There is really a lot to say about Incense, that's why part I... HISTORY Incense appears in the history of many countries, both in the Arabian Peninsula, India, and China. It is mentioned, in its various forms and plants, in the Old Testament, in the Mahabharata, in papyri from ancient Egypt, in the Jewish Torah. Without mentioning all the passages where it appears, its presence in ancient sacred texts makes us understand two things: 1) that it is something that has been used for a very long time 2) that it is something that we can relate to the sacred sphere. In fact, one of the most common uses in antiquity was to energetically "cleanse" environments with these resins, especially myrrh. But in addition to this, resins were also used as body antiseptics. Today the world rediscovers these precious tree tears and mainly uses them for the creation of more industrialized sticks and incense. What is done with resins today? They are mixed with other ingredients, such as sandalwood, flowers, or various aromas, a paste is made, rolled, and thus the sticks you see around are obtained. However, most of the time, in addition to the aforementioned ingredients, chemical additives are also added to promote combustion, duration, and fragrance, which have often been found to be harmful to health. In addition to these uses, it is also required in many traditional and international markets for the perfume and cosmetics industry. Where do these resins come from? They come from trees of the genus Boswellia which includes 19 species distributed between Africa and India. The highest concentration of these trees is found on the island of Socotra. In various countries, their collection still takes place in the traditional way, by incising the bark, causing the resin to exude and then collecting it. This operation can be repeated up to 12 times in a year and is generally done by women. From each tree, 1 to 3 kg can be collected annually. After collection, the resins are sorted according to 5 quality grades; based on size, color, and purity of the grains. Here they come to us... Here at Terza Luna, we have three types of Boswellia resins:

1. Ogaden
2. Borena
3. Myrrh

The first has a fresh and sweet aroma, the second is a bit more spicy and sparkling. Many know myrrh because it is burned in church censers, but actually the one we have here has a slightly different aroma...less sacred...

How is it done???

Incense sticks are the easiest thing to use, just take a lighter and go....but the price of this convenience is the very frequent presence of chemical additives, often even carcinogenic. Resins, on the other hand, are not lit directly, they need something to slowly heat them up. So either an essence burner or a charcoal disc used for hookahs. The choice is yours. We have both. The cost ranges from €7 to €9 per hundred grams and it is a great price considering that with a few grains you can fill a room with a wonderful aroma. I personally use it as the ancients did. I use it to meditate, it incredibly helps to relax and enter a state of deep....depth...especially with a cup of tea next to me! It becomes a ritual. Needless to say, it is a great gift!