The best incense for meditation

In this modern day and age, meditation is imperative for lowering stress levels, reducing anxiety and calming the physical body. Many people are finding the benefits of burning incense during meditation, but there are so many incense on the market, it can be difficult to choose one.

Here we have broken down some of the different fragrances and what they are good for.

Incense for anxiety & depression

Frankincense is one of the best incense to use during meditation because of its amazing calming properties. The aroma of Frankincense is warm and sweet with citrusy notes. It has a wonderful impact on the nervous system and when inhaled, has been shown to reduce heart rate and high blood pressure. A study found that Frankincense has the ability to affect the channels of the brain that alleviate anxiety and depression (1)

Incense for mental clarity & focus

The scent of Sandalwood is woodsy, warm, exotic and complex. This is a great choice to increase alertness, focus and clarity. If you tend to be a daydreamer or have a tendency to be lethargic, this may be a good fit for you. Sandalwood is also good for those that suffer from tension headaches. 

Incense for love & compassion

Jasmine comes from the Persian word 'yasmin', meaning Gift from God. This is a beautifully fragrant flower that is instantly recognizable. If you are feeling disconnected from the world... friends, family, your partner or even disconnected from God (Source), Jasmine is the perfect choice. The scent promotes spiritual love, desire, empathy, compassion and opens you up to the beauty all around you.

Incense for manifestation

Many people find the act of manifestation easier when they have spent some time meditating on it beforehand. By being in a calm state of mind, visualizing what you wish to manifest will come more easily and naturally. Cinnamon is an excellent choice for manifesting meditations. Cinnamon is a fire element, which means that it is great for igniting (see what we did there?) your love life!

Easy way to begin your meditation practice

Meditating isn't (and shouldn't) be difficult, that kind of defeats the purpose!

• Sit in a comfortable position
• Breathe in slowly, feel your body/mind relax
• Breathe out slowly, feel any tension leaving your body/mind
• Repeat
• Allow any thoughts to come and go. Don't fight them, just observe & let go
• Start with 5 minutes and add another minute or two with each session

Before meditating, Buddhists take the time to light an incense stick. They believe that this process enables the mind to clear, leaving it fresh and ready for meditation. As with any routine, the more you practice a ritual before sitting down to meditate, the more focused you will become. As the brain begins to link the lighting of the incense with the start of meditation, this signals to the mind that it is time to focus.