense was used to disinfect rooms during the plague, they attracted love, helped a person to calm down or, on the contrary, feel a surge of energy. They used aromatic oils and incense sticks for this.

It is the latter that are becoming increasingly popular today. The explanation for its popularity is simple. First of all, incense sticks smell really nice. Their scents are so varied that anyone can choose the scent to suit their taste. Secondly, the sticks are very inexpensive. Finally, aroma really affects a person's condition. For example, the smell of coffee or orange invigorates, the aroma of lavender calms, and the fragrance of sandalwood or ylang-ylang excites immodest fantasies.

In the East they have long studied the power of aromas. It is there that mixed incense is made, which is becoming increasingly popular in our country. But along with the popularity, the number of myths that surround incense sticks is growing. Perhaps the most popular and frightening myth is that frequent use of incense can cause cancer. Is it so?

Are incense sticks harmful? The sticks are made from bamboo or charcoal rods soaked in herbal extracts. It is these herbs that can cause an allergic reaction. This is perhaps the greatest harm they can do. To avoid allergies, just choose “your” scent.

The second danger is burning. When a bamboo or charcoal base smolders, combustion products are released into the air. They can cause various diseases, including cancer. But only with excessive use. If you do not light several sticks at the same time, if you do not use them every day, there will be no harm to your health.

Therefore, you need to use incense sticks carefully, not forgetting about the sense of proportion.

Remember: too strong an aroma in the apartment can lead to nausea or headaches, but a barely noticeable aroma has a positive effect on health and well-being.

Before buying incense, you need to decide which scents are right for you personally, and which countries’ incense sticks are best to choose for your apartment.

Indian sticks are distinguished by their rich color, sugary, sometimes sharp or heavy aroma. These incense can cause harm due to its too strong concentration: in India, sticks are used in huge temples, and not at home. But it is Indian incense that is distinguished by the most complex compositions. The names of the fragrances speak for themselves: “Kama Sutra”, “Maharani”, “Rose of Love”, etc.

Chinese incense sticks have a more subtle and delicate aroma. They are more harmless. Firstly, they do not have a base that releases combustion products. Secondly, wands are designed for use in small spaces to awaken clarity of thinking and give energy. Finally, without exception, all Chinese incense has a very subtle, barely noticeable floral aroma.

For sensitive people, chopsticks made in Japan are the best choice. A barely noticeable smell, a complete absence of essential oils, is the main advantage of Japanese incense. They are made only from natural ingredients.

Tibetan sticks are most often used for medicinal purposes. In addition to the floral aroma, they can have the aroma of a campfire, dry autumn leaves, or steppe herbs.

The correct use of essential oils, incense sticks or cones can cleanse your home of pathogenic microbes or negative energy and give your home sophistication and sophistication. Incense can become healers of the body and soul, adjust the body to a loving, working or sublime mood, and make life more harmonious.

Aromatherapy is one of the oldest methods of treating humans using scents. Incense sticks (or incense) are the most convenient and optimal way to influence the human body with aroma. Incense sticks can be with or without a stem. Rod incense sticks are made of thin bamboo, on which a special aromatic substance is applied along the entire length (except for the 3 cm end). These sticks burn together with the bamboo and, in addition to the main smell, have a light woody aroma. Sticks without a rod are made only of aromatic substance, they do not have a special handle. The smell of such sticks is more delicate and deep.

Incense sticks are common throughout the world, as many ancient cultures used incense during various events. Today, the most famous are Tibetan, Chinese, Nepalese and Indian incense. Each scent can bring certain feelings and emotions to a person.

Choosing the scent of the aroma stick

Some incense is aimed at meditation and relaxation, while others help improve human performance. To avoid falling asleep at work, you need to know what different scents contribute to.

1. Cedar, lemongrass, citrus fruits, fennel, sandalwood, cinnamon, rosemary, magnolia are stimulating aromas that increase performance and make a person concentrate on what is important. With the help of these aromas you can improve your memory, cope with stress, and gain a cheerful mood. In many eastern countries, such incense is lit in large offices.
2. Mint, lavender, jasmine, rose, almond, oregano, myrrh, laurel - these incense helps to establish contact with people and one's own self. Such aromas are used in various contradictions, when a person does not know what to do. These tools will help you immerse yourself in the process of meditation and make the right decision.
3. Frankincense, orchid, lemon balm, chamomile, geranium, and tea tree will help you calm down. Such incense perfectly relieves nervous exhaustion and pacifies after physical and mental fatigue. They are able to overcome even severe depression.
4. Carnation, jasmine, sage, rose, opium, juniper - have a powerful energy component. Such incense sticks will protect your spirit from energy vampirism, the evil eye, and ill-wishers. They are able to restore a person’s aura.
5. Musk, patchouli, ylang-ylang, violet, muscat rose, ginger are the strongest aphrodisiacs. Such incense kindles sexual desire and attraction.
6. Sandalwood, patchouli, and pine are able to fight bacteria and germs in the air. They are often used to disinfect rooms where there are patients. Even in ancient times, during periods of rampant typhus epidemics, pine branches were burned in every house so as not to become infected.

Before buying, it is important to decide what exactly you need - relax or concentrate, protect your home from envious people or awaken passion in your partner. When the necessary incense has been purchased and brought into the house, you need to light it.

Special stands for sticks, called incense burners, can be wooden, marble, clay or glass. If you are using a rod stick, you can use a wooden incense burner for it, since the rod itself does not burn without the aromatic substance. If you use incense without a rod, then you need to choose a non-flammable material to prevent a fire. Today, incense burners can be a real piece of furniture - they are very beautiful, elaborate, patterned. If you don’t have a special incense burner, you can use improvised means - a glass of rice, sand or salt. You just need to stick the incense stick into the bulk composition.

1. When the incense burner is ready, simply insert the stick into the holder. If the incense burner is homemade, stick the stick into the salt or sand.
2. If the room is small, it is better to use half an aroma stick so that the pungent smell does not cause a headache.
3. Choose a place where the burning stick will stand. It is better to place it away from carpets, curtains and other flammable objects. Place the incense burner on the table (if there are no children in the house), on a bookcase or high shelf.
4. Lighting incense sticks is not difficult, just hold a lighter or a burning match to the end of the stick and wait until it lights up. It will not burn in the literal sense - only a barely noticeable smoldering. If a red light is visible at the end of the stick and the stick smokes heavily, everything is in order, you did everything right. If the stick goes out, it needs to be lit again. You're probably lighting the stick in a draft, so it goes out.
5. Place the smoldering stick in the holder so that it is tilted at a slight angle over the stand into which the ashes fall. If you are using a homemade incense burner, insert a stick into the dry mixture so that it holds well and does not fall.
6. An incense stick usually burns for half an hour, but long after combustion it fills the room with its aroma.
7. Do not leave lit incense unattended. If you urgently need to leave, simply dip the burning end of the stick into the water.

This simple method of burning incense will help you achieve your desired goal.

Incense will help you relax and calm down, if necessary, increase your productivity and give your home a pleasant aroma. Along with all these benefits, incense also has its negative sides.

Scientists have found that chronic use of incense sticks increases the risk of developing lung cancer. However, this does not threaten those who fumigate their home less than twice a week. In addition, a certain aroma can cause individual intolerance. Allergic reactions can manifest themselves in the form of dizziness, coughing and even spasms of the respiratory organs.

When choosing incense sticks, special attention should be paid to the place where they are sold. Cheap, low-quality incense may consist of synthetic substances, the combustion of which is very harmful to the body. To check the quality of the incense, smell the sticks through the packaging. If they emit a strong aroma, it is better to discard them. Real incense sticks do not have a strong odor when they are not burning. It is best to buy this product in its homeland, for example, in India. Keep in mind that aromatics in India are not only sold in stick form. They can be free-flowing - the powder is poured onto burning coals. Animal figurines are also very popular. They are set on fire, and they envelop the room with a magical aroma.

Incense sticks are an effective way to relax in this noisy and fast world. Find time for self-knowledge and relaxation, live in harmony with yourself. And incense, which helps expand consciousness, will help you with this.

Video: how to make homemade flavorings

Many of us use incense sticks (incense). This product became extremely popular during the “esoteric boom”, when the magic of the east began to penetrate our country. At that time, they were credited with various healing and “magical” properties; they were used during rituals, various practices and ceremonies. Incense then began to be used primarily as a fragrance to create a pleasant atmosphere.

There have been a lot of discussions on the Internet lately about the topic “are aroma sticks harmful”? It is sometimes said that using various incense may increase the risk of developing asthma, lung cancer and other diseases.

They are also credited with various psychotropic effects.

In fact, incense sticks have virtually no direct impact on health. They will not be able to cure a cold or relieve you of stomach pain, nor will they provoke asthma or cancer. Incense does not help expand your consciousness.

Incense sticks can only be harmful if they are of poor quality. Then of course you can give yourself a headache, and maybe even an allergic reaction. Incense that is intended for outdoor use may be too spicy and smoky for you and may well cause you to feel uncomfortable. Which, by the way, can be attributed to most incense from India, since they are used there to drown out the unpleasant odors that literally permeate all the streets.

To avoid troubles such as headaches and allergies, you should be careful about your choice of incense sticks, and buy the wrong incense that is inexpensive and wrapped in a bright wrapper. High-quality incense sticks will never be cheap. In addition, you need to make sure that their smell is not too intense and “poisonous”. If you smell a strong smell even through the packaging, it is better not to buy such sticks. You still won't be able to use them at home.

Among the huge variety of incense sticks that are presented in stores, naturally, there are incense that are of a higher class and of really good quality. We are talking about Japanese incense. As everyone knows, Japanese people are meticulous in their approach to every task and are absolutely obsessed with producing high-quality products.

Japanese incense sticks are a fundamentally different product, which is often made by hand in family businesses, the recipes are passed down in great secrecy, and the raw materials (plants and herbs) are collected in certain places and at certain times of the year.

Other than that, Japanese incense is baseless. This means that the aroma of the stick is absolutely not distorted by the smell of the burning bamboo base and smoke (as is usually the case with incense from India). The Japanese do not approve of perfume additives, as a result, the aroma of such incense will never be “chemical” and harsh, and you will not develop allergies or get a headache.

There are several houses in Japan that have been producing incense for several hundred years. One of these is Shoyeido. This company has a long history and an excellent reputation, their products are certified, and the quality has never been in doubt.

Shoyeido incense sticks have recently appeared in Russia, so now you and I can enjoy the delicate and refined aroma of Japanese incense.