How to use church incense at home. Church incense: its types, properties, use and contraindications

Currently, church shops have a large selection of incense, resins, incense for every taste. And if a product is offered to an Orthodox buyer, then it would not be out of place to talk about how to use it at home on your own and, most importantly, why.

Frankincense is a natural product aromatic resin, which is obtained from the Boswellia trees, or it is also called the Incense tree. In early spring, cuts are made on the trunk and resin flows out of this cut. when it completely covers the tree trunk, dries up, it is harvested.

We heat the coal on the fire of a kitchen burner. You can put it gently with tweezers directly into the fire and turn it over every few minutes. Coal should be covered with white ash.

The coal is hot enough. Be careful - the ashes crumble, and the coal itself may fall out of the tweezers. Keep a glass of water ready

When the coal is warmed up, we put it in the censer and pour a little incense around the coal.

Incense is placed next to a hot coal. It immediately starts emitting smoke. A censer with a handle can go around the whole apartment

With the help of a lamp. This method is interesting in that it does not require the kindling of coal, but the utensils that we indicated at the beginning of the article are needed.

So, we take a lamp, we light it. How to do it right, read in satta. Then we take out the "spider" - a special metal nozzle on the lamp.

With this method, incense is used exclusively in pieces, and not, for example, in powder.

We place the "spider" on the lamp and put a piece of incense on it. After that, you need to wait a bit until the lamp heats up.

Instructions for using church incense at home -

With this method, the burning of incense takes a longer time.

You can buy Orthodox monastic handmade incense by placing an order on our site or by contacting us.

Frankincense is an aromatic tree resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia (Incense tree) that grow in the Arabian Peninsula.In February or March (depending on weather conditions), small cuts are made on the Incense trees, from which resin flows out for a long time. When the resin completely covers the trunk of the tree and dries, collection begins. The process of collecting and processing incense is done manually.

Usually incense is used in worship services in Orthodox churches. But you can also incense at home, especially considering the beneficial effect of incense aroma on a person. How to do it right - read our article.

What is incense for?

The tradition of using incense in liturgical practice and in household use dates back to ancient times. Thus, the Ishmaelite merchants, together with Joseph, brought balm and incense for sale to Egypt (Gen. 37:25). Burning incense in the Temple in Jerusalem was a prerequisite for serving God (1 Chron. 9:29, Neh. 13:5). And in the Gospel, incense, along with gold and myrrh, was brought as a gift to the Lord Jesus Christ by the Magi from the East (Matt. 2:11).

Boswellia tree and bits of hardened resin used to make incense

Frankincense is also widely used in perfumery, aromatherapy and cosmetics. In addition, aromatic oils are made from frankincense. Frankincense is also used in medicine as an additive to ointments.

Frankincense calms the nervous system. Frankincense smoke contains incensol acetate, which has an antidepressant effect.

Some people note that when using incense, the process of recovery from diseases is faster. In this case, it is recommended to use Bishop's incense. About the types of incense - below.

What is required to kindle incense

You can buy incense in almost any candle shop of an Orthodox church or order it in an Orthodox online store. Frankincense in its smell may differ from each other. There is nothing wrong with this, since incense is made in various places where they try to give it their own unique aromas. So, for example, Jerusalem, Athos, Rosny and other types of incense are found on sale. Boxes for sale usually contain from 200 to 500 g of incense. With daily use, such a box lasts an average of 2 weeks.

To most easily kindle incense, which is sold in the form of solid pieces, you will need incense, a censer, a censer, or a lamp with a spider.

If there is a metal spider - coal is not needed

Various types of incense are used in church services. The use of varieties of incense depends on the type of worship. So, on the Resurrection of Christ, you can incense "Paschal" with incense. On the Twelfth and Great Feasts, Fragrant incense is used. On Sundays, they incense, mainly, with incense "Bouquet of Athos" and "Holy Mountain". On weekdays, when there are no big holidays, a simpler incense is used - "Pine", "Cypress" or "Rose".

Among the types of incense stand out "Bishop", "Altar" and "Secret".

Bishop's incense is the most expensive in terms of value. It has a solemn and rich bouquet of fragrant aromas. Most often it is used at bishop's services or on the Twelfth and Great Feasts.

Altar incense is fragrant with a bouquet of bright aromas. It is used to incense the altar and the entire temple on any holidays, except for the Twelfth and Great.

Cell incense is used by monks for burning incense in cells, as well as during church fasts, when performing "The follow-up of the Prayer to drive away sorcery (witchcraft) and magical charms (temptations, demonic attacks) from a person". This type of incense is the most ascetic. It is quite discreet and does not contain strong aromas.

Everything you need can be ordered in our store with delivery:

1. Do not leave the used coal unattended. Extinguish it with water.

2. Smell the incense before buying. Buy only the incense that you like and that does not make you feel worse.

3. Check yourself for the presence of diseases in which the burning of incense is contraindicated.

4. Keep incense and charcoal out of the reach of children.

5. Do not touch burning incense and coal with your hands.

Don't throw coal in the trash. This can not only lead to a fire, but from the point of view of Orthodoxy, it is irreverent. It is better to take it to the temple or consult with the priest on this matter.

Now we are all set to burn the incense. Let's start and “May my prayer be corrected, like a censer before You”(Ps. 140:2).

Frankincense is a dried resin with a specific thick smell, which is emitted by a tree of the genus Boswellia, which grows on the Arabian Peninsula.

Most people associate incense with church incense. But only a few know for what purposes and how to use incense at home.

How to use incense at home

Before using frankincense, it is useful to learn about its properties. The smell of incense relieves stress and nervous tension. Due to this property, incense is used in meditation. Inhalation of frankincense vapors normalizes the heart rate, makes breathing more even and deep. Therefore, you can simply burn incense indoors to create a calm, peaceful atmosphere.

Frankincense has healing properties and is used to treat a number of diseases:

• to make an ointment for burns, you need to mix crushed incense and thick fat in a ratio of 1: 3;
• for hemoptysis, mix 1 teaspoon of frankincense powder, 500 ml of red fortified wine, 50 ml of vinegar. Take the resulting mixture 3 times a day before meals, 50 ml;
• for inflammation and other gum diseases, you need to rub a mixture of frankincense and thyme powder in equal proportions.

No less successfully used incense in cosmetology.

• Strengthen hair and improve their growth will help a mixture of 1 tbsp. spoons of incense and 500 ml of dry red wine;
• incense added to a regular cream will help.

With the help of incense and holy water, you can remove negative energy and return comfort and harmony to your home. Before you burn incense at home, you should put things in order, clean up. To conduct the ceremony, you need to light incense in a lamp or a refractory bowl and go around the entire apartment counterclockwise, including the toilet, bathroom, kitchen, glazed balcony. Particular attention should be paid to the corners. During the ceremony, the prayer "Our Father" is constantly read. At the end, the room should be ventilated, and hands and face should be washed with running water.

Instruction

The first kind of ignition incense a - on the corner. To do this, you need to take coal, ignite it. But never put incense on hot red coal. First you need to let the coal cool down a little. To do this, wait 10-15 minutes until the ember is covered with ashes. After that, you can put on it incense.

The second way - incense can be kindled in a censer. To do this, you need to pre-heat the coal on a gas or electric stove red hot, while it is better to heat the coal on both sides. For convenience, you can use large tweezers or tongs. Then the heated coal must be placed in the censer, and the pieces are carefully laid out around it. incense and close the lid.

If you do not have a censer, but have an oil lamp, then you can kindle incense in a "pouch". "Spider" is a special metal attachment for a lamp. First you need to light the lamp, then a stand is placed on it. A piece is placed on the stand incense a.
If your incense not in pieces, but in powder, then preliminarily such incense should be broken into small pieces.
As soon as the stand is heated by the wick of the lamp, incense begins to exude a delicate delicate aroma. It should be noted that smoking incense and on the stand it lasts longer, and the aroma is thinner, since the temperature under the spider is lower than on the coal itself.

If a incense does not burn in the stand - check if the lamp does not go out. This may be in the following cases:
1. Could be bad oil. Get Vaseline, it burns better.
2. There is a bad wick in the lamp, made of non-natural materials. Such a wick can be replaced with a piece of bandage.
3. Wick too thick, tightly seated in the hole and not allowing oil to rise through it. To eliminate this problem, you need to pull a few threads from the wick so that the wick moves freely enough in the float.

If you don't have incense but if you want to feel the atmosphere of the temple, then special incense candles will help you. They are called "nuns". They are used in their manufacture incense, aromatic components and coal.

Useful advice

You can clean the stand after it has cooled by substituting under a stream of cold water.

Sources:

• can you make a fire at home

Frankincense is the dried resin of a small tree of the genus Boswellia carteri, native to the Arabian Peninsula. During burning, this resin emits a pleasant strong smell, which was the reason for its use in the administration of church Christian rites. Frankincense has been used as an incense since ancient times, and the Bible lists among the gifts that the Magi brought to the newborn Jesus.

The Boswellia carteri tree itself is listed in red - its disappearance, of course, is due to the fact that its juice, drying out, becomes a precious resin. In and, when the secretion of juice intensifies, cuts are made on the trunk of the tree, from which liquid begins to stand out. It can flow for quite a long time and cover the entire trunk with hardened pieces. Then the resin is scraped off the bark and collected from where the juice dripped. It is sorted into selected and ordinary incense.

Selected incense - large whole pieces of resin the size of a plum, light yellow or pinkish. Their surface has a waxy sheen and is covered with fine incense dust that forms when they rub against each other. Frankincense collected in different places differs in color and smell. Pieces of it are easily ground into powder; for this, ordinary marble mortars are used.

Frankincense powder in ancient Egypt was used as the basis for anti-aging facials. It was used in medicine to treat a variety of diseases: rheumatism and colds, skin inflammation and urinary tract infections, nervous and stomach disorders. It is believed that it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects, can be used as an astringent, healing, carminative, expectorant and sedative.

From frankincense, by distilling the resin with steam, an aromatic oil is made, which is used in aromatherapy. The oil is pale yellow or greenish in color and mixes well with other incense oils such as sandalwood, geranium, mimosa, pine, bergamot and orange. Such mixtures are used in cosmetics for the preparation of soaps, deodorants, and various creams. You can feel the smell of incense in many perfume compositions, especially spicy ones. Sometimes it can be added to food and drinks as a flavoring agent.

The smell of incense is known to everyone who has ever been to a church.

It is this soothing aroma, coupled with atmospheric architecture and subdued light from candles, that helps to get rid of worldly problems and immerse yourself in prayer to God.

And it is with its help that censing is carried out, when the fragrance can be felt many times stronger. So what is this substance?

What is incense

Frankincense is called the resin of the Lebanese cedar. This is a very rare type of tree, which can only be found in Africa, India or Arabia. In another area, the tree does not grow and does not take root, despite numerous attempts by researchers to spread the cedar. Due to the fact that the tree can grow only under certain conditions, it is listed in the Red Book. In addition, cedar does not give so much resin, so real incense is quite difficult to find, substitutes are often used instead.

One of the plants that make up the substitute is the Indian red pear, whose resin smells similar to incense, but is much easier to get. In addition to India, the pear grows in China and Vietnam.

Real incense is known both in Europe and in Arab countries, but it is called differently. So, the British gave it the name "incense of the Franks", since the substance became known to them from the French. The Arabs call it milk, finding the outward resemblance of the juice flowing from the tree with this drink. The Latin name of the aromatic resin sounds like olibanum, which is how it is called in Russia.

The composition and properties of incense

Frankincense includes many components, but one can distinguish from them three main:

• vegetable boswellic acid, which is the main component of the resin;
• tree bark sap, called gum or gum;
• aromatic hydrocarbons found in essential oils.

Thanks to such components, olibanum only partially soluble in water, forming a cloudy emulsion. Prolonged heating leads to softening of the substance, which then ignites with the formation of a thick pleasant smell. Antidepressant effects of smoke on the nervous system largely determined by the presence of incensol acetate in its composition. This substance can even bring a person into a state of euphoria.

Resin grades

Real incense can only be obtained in places where the Lebanese cedar grows. It is highly valued as one tree can produce no more than 400 grams of resin at a time. But if you collect olibanum from all growing cedars, you can get up to several thousand tons of incense per year.

Of all the countries where cedar grows, Somalia leads in terms of the amount of incense produced. The plantations of this African country account for more than 80% of the collected resin. This is due to the fact that Somalia has the most favorable conditions for the growth of the tree.

The production of incense begins with the collection of resin. This process has been known for many millennia and is not difficult. The main thing is to collect before the rainy season begins.

At the end of February and the beginning of March, there is a period of active pouring of juice inside the tree. At this time, deep incisions are made on adult cedars, from which a milky liquid flows.

This liquid is given time to flow out as much as possible and solidify. The resulting substance densely covers the trunk of the tree and the place under it.

When collecting the resin is broken into pieces, different in color and density, up to 10 mm in diameter. Because of this, olibanum is divided into varieties not only depending on the deposit, but also on which particular pieces of resin were used in the production. There are two varieties.

1. Selected incense. Represents transparent brilliant pieces of an oval form. They can be white, yellow or pink. If they are rubbed against each other, light dust will appear on the surface. Selected olibanum is soft enough that it can be ground into powder, which immediately begins to exude a pungent odor.
2. Ordinary. All parts of the resin that cannot be classified as selective are included in this class. They have a dark shade and contain many side inclusions in the form of particles of bark or earth.

How Frankincense Was Used

How it smells and what incense is, people learned long before the beginning of our era. The incense was actively sold in Phenicia and was so valued that queues lined up for it.

In religion

How incense is used now, for religious rites, it was also used then, at the dawn of our era. The use of incense was found in the ceremonies of different religions.

in mystical rites

It was believed that incense has the ability to protect a person and his house from evil spirits. His incense in the room increased the positive energy in the home and expelled everything bad from it, so the new house was not inhabited until it was cleansed with incense smoke.

People believed that valuable resin brings health not only to people, but also to pets. With its help, they protected property from theft, and themselves from witchcraft and damage.

In addition, a small piece of olibanum was sewn into a bag and used as a talisman. This protected travelers on a long journey and helped in important matters.

In medicine

Even in ancient Egypt, olibanum began to be used for medicinal purposes. With its help, they not only cast out demons from people, but also treated very real mental disorders. The aroma calmed the sick, eliminated anxiety, helped fight insomnia. In rare cases, doctors insisted on taking olibanum for the treatment of internal organs.

Ointments and rubbings were made on the basis of incense. The healing power of the resin was used to treat joints and cleanse the skin. Thanks to the latter, the Egyptians made masks from incense that had a rejuvenating effect.

Photos of incense, its uses

Modern research on beneficial properties

It was not in vain that ancient healers included incense in their arsenal of medicinal preparations. Scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of Lebanese cedar resin. Modern doctors know the following about the benefits of incense:

All these healing properties are provided by the chemical elements that make up the olibanum. With proper preparation of the recipe, which includes not only resin, but also other useful components, you can get a very strong remedy.

Application today

In the modern world, incense has found its use due to the properties described above. There are several areas in which it is successfully used to this day.

Perfumery and cosmetology

The sweet smell of powdered frankincense is used in perfumery. One of its valuable properties is its compatibility with other fragrances, which allows you to create a beautiful perfume composition with oriental notes.

The essential oil of olibanum, which is a concentrate of all the useful components of this resin, is involved in the processes of skin regeneration, heals wounds, and has a tonic effect. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the hormonal background and the acceleration of metabolism.

Homeopathic preparations

In alternative medicine, the resin of the Indian tree is mainly used. Homeopathic medicines for pain relief and wound healing contain frankincense extract. On its basis, tinctures are also prepared, which patients are recommended to use for gynecological diseases, diseases of blood vessels and body tissues. Resin helps maintain healthy skin, hair, teeth. A patch with the addition of incense is used by homeopaths to treat joints, purulent diseases, and stop bleeding.

Church rites

No matter how many ways this wonderful substance can be used, church incense is still the most common. Why incense is used in the church, every parishioner knows from his own experience. Fragrant smoke calms the senses, helps to focus on the service, takes prayers and requests straight to God.

But, in addition to this, it also brings quite physical benefits. A lot of people come to the church, so the House of God just needs to clean the air. The antiseptic and bactericidal properties of incense allow you to refresh the air space and protect it from infections.

Church incense is made in monasteries. The most common is the production of the monasteries of Athos and Jerusalem. Incense granules are divided into varieties depending on the composition, qualitative and quantitative content of impurities. In addition, each type of incense has its own purpose, according to the purpose of use, it is divided into the following varieties:

• Royal, has the highest quality and price, is used in worship on important events.
• The altar one is slightly inferior to the royal one in quality and is used for daily censing.
• Cellular is mainly used in the dwellings of monks, sometimes it is also used in temples, but this usually happens during fasting.

home use

If you want to purify the air and feel the aroma of incense at home, you can buy incense at any church shop. For censing, you will need kacea, which will make the process safe. It has the same principle of operation as the church thurible, but is smaller. A piece of incense is placed in it, which is set on fire and immediately begins to emit fragrant smoke.

Incense must be carried around the entire perimeter of the house, starting from the front door. According to the rules, you need to move clockwise and do not forget to baptize the doors and corners. Incense should be accompanied by the prayer "Our Father".

During the entire process, the windows in the house must be open. The emitted smoke has a very strong smell, it will be difficult to endure it in a closed room.

If everything is done correctly, the fragrance of incense will help bring peace and tranquility to the house, calm the nerves, and cheer up. It sets a person to prayer and heals the body. Purification of the air is accompanied by the purification of thoughts and feelings, which leads not only to bodily but also to mental health.