"The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense."
Few people consider the rich and ancient history behind the burning of incense, but would you believe that we've been doing it for thousands of years? It's true! Going all the way back to the early days of Egypt. Say Apep-Ammon wanted a successful day of pyramid building. Of course, he'd burn some Kyphi (which sounds a lot like kief, no?) at sunrise to appease his gods. Buddhist monks, going all the way back to antiquity, wouldn't dream of meditating without billows of smoke rising in fragrant columns skyward.
For the mystics of old, altering the specific scent of their sacred space tuned them into higher states of consciousness. Do you need to unlock a more focused mood? Desperate to drift into an untroubled, natural sleep? Want to shake off the anxieties of your day? Want to see into the future? Okay, so we can't help with the last one, but these days you don't have to go to the same painstaking lengths to compose an aroma as the Merlins, Prosperos or Dion Fortunes of days gone by. Just buy a pack of sticks, light the end of one, extinguish it, and hey presto, wafts of sweet smelling smoke. But what should you choose to burn and why? Come! Let us guide you through our mystical and most popular selection of smells...
White sage
Here's one you've probably heard of and with good reason. Known as the Holy Herb to the Romans, White sage has an unparalleled reputation for "warding off evil". So if you're having one of those days when you just can't shake off the stress from work, or you can't stop thinking about how much Jerry at college ticked you off, a little white sage will go a long way.
Vanilla
This is one of those "day off" choices. The homely scent of vanilla couples perfectly with a comfy armchair, a cup of tea, an open book and maybe a pastry, all right next to an open window with sunlight streaming through it. If that's not heaven, I don't know what is.
Sandalwood
With a profile that is distinctively soft and warming, sandalwood has an uncanny focusing effect that's popular with the Zen masters. Have you got to seriously knuckle down and study? Or do you need something to help you concentrate on the positive side of life? Are you watching 2001: A Space Odyssey? Sandalwood will align your thoughts to the task at hand, even if that task is simply relaxation.
Lavender
Quite possibly the most common and recognizable herb in our catalogue of scents, but did you know that a pound of this intoxicating herb was as valuable to an ancient Greek as a months wages? (or it got him 50 haircuts). But besides currency and cosmetics, where this flowers true power lies is in its
insomnia-busting potency. Burning lavender before bed will pave the way to blissful sleep.
Lemon Grass
Have you got a social coming up? Whether it's a dinner party, games night, book club, knitting circle or just a good old fashioned smoke sesh, this is one of those scents that conjures up intense, deeply intellectual conversations that could solve all the worlds problems.
Patchouli
THE hippie smell! But why did this heavy, earthy perfume fuel the flower-power movement? Maybe because it's simply so bewitching or perhaps it's because it smells like Gaia's special place. Whatever the reason, who couldn't use a dose of the groovy 60's vibe?
Dragon's Blood
Harvested from free-range dragons. Sorry, couldn't help myself. Socotra, or the dragon's blood tree is a strange beast in its own right. Growing in the shape of a giant mushroom, this tree yields a thick, blood-red sap which was highly prized in the ancient world for enhancing virility. After being refined into incense and burned, the stimulating effect of the fragrance makes going hard on anything absolute childs play. Work out like a warrior. Make love like Casanova.
Palo Santo
Not familiar to many but those who know KNOW. In fact, the wood that contains this wonderful scent is considered so sacred that it is forbidden to harvest from the tree itself, only the twigs that have fallen to the ground. But I'm still underselling it. Medicine men and forest dwelling shamans have long considered Palo Santo a panacea, a cure-all, burning it to clear away misfortune, negative thoughtprints and bad energy. So don't just be pure. Be ritually pure.
Nag Champa
And how can we finish off our list without mentioning the illustrious, rightly renowned and world famous nag champa. Because some people don't care one jot for my mystical ravings and just want a decent cover up smell. Mum & dad will never know.
So there you have it. Abracadabra. And I'd love to say that's all there is to it, but we've only just scratched the sublimely scented surface.
There are so many incenses to explore. So...
May this blog be open, but forever unbroken
May love always burn in your heart
May you keep this knowledge as a token
May we merrily meet again as we merrily part.
