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Learn to use frankincense and myrrh resins in your home
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Frankincense (and other incense, like myrrh) has been used since ancient times for everything from headaches to meditation. There are many ways to burn it, and we’re here to show you how, with or without charcoal. Then, we’ll fill you in on frankincense’s benefits, uses, and long history.
Easy Ways to Burn Frankincense
Light a charcoal disk with a lighter and place it in an incense burner. Let it heat up for about 7 minutes, then place a small piece of frankincense resin on the charcoal disk. Or, place the frankincense in an electric incense burner and turn the burner on.
Steps
Section 1 of 6:
Burning Frankincense with Charcoal
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Light a charcoal disc with a match or lighter. Charcoal discs are molded pieces of charcoal specially made for holding incense or resin. Grip the disc with a pair of tongs so you don't burn your fingers, and hold it over a heat-safe surface, like a stovetop. Hold a lit match or lighter up to the disc to ignite it. [1] X Research source
- Most discs will ignite within 10-15 seconds, so hold the flame to the charcoal and slowly rotate it until it takes on an ashy gray color and begins to smoke.
- Some sparking is totally normal while igniting the disc, and pieces may also crumble away, which is why it’s important to do this over a stovetop.
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Place the lit charcoal disc in a metal incense bowl. Once the disc has begun to smoke, use the tongs to place it in the center of your incense-burning bowl (or “censer”), or any heat-proof metal container. [2] X Research source Make sure the indent on the disc is facing upward, forming a small “nest” for your frankincense. Let the charcoal heat for about 5-7 minutes.
- You might also use a cast-iron pan, a cooking sheet, or any other metal bakeware. Just be advised that it will not be food-safe afterward.
- To help dissipate the heat, consider pouring a small mound of sand into the bowl, then placing the charcoal on top of the sand. Also, place the bowl on a heat-proof pad so it doesn’t damage your table.
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Place a small piece of frankincense resin on top of the charcoal. You don't need much of the resin to create a lot of smoke and scent. A tiny piece of resin, not much bigger than a grain of rice, will do to begin with—you can always burn more when it stops smoking. [3] X Research source
- Some people pour salt in the center of the disc, which helps the resin burn slower. [4] X Research source
- If you get too much smoke, use your tongs to take the resin off the charcoal and set it aside for a moment, until the smoke subsides.
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Let the charcoal burn out, or dowse it with water when you’re done. Charcoal discs last about 45-60 minutes, so you can let it burn out naturally. Never leave it unattended; if you need to stop it from burning, pour water over the charcoal disc to extinguish it, then dispose of it 30-60 minutes later, when it’s cooled off. [5] X Research source
- Pouring water over the charcoal can create a mess, so do it in the sink or outside. When moving the container, always use oven mitts to protect your hands from the heat.
- After the charcoal has cooled, you might retrieve what’s left of the frankincense, let it air-dry, and use it later.
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Section 5 of 6:
Benefits of Frankincense
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Burning frankincense promotes a calm mind. Professional healthcare consultant Ritu Thakur says that burning frankincense can “induce relaxation, peace, harmony, and meditation,” and that it can also aid with sleep. Burn frankincense whenever you’re in need of some stress relief, or want to better immerse yourself in your meditation .
- Many use frankincense (and burn other incense ) during religious or spiritual rituals in order to improve the atmosphere, or even to enhance their prayers.
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Frankincense vapors can help purify the air in your home. One research study found that frankincense fumes helped lessen airborne microbes and bacteria by up to 90%, suggesting that it’s an effective air purifier. [9] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source That said, frankincense smoke is still smoke, and can be harmful to your health, so only burn it every so often, like once or twice a week, rather than every day. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
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Frankincense oils can help inflamed joints and muscles. Thakur says that, in its oil form , frankincense can help ease sore or inflamed muscles or joints with a light topical application. She also says that a frankincense oil spray can “improve gut health, digestion, and ease digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.”
- Give your bedroom 1-3 spritzes of oil spray each day to passively breathe in and consume the oil to reap its health benefits.
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Section 6 of 6:
Origin & History of Frankincense
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Frankincense is a resin harvested from trees. Frankincense is harvested from Boswellia trees, which are a part of the “torchwood” family, named for their sweetly burning saps, resins, and gums. Boswellia are native to Southern Arabia and Northwest Africa, which is where its use is most prominent. [11] X Research source
- Frankincense is harvested by cutting a hole in the surface bark of the tree, then peeling back and distressing the layers until frankincense resin seeps to the surface.
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Frankincense has a long history in health and spirituality. Frankincense was used for any number of things: headaches, hemorrhoids, and menstrual pains, to name a few. While medicine men of yesteryear touted it as a cure-all, we know today that its uses are a bit more restricted. But even so, it’s long been used in spiritual practices for purification, meditation, and getting in touch with divinity, which is something many people still use it for today. [12] X Research source
- Frankincense smoke is still often said to swirl directly up to heaven, carrying prayers along with it.
- Some people even read incense smoke as part of divination or fortune telling.
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Tips
- Use a mortar and pestle to break up the resin more if you prefer.Thanks
- Some frankincense and other resin varieties are diluted, which can affect their aroma and burn duration. To get the most out of yours, make sure to buy pure, high-quality resins.Thanks
- Store your resin incense in an airtight container to prevent it from becoming sticky in humidity and also to contain the slight aroma while not burning it.Thanks
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Warnings
- Always burn resin incense in a well-ventilated room, and avoid burning it for more than an hour at a time, to prevent health complications. [13] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4zbc2YCB0Q
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpqY-O0PCRU&t=20s
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=80&v=tpqY-O0PCRU&feature=youtu.be
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX6fjPJCRoI&feature=youtu.be&t=58
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXgmNPWgxFo&feature=youtu.be&t=114
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx_ZQiP3Gy0&feature=youtu.be&t=234
- ↑ https://youtu.be/TzR-4E40pDg?si=0v20elrx03s69XcV&t=22
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSZoU5FGSaA&t=329s
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29530608/
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