OLD AND NEW AROMATICS
Trends and fashions affect our appreciation of perfumes that satisfy our senses and our personal tastes.
The resins and oils used throughout the world in religious or traditional practices however remain and the simpler ones endure in use even today, after many centuries.
To understand the value of incense and sacred uses of ancient Egypt we have to know the importance that was given to ensure that the spiritual power that they sought to utilize in their rituals was maximized. This was done from the initial cultivation of the chosen plants in the nurseries where priests dedicated to their task, tended them with prayer and hymns and spiritual chants that sanctified them for future use in temples, ceremonies and for healing.
Even the harvesting and preparations included these measures and sacred mantras.
We know from the Cheops pyramid papyrus that incense made of myrrh, calamus, juniper and coriander used for embalming and for the ritual of exorcism. Many other traditional ingredients were imported from Asia and Arabia with sandalwood and frankincense being generously used.
The Greeks inherited some of the recipes of early times but also added their own favourites such as vanilla, cassia, galbanum, saffron, cinnamon and in their fresh product included coriander, mint and other European perfumed plants.
Today we are spoiled in having access to a huge range of commercially prepared aromatics available in modern markets. However we should remember that the beautiful natural sources of perfume remain a limited resource and should be conserved and used with discretion.
INCENSE – its role in our lives
Perfumes and aromas of all kinds are principally of subtle nature and have a limited life before disappearing into the atmosphere. Although we may seek to capture and retain the beautiful ones, we would wish the unpleasant smells to have a very short life.
Before modern experts were able to achieve the chemical perfume compounds we know today, all aromatics came from natural sources and material. No doubt the complexity of perfumes today may offer increased choices in our range of scented toiletries, the best quality perfumes are the most natural ones. There are reasons for this, beyond the capacity we have to measure quality by our sensory enjoyment. The science that has newly developed, known as Osmics or Osmology is helping to demonstrate the quality and effects of perfume as an aid to healing in the hands of aromatherapists and psychiatrists.
Although there is a wide sphere of personal choice in toiletries, the science concentrates research upon the essential or natural oils - a precious and limited resource that offers powerful aids in healing moods and minds in the hands of professional physiotherapists, psychotherapists and in self- healing as we increase our personal knowledge of the science.
However, perfumes used as incense are in a class of their own. Incense is the burning of aromatics for use in spiritual devotions and religious ritual as well as in personal meditation. Since primitive times in western countries, aromatic substances have been sacrificed to fire in order to release the fumes that would rise into the atmosphere together with the prayers and thoughts of the people. Through the simple rituals attendant to this practice it was believed that a subtle bridge connected the outer world and the invisible spiritual one to allow a response from the gods. Censing remains in religious ceremonies and worship in churches today.
In eastern and middle eastern cultures it was more highly developed as it had been built into traditional religious practice from earliest times and was integral in Vedic lore. The materials used were important as they are today, that they are a clean and natural as possible. Until science can indicate others that are appropriate to aid elevation of human consciousness and increase spiritual awareness the favourites remain as the following –
frankincense, sandalwood, cedarwood, cypress, pine, rose, neroli, lavender and juniper.
As of old, we use the materials available to us in our particular circumstances so there are differences between an incense ‘recipe’ in one part of the world and another. But however varied, the constant rule applies that there should be no animal substance used.
Frankincense for Christmas
Apart from the accent upon the joy of the Christmas festival and the birth of Jesus we are fortunate to enjoy the intensity of the spiritual energies that assist our inner peace as well as our sense of well being.
Of all the scents and sounds that we may appreciate as traditional sensory symbols we must be reminded of the wonderful influence of frankincense. In western countries we are fortunate to be able to procure it both in granules and as an essential oil and so find it entirely suitable to use as our Christmas church incense and for our private spiritual meditations.
Frankincense, also known as Olibanum, is derived from the tree Boswellia thurifera. For centuries it has been employed to assist in elevating the emotions and in particular, our feelings of aspiration and spiritual devotion. Inhalation of the subtle emanations or the burning fumes really helps relieve depression and to soothe frayed nerves. It is a popular aid to help our mood for meditation when a drop or two rubbed between the hands ensures that we have a prolonged time to enjoy its scent.
In cold countries of the northern hemisphere other timbers are also equally used. Sandalwood is the most powerful, yet balanced aromatic that is protective and very pleasing to inhale. Cedarwood and the conifers of all kinds are for some an essential influence at Christmas time with the tree used as a focus for celebrations. Pine is of course favoured by people all over the world.
This is the time to give a gift to introduce the masculine perfumes of natural origin to those unaware of subtle ways for a man to use these attractive scents.
BURNING AROMATICS
Ancient cultures record the regular use of incense with balsams and resins forming the basic ingredients with perhaps the most lavish examples being Babylon, Egypt and China. The most easily procured substances were found in the trees, barks, roots and resins and many trees provided suitable material whilst forests remained pristine. In addition the rich supplies of gums from the Middle East and increasing trade from many other countries provided perfumes and aromatic in popular demand.
Perfumes and incense were highly developed in classical times. The Romans, through Nero’s infamous behaviour, allowed extravagant uses of perfumes in demonstrations of almost unimaginable decadence.
As incense ingredients became better known in Europe, incense was widely adopted by the Christian church. It quickly replaced the earlier devotional offering of pagans to their many gods to now satisfy what was understood as the specific directions in the Bible. In religious worship in all churches, censing was relied upon as an integral part of the ritual as it proved helpful in inducing a devotional mood amongst congregations.
In Asia and India, the use of incense is an ancient tradition in the life of the people. It has become an important art in blending natural floral perfumes with sandalwood and sometimes a substance from ambergris and the highly prized musk from the musk deer. Because of the associated cruel methods, animal sources are now outlawed.
It has several benefits and practical purposes beyond religious purposes. It not only can be used to disguise unpleasant odours, but to help create a pleasant general atmosphere and more specifically, in helping an individual soothe stressful mental and emotional states.
For these reasons incense continues to increase in popular domestic use, particularly amongst those who practise meditation. It has found its way to become commonplace for perfumes and aromatics to feature in the life and homes of us all.
However, with greater awareness of the earth’s decline in natural resources, there is every likelihood that we will have to use restraint in our casual use of incense in the future and reserve our precious aromatics solely for spiritual purposes.
Perfumes and Incense
The use of perfumes and incense in our history is an old one perhaps dating back as the word ‘per’ = by means of, and ‘fumum’ = smoke, relates to its association with man’s first use of fire. Certainly it is known that resinous woods were burnt by early man both in homes and caves and in religious rites in temples and groves.
Of our five senses, the olfactory sense is the most subtle and difficult to define but it plays a large role in our well being, both in our physical health as well as the subtler psychological and spiritual well being.
Most people may value perfume only as an addition to their personal toiletry. We also can appreciate it on others or enjoy a pleasing scent in the garden or the general atmosphere. But perfume possesses other specific qualities not so quickly recognized. Aromas affect our quality of life both by the additional of beautiful perfumes or by the destructive nature of chemical or traffic fumes. These bad odours cause reactions on our nervous systems and respiratory systems in a negative way, intensifying nervous tension both physical and psychological.
Inhalation of pleasant perfumes and flower essences of natural origin have a positive enjoyable result, stimulating the sense of well being, so fundamental to our psyche in protecting us from disease, physical and mental. In addition, it is found that perfumes of natural essences and essential oils can counteract negative states of the body and mind and are therefore proving to be effective ‘medicine’ for many ills.
The subtle nature of perfume is beginning to be appreciated through the science of Osmics. Aromatherapy is now a common therapeutic option and is included as one of the modalities used in natural therapies and entering tentative application in orthodox medical science and psychology.
Burning incense sticks is now commonplace in western as well as customary in eastern societies. Care should be used with modern synthetics as harmful effects can sometimes occur from some chemical ingredients used in their production. We can only expect anticipated benefits if we use the natural essential oils and aromatics.
Not only personal use of perfume, but appropriate quality fragrances released into the atmosphere through burning as incense offer a wonderful influence in any environment.
