How to use church incense at home. Uses of Frankincense Oil

Priest Andrei Chizhenko explains.

By Orthodox dogma Man is a two-part being: spiritual and physical. The soul is the image and likeness of God in man. Through the body, a person connects with the material animal world. This is the great task of man. To deify oneself (that is, to begin the path of ascent to God, the path of knowing Him, uniting with Him, or rather, with Divine uncreated energies) and through deification to deify and sanctify the rest of material nature, since man is its center and king. It seems to exist at the intersection of two worlds - spiritual and material. Based on this, the human body is a collaborator with the soul in the matter of salvation. It is the essence of the temple of God. This is why Orthodoxy treats the body so carefully. This can be seen from the burial order.

Therefore, all Church Sacraments and, as a consequence, divine services also have a dual nature. Example: in the Sacrament of Baptism, the priest invokes the name of the Holy Trinity - this is the spiritual main component. But the substance of baptism is completely material – water. Sacrament of Communion. Its core is the Body and Blood of Christ. And the substances for the Sacrament are prosphora, wine, water. That's why Orthodox worship influences the grace of the Holy Spirit not only on the soul, but also on the body. Anointing oil (touch) bell ringing, singing (hearing), icons, painting (vision), prosphora, Epiphany water(taste), burning incense (smell).

The family is a small church. This is also a kind of service to God and one’s neighbors. Naturally we want God's grace sanctified both ourselves and our homes, protected us from all evil and defilement. In addition, in paradise the righteous and holy Angels are in continuous worship - the praise of the Almighty. That's why we God's help we try to continue temple worship(within reasonable limits, of course) and at home. Similar to this is the monastic rite of panagia (with Greek language- “all-holy”), when the Mother of God prosphora, from which a piece is taken out in honor of the Virgin Mary at the proskomedia after the Liturgy, the monks solemnly transfer from the church to the refectory, where they eat it with certain prayers, and then begin the meal. Thus, the Liturgy seems to continue, and it continues in the cell conditions of monastic dormitories. About the same in spiritual sense happens to us when we seem to “bring the temple and worship home”, arranging from our lives a worship service, a sacrifice to the Almighty. That’s why, for example, earlier in every Orthodox home there was a “red” (beautiful from outdated) corner where icons were placed, incense was burned, and a lamp was lit. Often it was made to the east, like the altar of a temple. As a matter of fact, the red corner is a kind of home altar. In general, this is a very good tradition. Correct. The family makes a feasible sacrifice to God and arranges a dwelling for Him in their house, and He, of course, settles in it, because the loving hearts of His children long for a meeting with their Heavenly Father.

It is not always possible, of course, to arrange a red corner to the east in modern conditions, but, in principle, every family can do it. This is our expression of love for God. The only thing I would like to say about this is from experience... It is still necessary for images of saints separate space in the house, so to speak, to clear it of other worldly things. Otherwise, you often see in houses how icons are filled with glasses or other completely worldly things. Sometimes other involuntary sacrilegious acts occur when icons are placed together with the increasingly popular Japanese netsuke gods, various “money toads” that “bring” wealth and success, or erotic paintings. Of course, this is unacceptable. A person must understand himself, Whom he serves: Christ or Belial. It is better to throw away or burn pagan idols and not keep them at home.

As for the lamp, for example, for me it burns constantly for days. Let us remember the parable of the ten virgins (see Matt. 25:1–13). In my opinion, a burning lamp, caring for it, buying lamp oil, candles for lighting it is our feasible sacrifice to Christ (a kind of tactile prayer to God) and a feasible financial sacrifice to the Church (lamp oil, candles, wicks, the lamp itself). Some people light a lamp before prayer. This is also good and beneficial. God will accept any sacrifice feasible for a person if it is made with reverence and a loving heart. The lamp, of course, is lit in front of the icons.

From my experience I will say that for a lamp it is better to take purified specialized lamp oil. No matter how many times I tried to use the usual one sunflower oil and even purified and refined, it burns poorly, the lamp smokes and becomes clogged.

As for incense - incense and incense, it is also quite possible to use it at home. You just need to not imitate censing by a clergyman in the temple (this is still the prerogative of the priest), but rather burn incense rather than burn incense with it.

Nowadays in church shops there are very big choice and incense and censers. There are special “spiders” - light metal structures that are attached to the lamp. There is a platform on top of them. Incense is placed on it. From the warmth of the lamp fire, the metal heats up - and the incense begins to smell fragrant. There are special stationary censers - clay, porcelain, metal. They need coal. It is lit, placed in a censer, and pieces of incense are placed on top. The lid of this censer has special holes for smoke. You can light censers before prayer, you can walk through the house with the Jesus Prayer or any other prayer, filling its rooms with a heartfelt appeal to God, which rises into the sky as easily as smoke from a censer.

Burnt coals should be disposed of as follows. If you live in a private house, it is advisable to make a hole in clean soil in the front yard or garden, perhaps under a tree or bush, where you can shake out the ashes (including incense) from burning consecrated things. You can throw the ashes into running water, into the river. If you live in an apartment, then it is also advisable to burn the remains of consecrated things somewhere in the park or in flower beds, then bury the ashes in clean soil. You can shake out the remains of burnt coal into flowerpots with indoor plants.

What I would like to warn against.

There is no need to turn your entire house into a church. It is important to understand that you should not only pray in the house, but also live. One or two or three places in the house allocated for spiritual needs are enough. Leave space in your home for yourself, your spouse, and your children. Everything is good in moderation.

Priest Andrey Chizhenko

Not a single church service takes place without incense of olibanus, because this is the oldest form of sacrifice to God in its peaceful form. Together with the smoke of incense, the prayers, tears and aspirations of Orthodox Christians, their gratitude to the Father of the Savior, are carried into the sky. What incense is will be discussed in this article.

Incense - what is it?

Frankincense (olibanus) is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia. This is a component of Incense, which includes 11 incense used for incense in the Temple. The trees used to obtain it grow on the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, Cyprus and Palestine, but the main exporter of resin is Somalia. They collect it in the same way as pine resin, making cuts in the tree bark and waiting until the entire trunk is covered with dried sap. Then it is broken off into pieces and divided into varieties.

What is church incense?

This is an invariable component of Divine services, emitting a pleasant, sweetish balsamic smell when heated, and emitting smoky smoke when ignited. This property is due to the composition of the material, because what myrrh and frankincense are – in both cases, this is the frozen juice of plants. The first is styrax tree resin. In the Gospel they are mentioned as part of the three gifts that the Magi presented to Jesus at his birth. He received gold as a King, incense as God and the son of God, and myrrh symbolized death, because the Savior had to die for people.

What is church incense made from?

From the same tree sap. For those who are interested in what incense is made from, the answer is that to obtain it, pieces of resin are ground into powder, fragrant oils and water are added, crushed, formed into sausages, crushed and dried. To prevent them from sticking together, sprinkle with magnesium. The composition may include ground herbs and other aromatic resins, but they will all be called in one word - incense. It is used not only in temples, but also in homes.

Church incense - home use

Churched Christians and Catholics who pray in front of icons in their apartments also prefer to do this with incense. Church incense puts you in the mood for prayer, helps you concentrate and think about the message sent to God and the Saints. In addition, the resin is used in meditation and aromatherapy to relieve stress and emotional arousal and tension.

Is it possible to burn incense at home?

Its use is allowed, but special utensils are used for this - a censer. If you burn resin in regular plates, then you can ruin it and not get the desired effect. In addition, strong smoke can provoke a phenomenon such as an allergy to incense, especially if you “overdo it” and burn too many pieces. It is especially dangerous to do this before bed, because instead of calm and tranquility, it is easy to get a headache, cough and sore throat.

How to light incense at home?

This is done immediately before prayer rule. Those asking how to light incense at home should be told that for this, charcoal, which is better self-igniting, is placed in the censer, lit with matches or a lighter, and pieces of resin are laid out on top. You should not put them directly on hot fuel - it is better to give it the opportunity to cool a little, otherwise the smell of incense will be very thick, the room will smoke very quickly and it will be difficult to breathe in it.

Another method involves using a “spider” - a special device that looks like a small bowl on three legs. Filled with pieces of resin, it is placed on top of a burning lamp, and judging by its popularity among Christians, it helps to obtain an unobtrusive delicate aroma without a lot of blue smoke. As an option, you can use sticks with added resin, which are convenient to set on fire on one side.

How to cleanse a house with incense?

You can improve the energy in your home by inviting a priest to consecrate the apartment. If this is not possible, then you can do it yourself. Those who ask how to fumigate an apartment with incense can be answered that for this it is necessary to set it on fire and starting from front door, moving from left to right, go around all the rooms, reading “Our Father”, “50th Psalm”, “Creed” or any other prayer to the Lord that the owner knows. At the same time, it is important to sign all corners, doorways and windows with the sign of the cross.

For those interested in how to use incense, you can sprinkle the walls, floors and ceilings with holy water to enhance the effect, sprinkling it in the form of a cross. The ideal time for the ceremony is great feast of Epiphany, but if you wish, you can do this on other days. The main thing is to believe in the power of prayer, and then being at home will be more pleasant and calm, and in the future try not to quarrel with household members, especially with the use of swear words. Then the atmosphere in the home will be no worse than in the temple.

How to extinguish incense?

At the end of prayer or cleaning the home, the incense must be stopped. It is advisable not to interrupt the fumigation of the house with incense, that is, add new pieces of resin in advance, and if the ceremony is over and it still exudes an aroma, then it is better to wait until it all burns out. For those wondering how to extinguish incense, if due to circumstances this has to be done before complete evaporation, it is recommended to use holy water. In the future, the remaining pieces can be re-ignited.

Where to put used incense?

Completely burnt coal and tar are poured into an untrodden place or into running water, maybe a river. Those asking what to do with burnt incense can be advised to take it to a church shop. There it is put in a special place and disposed of in accordance with the rules. For those who find all these actions too tedious, we can recommend lighting special candles at home - nuns, which already contain tree resin.

Can you carry incense with you?

Today you can find amulet on sale that looks like a small box, compact handbag or pouch. Inside there is tree resin, which is designed to protect its owner from both spiritual and physical threats. Incenses are worn around the neck along with pectoral cross or attached to clothing with a pin, but always above the waist. Those interested in how often the incense in the amulet should be changed should be answered that it cannot be changed, you just need to remove the bag before bathing, and when it gets dirty, transfer the contents to a new one and continue wearing it.

If for some reason the incense has become unusable, then it must be burned, the ashes buried in the ground and a new one purchased. Some believe that worn on the body for 3 months and buried on the territory active monastery resin can increase human protection, but this is already an element of the occult and is not approved by the church.

Incense against evil spirits

Everyone knows the expression “he’s afraid like the devil of incense.” Tree resin itself does not save you from demons, and burning it without any purpose either. Those who want to know why the devils are afraid of incense should answer that incense is ancient ritual appeals to God. In this way, the believer pleases the Lord, attracts him, and where there is grace and the Holy Spirit, it is bad for demons and devils. Christ's fragrance unbearable for the devil’s brothers, that’s why they run away from him without looking back.

Why does the smell of incense make you sick?

Not everyone likes the smell of burning tar, and that’s normal, but it has already been proven that smoke has an antidepressant effect on the body. The properties of incense are determined by its composition, and it contains incensol acetate, which some narrow-minded people compare to marijuana. It is not clear whether this is addictive, but there are those who specifically attend services in order to breathe in plenty and experience the effect of euphoria.

Frankincense is a psychoactive substance, but essential oils used in aromatherapy have the same effect. Some are designed to calm, others to invigorate. Another thing is that the smoke rising from the censer is a symbol of prayer ascending to God. After all, what it is – incense – is clear only to true believers who glorify Christ. And the one who came to the temple to “breathe” and get pleasure is a spiritual sensualist, and not a humble Christian. The essence of the Divine service is prayer and unity with the Lord, but nothing else.

Each of us is familiar with the pleasant aroma of incense that we feel when entering the temple. Frankincense was one of the gifts that the Magi presented to Jesus Christ as God and High Priest. During censing, a person's reverence for God is symbolically expressed. It seems that the aroma of incense immediately makes your soul calmer, and your thoughts come into order...

What is incense? How do you get it? What types of incense are there and how to understand all this diversity?

How is incense produced?

Frankincense is an fragrant tree resinobtained from various plants, most often these are trees of the genusBoswellia. In February or March, small cuts are made in the trees, from which resin flows out over a long period of time. When it covers the tree trunk and begins to dry out, they begin to collect it.

The resin is ground into flour, water and aromatics are added. The mixture is then stirred until it reaches the consistency of dough, rolled out and formed into long strips, which are cut and dried. To prevent the pieces from sticking to each other, they are sprinkled with magnesia. Dried pieces of resin are incense. Previously, only natural resins were used in the production of incense, without aromatic additives.

Although there is no single classification of incense, three groups can be distinguished depending on the ingredients: incense made from natural resins with aromatic additives; pure natural resins, which serve as the basis for production, but can themselves be used for incense; mixtures of resins and herbs.

Flavored incense

Scented incense can be classified by place of production.

The most famous is the incense made in the monasteries, monasteries and cells of Athos.

Stands out here "Vatopedi" incense, which is considered one of the highest quality. It has a deep rich aroma, does not smoke,can be stored for a long time and its fragrance remains in the air for a long time after censing. ForIn its production, high-quality aromatic oils are selected. Conventionally, they can be divided into woody and floral groups, artificial and natural. For example, scents such as Night flower, Desert Flower, Flowers of Athos, Wild Rose, Cherubic, Violet, Walnut and Amber, partly Miro, Byzantium - they combine several aromas at once and are attractive for this reason. Others - Rose, Lemon Flower, Cypress, Gardenia, Cinnamon - repeat the natural smell of plants.

On Athos, incense is also produced in the monasteries of Philotheus, Hilandar, the monasteries of the Great Martyr Demetrius, St. righteous Anna, cells of St. Nicholas, Holy Apostle John the Theologian (Provat) and Great Martyr Artemy (Provat) Monastery Great Lavra and others.

Each type is slightly different from the other, but the recipes are kept strictly secret,You can feel the differences only by burning incense yourself.

Enjoys great respect incense made at the Stavrovouni Monastery in Cyprus. A centuries-old tradition is carefully preserved here. Abbot Daniel wrote about the trees from which resin is collected to make incense back in the 13th century. Incense from Stavrovouni has a rich aroma.

Athenian incense. The next category is incense made in private workshops in Greece. These include such types as “Athensian”, “Patriarchal”, “Agios Afon”, “Mountain”, “Sketsky”, etc. Its main difference lies in the concentration and quality of the aroma used.

The uniqueness of Jerusalem incense lies in its appearance. It is not presented in the form of small pieces, but in the form of thin plates 3 millimeters thick and 10-15 centimeters in area.

Incense is also made in monasteries in Lebanon.

The production of incense has also been mastered in Russia. Masters use ancient technologies preserved and transferred from Athos. For example, the “Athos” incense is created according to the recipes of the monks of the New Skete on Mount Athos, and the “Festive” incense is created with the blessing of the New Thebaid desert brotherhood of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery of Mount Athos. Frankincense is made from boswellia resin (olibanum) with the addition of high quality fragrant oils.

Natural resins

Natural resins in their natural form can also be used as incense, without adding aromatic oils : cedar of Lebanon, cypress, myrrh, dammar, but most importantlyThis is boswellia resin (olibanum). It gives a smoky, tart, sweet, slightly oily aroma.

Boswellia grows in a number of countries - Yemen, Oman, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Shades in aromas may differ depending on the place of origin, growing conditions of the tree, purity and time of collection. To appreciate the aromas,I'll have to poop resin, to notice the difference.

Mixtures of natural resins and herbs

The third category is mixtures of natural resins and herbs. A certain composition of herbs is added to natural resin and a new bouquet of odors is obtained. For example, Palestine Valley Frankincense recreates the fragrance of the East by combining the natural resins of Boswellia Papyrifera, Benzoin Sumatra and Styrax Benzoin with the aroma of crushed clove buds, spicy rosemary, delicate lavender and the balsamic notes of Sandlewood.

How to choose incense?

When choosing incense, you need to rely on your own feelings and preferences. U everyone There are several more subspecies of the species,which are different from each otherdepending on the combination of flavors. For example, “Vatopedi” incense has as much 15 varieties. In order to do right choice, it is best to try burning incense yourself and “listen” to the smell.

It is also necessary to remember that the price of incense is determined by the quality and naturalness of the ingredients. The cheapest incense cannot have all the properties and depth of smell of an expensive one.

You can get acquainted with all the variety of varieties, aromas and packaging of incense in the store"Orthodox Word" , where the largest assortment in Russia is presented

Incense - what is it?

What is church incense?

What is church incense made from?

Church incense - use at home

Is it possible to burn incense at home?

Its use is allowed, but special utensils are used for this - a censer. If you burn resin in ordinary plates, you can ruin it and not get the desired effect. In addition, strong smoke can provoke a phenomenon such as an allergy to incense, especially if you “overdo it” and burn too many pieces. It is especially dangerous to do this before bed, because instead of calm and tranquility, it is easy to get a headache, cough and sore throat.

How to light incense at home?

This is done immediately before the prayer rule. Those asking how to light incense at home should be told that for this, charcoal, which is better self-igniting, is placed in the censer, lit with matches or a lighter, and pieces of resin are laid out on top. You should not put them directly on hot fuel - it is better to give it the opportunity to cool a little, otherwise the smell of incense will be very thick, the room will smoke very quickly and it will be difficult to breathe in it.

Another method involves using a “spider” - a special device that looks like a small bowl on three legs. Filled with pieces of resin, it is placed on top of a burning lamp, and judging by its popularity among Christians, it helps to obtain an unobtrusive, subtle aroma without an abundance of gray smoke. As an option, you can use sticks with added resin, which are convenient to set on fire on one side.

How to cleanse a house with incense?

You can improve the energy in your home by inviting a priest to consecrate the apartment. If this is not possible, then you can do it yourself. For those who ask how to fumigate an apartment with incense, you can answer that for this you need to set it on fire and, starting from the front door, moving from left to right, go around all the rooms, reading, “50th Psalm”, “Creed” or any other prayer to Lord, what kind the owner knows. At the same time, it is important to sign all corners, doorways and windows with the sign of the cross.

For those interested in how to use incense, you can sprinkle the walls, floors and ceilings with holy water to enhance the effect, sprinkling it in the form of a cross. The ideal time for the ceremony is Great, but if you wish, this can be done on other days. The main thing is to believe in the power of prayer, and then it will be more pleasant and calm to be at home, and in the future try not to quarrel with household members, especially with the use of swear words. Then the atmosphere in the home will be no worse than in the temple.

How to extinguish incense?

Where to put used incense?

Can you carry incense with you?

Today you can find amulet on sale that looks like a small box, compact handbag or pouch. Inside there is tree resin, which is designed to protect its owner from both spiritual and physical threats. Incenses are worn around the neck along with a cross on the body or attached to clothing with a pin, but always above the waist. Those interested in how often the incense in the amulet should be changed should be answered that it cannot be changed, you just need to remove the bag before bathing, and when it gets dirty, transfer the contents to a new one and continue wearing it.

If for some reason the incense has become unusable, then it must be burned, the ashes buried in the ground and a new one purchased. Some believe that resin worn on the body for 3 months and buried on the territory of an active monastery can increase a person’s protection, but this is already an element of the occult and is not approved by the church.

Incense against evil spirits

Everyone knows the expression “he’s afraid like the devil of incense.” Tree resin itself does not save you from demons, and burning it without any purpose either. Those who want to know why devils are afraid of incense should answer that incense is the oldest ritual of turning to God. In this way, the believer pleases the Lord, attracts him, and where there is grace and the Holy Spirit, it is bad for demons and devils. The fragrance of Christ is unbearable for the brothers of the devil, which is why they flee from him without looking back.

Why does the smell of incense make you sick?

The smell of incense is known to everyone who has ever been to church.

It is this soothing aroma, coupled with the atmospheric architecture and dim light from the candles, that helps you detach yourself from worldly problems and immerse yourself in prayer to God.

And it is with its help that incense is carried out, when the fragrance can be felt many times stronger. So what is this substance?

What is incense

Frankincense is the name given to the resin of the Lebanese cedar tree. This is very rare view a tree that can only be found in Africa, India or Arabia. In another area, the tree does not grow or take root, despite numerous attempts by researchers to spread the cedar. Due to the fact that the tree can grow only in certain conditions, it is listed in the Red Book. In addition, cedar does not produce much resin, so it is quite difficult to find real incense; substitutes are often used instead.

One of the plants included in the substitute is Indian red pear, whose resin has a similar odor to incense, but is much easier to obtain. In addition to India, the pear grows in China and Vietnam.

Real incense is known both in Europe and in Arab countries, but is called differently. So, the British gave it the name “incense of the Franks”, since they learned the substance from the French. The Arabs call it milk, finding the external similarity of the sap flowing from the tree with this drink. The Latin name for the aromatic resin sounds like olibanum, which is how it is called in Russia.

Composition and properties of incense

Incense includes many components, but some of them can be distinguished: three main:

plant boswellic acid, which is the main component of the resin;
tree bark sap, called gum or gum;
aromatic hydrocarbons contained in essential oils.

Thanks to such components, olibanum only partially dissolves in water, forming a cloudy emulsion. Prolonged heating leads to softening of the substance, which then ignites to produce a thick, pleasant odor. Antidepressant effects of smoke on nervous system is largely determined by the presence of incensol acetate in its composition. This substance can even lead a person to a state of euphoria.

Resin varieties

Real incense can only be obtained in places where Lebanese cedar grows. It is very valuable because one tree can produce no more than 400 grams of resin at a time. But if you collect olibanum from all growing cedars, you can get up to several thousand tons of incense per year.

Of all the countries where cedar grows, Somalia leads in the amount of incense produced. The plantations of this African country account for more than 80% of the collected resin. This is due to the fact that Somalia has the most favorable conditions for tree growth.

Incense production begins with the collection of resin. This process has been known for many millennia and is not difficult at all. The main thing is to collect before the rainy season begins.

The end of February and the beginning of March marks the period of active spilling of sap inside the tree. At this time, deep cuts are made on mature cedars, from which a milky liquid flows out.

This liquid is given time to flow out as quickly as possible. more and harden. The resulting substance thickly covers the tree trunk and the area under it.

When collected, the resin is broken into pieces, varying in color and density, with a diameter of up to 10 mm. Because of this, olibanum is divided into varieties not only depending on the deposit, but also on which pieces of resin were used in production. There are two varieties.

Selected incense. It is a transparent, shiny, oval-shaped piece. They can be white, yellow or Pink colour. If you rub them against each other, it will appear on the surface. light dust. Selected olibanum is soft enough that it can be ground into powder, which immediately begins to emit a tart odor.
Ordinary. All parts of the resin that cannot be classified as selected are included in this grade. They are dark in color and contain many side inclusions in the form of particles of bark or earth.

How did incense begin to be used?

People learned how incense smells and what it is like long before the beginning of our era. The incense was actively sold in Phenicia and was so valued that queues lined up for it.

In religion

Just as incense is used now, for religious rites, it was also used then, at the dawn of our era. The use of incense was found in rituals of different religions.

In mystical rites

It was believed that incense has the ability to protect a person and his home from evil spirits. Smoking it indoors increased the positive energy in the home and drove out everything bad from it, so in new house were not occupied until it was cleansed with incense smoke.

People believed that the valuable resin brought health not only to people, but also to pets. With its help, they protected property from theft, and themselves from witchcraft and damage.

In addition, a small piece of olibanum was sewn into a bag and used as a talisman. This one protected travelers on a long journey and helped in important matters.

In medicine

Also in Ancient Egypt olibanum began to be used in medicinal purposes. With its help, they not only expelled demons from people, but also treated very real mental disorders. The aroma calmed patients, eliminated anxiety, and helped fight insomnia. In rare cases, doctors insisted on taking olibanum to treat internal organs.

Ointments and rubbings were made using incense. Healing power The resin was used to treat joints and cleanse the skin. Thanks to the latter, Egyptians made masks from incense that had a rejuvenating effect.

Photos of incense and its uses

Modern research on beneficial properties

It was not for nothing that ancient healers included incense in their arsenal of medicinal drugs. Scientific research has confirmed the benefits of Lebanese cedar resin. Modern doctors know the following about the benefits of incense:

All these healing properties are provided by the constituents of olibanum: chemical elements. With the right recipe, which includes not only resin, but also other useful components, you can get a very powerful medicinal product.

Application today

IN modern world Frankincense has found its use due to the properties described above. There are several areas in which it is successfully used to this day.

Perfumery and cosmetology

The sweet scent of powdered incense is used in perfumery. One of its valuable properties is its compatibility with other scents, which allows you to create a beautiful perfume composition with oriental notes.

Essential oil olibanum, which is a concentrate of all the beneficial components of this resin, participates in skin regeneration processes, heals wounds, and has a tonic effect. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on hormonal background and acceleration of metabolism.

Homeopathic medicines

In alternative medicine, the resin of the Indian tree is mainly used. Homeopathic remedies for pain relief and wound healing contain frankincense extract. Tinctures are also prepared on its basis, which patients are recommended to use for gynecological diseases, diseases of blood vessels and body tissues. Resin helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and teeth. Homeopaths use a patch with the addition of incense to treat joints, purulent diseases, and stop bleeding.

Church rituals

No matter how many ways this wonderful substance can be used, the most common is church incense. Every parishioner knows from his own experience why incense is used in church. The aromatic smoke calms the senses, helps to concentrate on the service, and carries prayers and requests straight to God.

But, besides this, it also brings quite physical benefits. A lot of people come to church, so the House of God simply needs to cleanse the air. The antiseptic and bactericidal properties of incense allow you to refresh the air space and protect it from infections.

Church incense is made in monasteries. The most widespread are the products of the monasteries of Athos and Jerusalem. Incense granules are divided into varieties depending on their composition, qualitative and quantitative content of impurities. In addition, each type of incense has its own purpose; according to the purposes of use, it is divided into the following varieties:

Tsarsky, has the most high quality and price, used during services on important events.
The altar one is slightly inferior in quality to the royal one and is used for daily incense.
The cell phone was mainly used in the homes of monks; sometimes it is also used in churches, but this usually happens during fasting.

Home use

If you want to purify the air and feel the aroma of incense at home, incense can be bought at any church shop. For censing you will need kacea, which will make the process safe. It has the same operating principle as a church censer, but is smaller in size. A piece of incense is placed in it, which is set on fire and immediately begins to release fragrant smoke.

Incense should be carried around the entire perimeter of the house, starting from the front door. According to the rules, you need to move clockwise and do not forget to cross doors and corners. Each prayer should be accompanied by the prayer “Our Father.”

During the entire process, the windows in the house must be open. The smoke emitted has a very strong smell; it will be difficult to tolerate in a closed room.

If everything is done correctly, the fragrance of incense will help bring peace and tranquility to your home, calm your nerves, and lift your spirits. It tunes a person to prayer and heals the body. Purifying the air is accompanied by purifying thoughts and feelings, which leads not only to physical but also mental health.