What Are Incense Kinds?

Originally used to protect and purify the home, today incense has a wide range of spiritual uses. The rising smoke of natural incense is thought to align the energy of a room and create a sacred space for meditation, yoga, mindfulness and other rituals. It also helps to reduce stress and promotes feelings of calm and relaxation. When buying incense, look for products that are sourced naturally from herbs, resins and wood powders, with no chemical infused fragrances.

There are many different types of incense kinds, depending on their method of preparation and burn time. Generally they can be divided into direct burning incense and indirect burning incense. The former is shaped into various forms using a moldable base of fragrant finely ground incense materials and an odourless binder. The incense materials can be whole, as in dhoop or dawood incense sticks, or powdered, as in joss stick incense and granulated incense.

Incense sticks are one of the most commonly available incense kinds. They are made by coating a granulated incense mix with a bamboo stick, either by hand or by machine, then drying. The stick shape is popular as it offers a convenient way to use incense. Stick incense is usually made with a combination of resins, herbs and wood powders. The ingredients vary, but they must be chosen for their ability to smoulder and emit an aroma when burned.

Another type of incense is smudge sticks, bundles of dried herbs like White Sage. These are often used for spiritual cleansing and purification, as they absorb negative energies in the home or workplace. They can be burnt to infuse clothing with their scent, as well as to purify rooms and furniture.

Other incense kinds include coil incense, which is a spiral-shaped stick with an extended burn time. It’s usually made of a blend of different herb mixes and can be burned in larger spaces to fill the air with a subtle, calming scent. Then there are scented candles and sachet incense, which can be placed in drawers to infuse clothes with a light fragrance. And finally there are backflow incense cones, which produce a mesmerising cascade of smoke when burned.

The choice of incense depends on your preferences and spiritual practice. Some people prefer the more aromatic, calming fragrances of herbal incense such as Chamomile and Lavender to help them sleep. Others prefer uplifting and stimulating fragrances, such as Patchouli, which has a warm and exotic smell and is known as a money-drawing incense. Others prefer soothing, healing and meditative incense such as Sandalwood or Frankincense.

It’s important to check that incense is 100% natural, and not just made with chemical fragrances and binders, as this can cause respiratory problems for some people. Also be aware of how much smoke an incense produces when you’re purchasing it, as this can be a problem for asthmatics and those with other respiratory conditions.