Incense And Resins - Ritual, Religion And Revival

Man has used incense, in its crudest and earliest forms, since the dawn of our history. With the discovery of fire, our ancestors would have realised that many materials give off a unique and sometimes powerful aroma when burnt. Then as now, the air is quickly filled with intoxicating aromas simply by throwing some dried leaves, spices, resins or twigs into a fire. There isn't a culture where incense hasn't been recognised and utilised for sacred and healing purposes. From ancient times people recognised that aromas produced by burning materials could heighten the senses, both sight and smell. When early man gathered around the fire, the smell of aromatic woods, herbs and leaves carried by spirals of smoke was a rare sensory pleasure. From this discovery it was no doubt a short step to dedicating fragrant products to the Gods, by adding them to a fire, which would also carry the good wishes and prayers of men upwards on the heat of the flames. Other benefits ascribed to the burning of incense included the purification of an area, to change a mood (to facilitate meditation or religious practices) and to cleanse and disinfect living spaces, especially after pollution caused by, for instance, birth, death or illness. The Rise of Incense and The Frankincense Trail Thousands of years before the advent of Christianity, the plants, herbs and spices that produced the best incense were traded as highly desirable commodities. For many years Frankincense from the Arabian peninsula was actually a more valuable currency than gold or silver. In almost every religion, aromatic oils, leaves and powders were considered a gift from the Gods, symbolic of divine grace. Frankincense was used in vast quantities by the ancient Egyptians, Persians and Assyrians, and via them, by the Romans, who learned of its use when coming into contact with eastern nations. Trade in Frankincense flourished for centuries, particularly in the Arabian peninsula area of Oman, and its use can be traced back to the reign of the Queen of Sheba, who reigned over the Hadramut Kingdom which included Oman. The Frankincense trade flourished for fifteen hundred years, peaking at the height of the Roman Empire. The trade only declined due to reduced demand after the fall of the Roman Empire and also because of the high taxes levied along the strictly controlled trade routes. It was re-established by the Franks, successors to the Western Roman Empire, as the incense of the Franks or Frankincense. Elsewhere in the world it is often and more familiarly known by its traditional Arabic name or derivative of Hoojray. The idea of purification through smoke is not only the sole preserve of the world to the east of the Atlantic. The Native North Americans or First Nationals have also burned herbal smoke mixtures in ceremonial cleansing and healing rituals for thousands of years. Smudging (the common name given to the sacred smoke bowl blessing) has been a part of Native American tradition since ancient times. As with its Eastern counterparts, the "smudging" or burning of herbs and resins was and continues to be a practice held literally sacred by many traditional cultures. Smudging takes many forms; herbs are either tied into bundles called "smudge sticks," or the longer, tendril like herbs may be braided into "ropes." Smudging calls on the spirits of the sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. The most popular herbs and plants for smudging include Cedar, Sage, Sweetgrass and Tobacco. Each of these plants is imbued with a unique quality and specific energy and as such are known as "Sacred Plant Helpers." Their smoke is ceremonially fanned through the energy field (aura) to cleanse negative energies, heal, bless and attract positive forces. Smudging continues to this day as an integral part of Native American purification rituals. All spaces and the tools used for healings must be smudged, and smudging is an integral part of other important ceremonies such as medicine wheel gatherings, the vision quest and sweat lodge. Incense and Modern Religion The use of incense in organised religion continues as a relevant and important aspect of several confirmed religions, being used to prepare the congregation for prayer and ritual. In the Roman Catholic and Eastern churches, incense is a sacramental. The Roman Catholic Church has always recognised the value of rites and ceremonial observances, not only for increasing the solemnity of services but for arousing a spirit of devotion in those who minister at them and those who attend them. For a period the use of incense was discontinued in the Western Church because of its close association with pagan worship, but it has always been used in the Eastern Church. The incense used today is powder or grains of resin. gums or exotic woods and other such substances which, when burned, give off a sweet smelling smoke. It is interesting to note that the Roman Catholic Church now shares a devotion to rituals involving incense with the ever increasing number of practicing pagans and wiccans, the very groups it sought to dissociate itself from. The mystical meanings ascribed to incense by the church hardly differs from those of our ancestors. By its burning, incense symbolises the zeal of the faithful, its sweet fragrance echoes the "odour of sanctity" believed to be exuded by saints and martyrs, and its rising smoke symbolises the ascent of prayers to heaven. Also, incense creates a cloud, which is considered another symbol for godliness.