Learning how to use incense is easy. When you learn how to light an incense stick, resin incense, or incense cone, you'll enjoy the wonderful fragrances that clear energies for good feng shui. There are many ways you can use incense in feng shui applications that help promote well-being. Incense is used to clear stagnant chi energy and attract auspicious chi energies into specific sectors of your home.
How to Light an Incense Stick
You will need an incense holder for safe use of incense sticks in your home. You can use either a lighter or matches to light the incense stick.
- If using matches, strike a matchstick in one hand. If using a lighter, you can wait until you hold the incense over the lighter to ignite the flame.
- Hold the thin end of the incense stick.
- Guide the heavier tip of the incense stick into the flame and allow the incense to catch on fire.
- Remove the match flame and extinguish it while the incense continues to flame. (If using a lighter, release the gas lever so the lighter extinguishes.)
- Allow the incense to burn for a few seconds and then blow out the flame.
- The tip of the incense will now glow red and smoke will lift upward from the tip.
- Set the end you are holding into the incense holder, making sure the ashes from the tip of the incense fall into the holder.
- The incense will eventually burn down the length of the stick and self-extinguish (never leave incense burning unattended).
- You should set your incense holder where it won't be disturbed.
How to Light Resin and Charcoal Incense
Other types of incense include resin that is burned by lighting a charcoal disk and placing the incense resin in the center of the disk. You'll need organic material that is combustible, such as incense powder, palo santo dust, or dried herbs. Place the incense along with the organic material in the opening of a heated charcoal disk. You'll need an incense burner or a fireproof dish or bowl. You can line the dish or bowl with pebbles or sand to cushion the charcoal disk, since the resin leaves a residue that is difficult to remove. The easiest charcoal to use is a self-igniting disk.
- The first thing you need to do is heat up the charcoal.
- Light a candle and place in a candle holder.
- Using a pair of tongs, pliers or other tool, hold the bottom of the disk over the candle flame.
- When the charcoal heats up, it will pop and sizzle.
- Turn the disk over to heat the top over the candle flame, until it, too pops and sizzles.
- Set the disk into the incense burner, careful not to touch it with your hands since it will be extremely hot.
- Place the combustible material you chose to use, along with a few of the resin pieces in the center of the charcoal disk.
- The organic material will catch on fire and the resin will begin to melt and smoke.
- As the resin continues to melt from the hot charcoal, it will emit smoke.
- You may need some kind of ventilation since resin incense tends to produce more smoke than a stick incense. (Beware you smoke detector may go off in response to the smoke.)
- Allow the incense to burn away.
Guide for Lighting an Incense Cone
You will light the incense cone similarly to a stick incense. Use either matches or a lighter. Most incense cones burn for around 30 minutes or less.
- Place your incense burner/holder where it won't be disturbed.
- Set the incense with the pointed end up.
- Hold either a match or lighter over the tip of the cone.
- Allow the cone to catch fire.
- Extinguish the match or lighter.
- Let the cone continue to burn for several seconds to ensure it is properly burning.
- Blow out the flame.
- The cone should continue to glow hot and smolder.
- Smoke will rise from the cone as the incense continues to burn.
- Allow the incense cone to self-extinguish.
How to Use Incense for Feng Shui
There are many uses for incense in feng shui applications. The most common use is to clear stagnant chi energy.
Clear Room Corners of Stagnant Chi
Choose the type of incense you wish to use to clear stagnant chi from the corners of your rooms. Carry the incense to smudge (direct smoke into) the corners of a room, be careful of the burning end of the incense and don't drop ashes on the floor, furniture, or yourself.
Types of Incense Fragrances and Their Uses
Incense fragrances can affect the chi energy of your home and office. You should use a fragrance you like to get the best results.
White Sage Incense
One of the best incense to use is a white sage smudge stick. Light it like stick incense and carry it from room to room to smudge (cleanse negative energy with smoke from incense). It is best to carry the white sage smudge stick in a smudge bowl to avoid any fire hazard. Sage is known as a purifier and energy clearing herb.
Sandalwood Incense
Sandalwood is a good chi scrubber. It is known to cleanse rooms and scrub away sha chi (negative) energies.
Lavender Incense
The herb lavender is a great feng shui incense to burn. Lavender supports your immune system and overall health. It is especially good for clearing the east sector, since it rules your health luck.
Cedarwood Incense
The calming scent of cedarwood is a great feng shui incense. It can transform chaos into order. If you are getting rid of clutter in your home or office, burn cedarwood incense to help chase away any residue clutter energies.
Palo Santo Incense
Made from the palo santo tree, this incense is known to attract wealth and prosperity. You can burn this incense in your southeast sector to stimulate your wealth luck.
Feng Shui Tools to Use With Incense
Although it is perfectly fine to use incense by itself, you can combine it with other feng shui clearing tools. These tools include bells, singing bowls, chants, and candles.
How to Use Incense for Auspicious Feng Shui
When you learn how to use the different types of incense, you realize there are many options for clearing negative chi energy. You can use all types of incenses to clear stagnant chi and make way for positive chi energy to enter your home and your life.
