According to the first meaning included in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), an incense is a gum resin from certain trees that, when burned , gives off a particular aroma . Gum resins, in turn, are fluids found inside some plants and that, when in contact with air, solidify.
Male incense is that which distills from the tree naturally. Female incense , on the other hand, flows through incision. Male incenses are purer and have a higher quality compared to female incenses.
The most common use of the term incense, however, specifically refers to a combination of resinous elements that, when burned, emanate a pleasant smell. Incense, in this framework, are aromatic products that are used to perfume an environment or for ritual purposes .
An incense usually contains gum resins mixed with essential oils . In ancient times , countries like Japan and China used incense to worship their deities. Pre-Columbian peoples, such as the Aztecs and Mayans , also burned incense as an offering to the gods and even for therapeutic purposes.
Many religions today continue to use incense. Catholics and Buddhists, for example, light these products at certain events.
It is possible to differentiate between combustible or direct burning incenses and non-combustible or indirect burning incenses . Direct burning incenses are placed in a censer, where they are lit. Thanks to ventilation, the aroma spreads. These incenses can be found in cones, cylinders, sticks or spiral shapes.
Indirect burning incenses , on the other hand, are placed on a hot plate or on burning charcoal . They are sold powdered, in paste or whole.
Among the objectives that may lead a person to use incense in their home are decoration and the regulation of odors and aromas. In addition, aromatherapy is an ideal resource to treat depression, to deal with those stages in which the mood is especially low. Although the most normal thing is to buy these products in stores or from street vendors, there are many people who prefer to embark on the adventure of making them on their own.
With the right combination of natural ingredients, it is possible to make an incense that has nothing to envy of the commercial one. Another advantage of the homemade procedure is that we can choose the fragrances that we like the most, instead of limiting ourselves to buying what the sellers have available.
Let's see below the steps to make fireproof incense, which is made without saltpeter (a chemical product that is included in the other types to ensure that it does not go out). The rods, for example, require the inclusion of saltpeter. First of all, the ingredients:
* one part gum arabic;
* four parts of wood charcoal or sawdust;
* two parts of aromatic powder, spices or crushed aromatic herbs;
* honey, wine or vegetable oil.
To this list we must add two necessary materials : wax paper and a mortar. The first step is to place the charcoal or sawdust, depending on what we have chosen, in the mortar and combine it with the aromatic ingredient. Next, we must sift them until we obtain a fine powder. We add the liquid and the gum arabic and transfer everything to a large container, where we can knead the mixture with our hands until it hardens.
We place the wax paper on a flat surface and knead the dough until we create long cylinders, which we will cut and mold into small cones. Finally, we wrap them in the paper and let them dry for at least two weeks before using them.