We use medicinal plants in many ways. We drink them (infusion, decoction, flower essence, alcohol tincture, glycerin tincture, syrup, honey extract, oxymel), we eat them (capsule, tablet, homeopathic pills, electuary, culinary spices, vegetables, pot herbs), we absorb them through our skin (ointment, lotion, poultice, mask, hydrosol, oil, ointment, balm, cream, compress, steam, essential oils, ear drops, bath, soak, sitz bath), absorb them through of our mucous membranes (suppository, sinus wash, enema, douche, eye drops) and uses them spiritually (talismans, charms, medicine packets, stains, incense). We also inhale their medicine through cigarettes, pipes, vapors, essential oil diffusers, sprays, and, yes, incense.

The medicinal effects of frankincense depend on our sense of smell. The process occurs when molecules travel through the sinus cavities, dissolve in the mucus lining, and are detected by olfactory receptors on the tips of olfactory sensory neurons. How these molecules feel is debatable as to whether neurons are sensing the vibration of the molecules or their shape, with the theory alternating between the two ideas back and forth over the centuries. Either way, our sense of smell is very weak compared to other animals. For example, humans have 10 square centimeters of olfactory tissue in their sinuses, while dogs can have up to 170 square centimeters of olfactory tissue with a hundred times more receptors per square centimeter. Smell is the only sense that is perceived on the right side of the brain, which is the side of the brain that focuses on intuition and imagination, versus the left side of the brain, which focuses on analysis and logic. Because of this, the effects of smell are physical, psychoactive, and emotional. Interestingly, fragrance is considered to be the spirit of the plant and therefore affects our spirit. Smell is also processed through the limbic system, which deals with emotions, lust, hunger, memory, and imagination. that is why smell can trigger emotions and memories. Smell is also our oldest sense, part of the primordial “lizard brain” that is 450 million years old and predates other ancient senses like sight and balance.

There are records of the use of incense throughout the ancient world. The oldest recorded use is in Egypt, although it was also widely used in ancient times in other African countries, Arabia, India, America, and Europe. The ancient Incense Route carried incense from southern Arabia in camel caravans north to the Mediterranean Sea and Europe and east to Mesopotamia and India. The spice trade of centuries past moved aromatic plants between Europe and the Indonesian islands through the Red Sea and monsoon winds. The Silk Road brought the use of incense along with Buddhism from India, through China and as far as Japan in approximately the 1st century AD In fact, the incense ceremony (kohdo) is still considered one of the traditional Japanese arts , along with the flowers. arrangements (ikibana), tea ceremony (sado) and the Japanese lira (koto). Formal schools of incense were formed in the Edo period of Japan, 1603-1867, although there was a decline of the incense ceremony in the 19th century due to the disintegration of the shogunate and feudal society, and the reopening of Japan and China towards the west and the consequent westernization. . Fortunately, the craft and ceremony of incense were revitalized in the 1920s in Japan by the descendants of the masters of the koh-do (“way of incense”), and in the 1960s schools of incense began offering classes. again.

Synthetic incense has a very different composition from natural incense. Synthetic incense is typically made with a binder, usually starch, a bamboo core, which produces heavy smoke and adds the smell of burning bamboo, and an ignition source such as charcoal, sodium nitrate, paraffin, or a petroleum solvent. Paraffin and petroleum solvents are especially harmful because they are neurotoxic, and inhaling their smoke can cause asthma, skin reactions, nausea, dizziness, sneezing, and headaches. Smoke also irritates the eyes, nose, and throat. Synthetic frankincense also typically contains synthetic scents, 95% of which are derived from petroleum and cause the same symptoms listed above. Some manufacturers prefer these synthetic scents because they are lower cost, more consistent, can be used to create novel scents not found in nature, and are an ethical substitute for ingredients from endangered species such as musk, musk, ambergris and civet. However, synthetic scents are not identical in complexity to natural scents, so they can smell artificial. In addition, they do not have the same physical, emotional and psychoactive properties of natural scents and have the adverse effects mentioned above. Unfortunately, there are no legal restrictions on the amounts or combinations of synthetic fragrance chemicals, the ingredients in these synthetic fragrances do not have to be listed and only a fraction of them have been tested for safety.

Natural incenses, on the other hand, are usually 100% vegetable. In Japan, natural incense is made from a base of makko, also known as tabu no ki. It is an odorless, water soluble, sticky substance that burns smoothly and evenly. It is the powdered inner bark of Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura tree, Japanese Judas tree), an evergreen tree in the Magnolia family, and functions as a natural binder and ignition source. It is interesting to note that the Magnolia family is the most primitive of all the angiosperms (flowering plants), evergreen but with leaves, and the flowers form cones similar to those found in conifers. The fossil record of these plants dates back 100 million years! Other examples of plants in this family include cinnamon, cassia, bay leaf, champagne, nutmeg, mace, star anise, ylang-ylang, camphor, avocado, mountain laurel, rhododendron, and magnolia. In India, the traditional incense base is halmaddi, the resin from the tree of heaven, which has an unusual hygroscopic property (it draws water out of the air) that makes Indian incenses feel moist to the touch. Hamaddi combined with honey, adds the sweet note of honey / vanilla to the champa incense (mix of spices). Ground and powdered herbs are added to the base of makko and hamaddi including resins, barks, flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fruits, twigs, rhizomes, bulbs, woods, lichens, seaweed and animal ingredients such as ambergris, musk, pangolin scales. and conches.

Frankincense has been used historically for many different reasons, especially medicinal, environmental, and spiritual applications. Medicinal uses include increasing energy, treating and preventing illness (spraying), inducing and promoting restful sleep, boosting libido, enhancing positive emotions, and reducing anxiety, stress, fear, worry, sadness, or anger. . It is also used for setting, to clear and / or define a space, to induce a certain mood among a group, to perfume the space, clothing, hair or writing paper, to cover unpleasant odors, to inspire creativity or to sharpen the focus for study. Historically, before mechanical watches, it was even used to track the passage of time during meditation, meetings, or at the geisha house. The spiritual uses of incense are many. For prayer, the smoke from the incense is seen as a way to attract and please the gods, sweeten their prayers, and the rising smoke is said to carry both the prayers and the spirit of the deceased to heaven. Frankincense is also used spiritually to induce states of meditation, dreams, and visions, and to help focus during prayer. It can even improve acoustics in churches and other large spaces and help accept plant communications. Purify and sanctify the space, people and ceremonial objects, and drive away evil spirits, insect pests, diseases and negative energy. It is widely used to mark celebrations and rites of passage and is burned as a sacrifice in its own right. Finally, it is used to mask the smell of cremation and animal sacrifice.

Incense ingredients come from all parts of plants and have a wide variety of actions: bark, flower, fruit, leaf, resin, seed, and wood. Cinnamon is a commonly used bark that counteracts tiredness, depression and weakness, and tones and calms the nerves. Cloves are an example of a flower being worn (they are actually a flower bud) and are considered a mental stimulant. Juniper berry, a fruit, stimulates and strengthens the nerves, strengthens the spirit in challenging situations, and relieves anxiety, nervous tension, and mental exhaustion. The eucalyptus leaf clears the mind and improves concentration, while the benzoin resin is calming and uplifting, comforting the sad and lonely, and acts as an antidepressant and sedative. A common frankincense seed is fennel, which increases courage, determination, and strength in the face of adversity. Sandalwood, one of the most common bases of incense, is calming and harmonizing, reduces stress and tension, acts as an antidepressant and fights fear, stress, nervous exhaustion and anxiety.

In closing, I would like to offer the “Ten Virtues of Koh”. Koh is the Japanese word for incense and this list was compiled by a 16th century Japanese Buddhist monk: it brings communication with the transcendent, purifies both body and mind., Cleanses and clears the spirit of worldly blindness, brings alertness, is provides a companion in the midst of loneliness, in the midst of busy affairs brings a moment of peace, when it is abundant, one never tires, when there is little, one is still satisfied, age does not change its effectiveness, and used all the days, it doesn’t hurt.