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The meaning of incense in the history of different world cultures is very broad. The uses of incense date back to antiquity. It didn't take long after the discovery of fire for humans to understand that different types of wood burned in different ways, releasing different scents and odors.
Before delving into the meaning that incense has had for humans in religious rituals, esoteric practices, meditative rituals, and medicine, it is necessary to explain exactly what incense is.
Incense is a resin secreted by a family of plants typical of the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and India: the Boswellia. It is a family of shrubs that exude a resin - gum resin to be precise - which, when dried, crystallized, and burned, emits intense fragrances and has various properties such as antiseptic properties.
We are certain of the existence of incense in antiquity as it is frequently mentioned in sacred and historical texts. Incense is mentioned in the Old Testament, the Mahabharata, the papyri of ancient Egypt, and the Jewish Torah.
In antiquity, incense was a product often used in the sacred and liturgical sphere, which marked the decline and rise of peoples and communities as it was one of the most traded commodities in human history.
The meanings that incenses have had in the liturgical context are varied. First and foremost, incense has been used in ancient times as a gesture of benevolence towards the gods, with the belief that these plant-based fragrances were pleasing to them. "The rising of the incense cloud becomes a symbol of the prayer that rises up to God" (Psalm 140, 2; Revelation of John 8, 3-5 | Source: Wikipedia).
In the Church, incense has always been used. It is known that for the Catholic religion, prayer must involve multiple senses of our body simultaneously: the religious meaning of incense is to engage our sense of smell during the celebration of the Mass.
Incense in the Church was also adopted for less spiritual purposes. Among the characteristics of incense, one of the most important is its antiseptic property. Incenses were indeed used to sanitize churches, destinations in antiquity for pilgrims and travelers who, in addition to their immense faith, also brought with them odors and poor hygiene.
Think of the Botafumeiro of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, Spain. A huge censer - over a meter high - that was swung through the central nave of the cathedral, filling the entire structure with a thick fragrant smoke that was meant to mask the odor of pilgrims and disinfect the air.
As we have seen, in addition to its religious significance, incense in the Christian Church was used for its antiseptic properties. In Arab countries, incense was used for fumigation and inhalation purposes to clear mucus in the respiratory system and as an expectorant. In Ayurvedic medicine, the substances contained in incense help to rebalance the excess of the Pitta dosha (Fire). It has refreshing and nourishing properties for tendons, ligaments, and body joints. Also for the Pitta dosha, incense is used to restore the proper functioning of the intestinal mucosa.
The properties of incense that Western and Eastern medicine have drawn on are: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, insect-repellent, and calming.
The association between incense and meditation is natural, because incenses are often used in meditative practices. In India, during the practice of yoga, it is believed that incense promotes work on the chakras. According to Indian philosophy, each chakra can be activated or stimulated by different aromas, so each fragrance can work on a specific chakra during meditation and yogic practice.
Incense is also used to facilitate the meditative state and concentration. Science has indeed shown how the perception of a specific aroma activates specific areas of our brain. Impulses are sent to what are called archaic areas of the cerebral cortex. This allows us to consolidate the association between incense and meditation to the point that just by smelling it, our mind and body are predisposed to meditative practice.
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