If you thought that incense sticks are limited to cleansing your surrounding aura with a cool fragrance that makes you feel fresh and bright, then there’s more than meets the eye! These sticks are essential in the religious ceremonies of various traditions and cultures and are widely used in healing and spiritual practices. Besides that, there are many traditional uses of incense sticks in Ayurveda. So, before we get into some specific properties of incense sticks, let us first know about them.

What are Incense Sticks, and what is their origin?

Incense sticks are made by rolling different aromatic materials onto a bamboo stick. When these sticks are burned, they produce smoke with an intense fragrance, filling a room with a scent that makes your surroundings seem fresh and relieves stress. Incense sticks are also known to have several healing properties and have been used for centuries. They are still used in modern life. 

Tracing their origins, incense sticks were first used in China thousands of years ago. These sticks are believed to have been used for religious practices and to keep away evil spirits. Since then, incense sticks have been popular in several other countries, where people use them for different purposes and rituals. 

How did incense sticks make their way into Indian culture?

As per the oldest references, it is believed that the use of intense sticks began in India during the Vedic Age, and their earliest mentions were found in the Rigveda and Atharveda. Incense sticks were initially used to purify the environment and cleanse spaces from invading viruses and bacteria. Furthermore, the essence and intense scent of incense sticks were believed to uplift the vibes of space and the people living within it. So, gradually, it became essential to burn incense sticks during pujas and other rituals, as well as in meditation. Overall, the whole idea of burning incense sticks was and has always been since then to welcome freshness by clearing off negativity.

What is the significance of the traditional uses of incense in Ayurvedic practices?

Just like their importance in religious and spiritual practices, incense sticks are pretty essential in Ayurveda, an ancient system of oriental medicine.  The specialty of Ayurvedic incense lies in the process of making it, which includes using pure, organic ingredients and following specific Ayurvedic principles. 

Tracing back to previous times, the various parts of a tree or plant, such as the leaves, barks, flowers, roots, etc., have all been used to make Ayurvedic incense. As per the ingredients used and their specific medicinal properties, different incense can have a wide range of effects on the human mind and body. So, apart from their importance in sacred events or practices, there are many traditional uses of incense.

During the summers, the intense fragrance of burning incense sticks can make your mind and body feel relaxed and fresh, while during the winters, they magically give you warmth and comfort as well. Besides that, organic masala incense also helps reduce anxiety by making us experience intense calmness and uplifting our moods and thoughts through the fragrance. This kind of healing is medicinally known as ‘aromatherapy’ because it is through the intense aroma of incense sticks that we inhale the benefits of the pure ingredients that go into making these fragrances. 

Now that you are aware of some lesser-known facts about Incense sticks and their traditional uses in Ayurveda, scroll down and read about some of Dwaraka Organic’s pure and natural incense sticks that will surely make you feel fresh and uplift your surroundings with positivity.