Yoga and Meditation

Incense burning is considered a religious and a purification rite in many places. Incense, the practice of burning aromatic materials to release fragrance has been done for hundreds of years and in recent years, the practice is quite popular. Burning of incense is done either for aesthetic purpose or due to some medicinal benefits that go along with it.

The influence of underlying cultures and cultural diversities has however changed the reasons for burning incense in recent years. Whatever the reason for incense burning, the practice has become popular in recent years.

There are many aromatic materials that are burnt today as incense. Extractions of solid materials as well as oils have been burnt and considered authentic aromatic substances. With the many materials has come the many incense burners used while undertaking the ritual.

When it comes to liquid aromatics, these substances must have special incense burners to hold the essential oils. In most cases, a base that is extracted from charcoal powder is added to the liquid fragrances and is used as a base. Cheaper fragrances have been used as incense and they are derived from chemical synthesis. These fragrances require special incense burners to hold them during the burning process.

There are varying types of incense classified by the mode and degree of burning. The common groups are direct and indirect burning. One of the best known examples of materials that use indirect burning is myrrh and frankincense. Frankincense in the European context alludes to virtually any form or forms of incense. When placed on an appropriate incense burner, the frankincense material in its raw unprocessed form is burnt directly by having it placed on an incense burner that has coal embers.

Direct burning involves lighting the combustible substance and placing it on the incense burner. The substance continues smoldering even after the initial flame or light source is removed. This initial ignition is all that is required. The substance can either be in liquid form or in finely grounded particles so that it can be entirely.

Some common direct burning types of incense are coils that burn for extended periods by placing them on a suspended incense burner, cones, cored sticks that have a supporting bamboo core as the incense burner, solid sticks, incense blanks and loose powder. Loose powder is usually placed on wood ash and special censers are used as the incense burners. In direct burning, the above incense forms usually have to be pressed or coated under a supporting material.

Incense burners are sold in different sizes and of different shapes. Burners can be classified in different ways. There are burners that take shapes of mythical creatures like gargoyles, goddesses, while others are celestial in nature. Others include pentagrams and animal incense burners. There are even some that take shapes of dragons and mermaids in varying shapes and sizes. Search online for incense burners and holders will show up pictures as well as their use.