Incense can be helpful for aromatherapy or just for use as an air freshener. Some people also use it for potential spiritual benefits, relaxation, stress relief, increasing creativity or balancing the mood and limiting depression or anxiety. When purchasing incense in a powder form, it’s usually a non-combustible form of incense. This means that the powder itself doesn’t burn, and it needs to be used properly in order to prevent potential fires.
To use this type of legal incense, it’s necessary to place it over burning charcoal. This doesn’t mean simply using the same type of charcoal briquettes that are used for barbecuing outdoors. This type of charcoal is not mean for indoor use and could cause a buildup of carbon monoxide if used in this manner. Instead, they make special disks of charcoal specifically for indoor use. This is the type needed for burning herbal incense in the home. Some health food stores sell these disks, and they can also be found in hobby shops or on the Internet.
Next, you need a censer. This is a specially designed bowl meant for burning this type of incense or herbal potpourri. A flat-bottomed, wide and deep bowl made of ceramic or stone can be used instead of a censor as long as it’s covered with a lid that allows smoke to get out but keeps other objects from falling into the bowl, such as a wire screen. Don’t use bowls made of glass, metal or plastic or those that are very narrow or unstable, as this isn’t safe and could lead to a fire in the home.
The other thing necessary for burning loose incense like this is sand. The sand gets placed in the bottom third of the bowl, followed by the charcoal. This keeps the hot charcoal from cracking the bowl or censer. Once the charcoal is hot, the incense is placed on it to release its scent into the air. Make sure to place the bowl somewhere at waist height or higher where it isn’t near anything that could catch fire. In homes with pets or small children, it’s best to put the censer even higher, so it isn’t going to be touched or accidentally knocked over. As with anything burning, it isn’t a good idea to leave the incense unattended for any length of time.
For a selection of this type of incense, check out incenser.com.
herbal incense