the sense of smell opening the imagination

Incenses

Many people are unfamiliar with the different types of incense that are available. These are used in different situations, and using the correct incense in the right space will change your experience of those spaces.

Indian incenses are the most familiar, inexpensive, and easily available. They are great for scenting or cleansing a small room long before you use it, but are generally too sweet, and too heavy and acrid for the confined space of a bathroom or bedroom. Chinese incenses are especially great for walking around and clearing space energetically (use it in the bathroom, the bedroom or even the whole house early in the day to cleanse the areas you might be using) but might be irritating to the eyes and nose in a small space. Tibetan incenses are most complex and mysterious ‘smoke medicines’, some of which may be fine in the bathroom, if you use a small piece. Better use it in the bedroom later. Japanese incenses are thin, precise, bright shafts of energy that cut rapidly into any space without ever dominating it. Excellent for bathrooms and bedrooms, not the best for energetic house-cleansing or big workshop spaces. Try cedarwood, aloeswood and, of course, sandalwood. They might seem a bit pricey at first, but well worth the outlay for special use.