Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
[11] [12] The use of incense is a traditional and ubiquitous practice in almost all pujas, prayers, and other forms of worship. As part of the daily ritual worship within the Hindu tradition, incense is offered to God (usually by rotating the sticks thrice in a clockwise direction) in his various forms, such as Krishna and Rama.
Use of incense was abandoned in the Church of England by the turn of the 19th century [10] and was later thought to be illegal. [11] [12] Today, the use of incense in an Anglican church is a fairly reliable guide to churchmanship, that is, how 'high' (more Catholic in liturgical style) or how 'low' (more Protestant) the individual church is. [13]
Incense is composed of aromatic plant materials, often combined with essential oils. [6] The forms taken by incense differ with the underlying culture, and have changed with advances in technology and increasing number of uses. [7] Incense can generally be separated into two main types: "indirect-burning" and "direct-burning."
Incense burning before images, in temples and during prayer practice is also found in many parts of Asia, among followers of Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Taoism. The very idea of offering dhupa is personified in the dakini Dhupa , who is said in the Bardo Thödol to appear on the third day.
Incense is also mentioned in the Vedas. Incense is burned both to create pleasing aromas and a medicinal tool, which is considered the first phase of Ayurveda [3] and was assimilated into the religious practices of early Hinduism. Kumkuma is a powder made from turmeric or saffron, used for social and religious markings in Hinduism.
In Taoist rituals and practices, alcohol also plays a role as an offering and a means of connecting with the divine. An alcoholic beverage is often used in religious ceremonies and as an offering to the ancestors. The use of alcohol in Taoist rituals can symbolize purification, blessings, and the establishment of a sacred space.
A thymiaterion (from Ancient Greek: θυμιατήριον from θυμιάειν thymiaein "to smoke"; plural thymiateria) is a type of censer or incense burner, used in the Mediterranean region since antiquity for spiritual and religious purposes and especially in religious ceremonies.
For direct-burning incense, pieces of the incense are burned by placing them directly on top of a heat source or on a hot metal plate in a censer or thurible. [ 3 ] Indirect-burning incense, also called "non-combustible incense", [ 4 ] is a combination of aromatic ingredients that are not prepared in any particular way or encouraged into any ...