9 benefits of using an incense smell to enhance your yoga practice

Yoga is a spiritual practice with its roots in Indian religion and spirituality. Incense was originally created as an offering to the divine and to create a space and mood conducive to spiritual practice.  The incense smells while doing yoga helps quiet the mind and focus awareness on the body.

Just like aroma candles, incense smells can be used to freshen up the aroma of indoor areas – and sometimes for spiritual purposes, too. You can even pop some incense sticks down by your yoga mat to help support your practice. It’s no secret that fragrances are powerful, evoking many emotions, thoughts and feelings. So magical, some aromas can transport us somewhere far away and deepen our connection with ourselves, other people and even Mother Earth.

 

burning frankincense

 

Using incense for yoga can help you find that state of flow and focus. Different incense smells can help with different styles of yoga. For example, calming scents like lavender and sandalwood are ideal for restorative yoga that focuses on relaxation and slow movement. Scents like cinnamon and jasmine may be more suited to energetic yogic styles.

What is incense, and how is it produced?

Incense is a biological aromatic material that releases scented smoke when burnt. Incense is plant extracts that are removed from herbs and trees for producing incense to give it a certain scent. It can be used in yoga, aromatherapy or to simply create a pleasing aroma in the home. Burning incense has a long religious and spiritual history and remains an important ritual for many. Incense is also known to have some health benefits too.

 

incense smell during yoga for the right atmosphere

 

When they are lit, the incense smells are given out which induces positive thoughts and feelings.

In addition to this, seeds, roots, flowers, aromatic wood, and bark are also burned as incense for their soothing fragrant odors.

How to burn incense for yoga

Burning incense can help the energy to move. Especially if you have a room dedicated to yoga practice or any spiritual practice like meditation it is important to keep energy moving.

The incense smells during yoga generate a soothing energy field around you. It lets you practice the most demanding yoga postures with ease and finesse. It has an unsurpassed influence on your mental and physical strength. The incense smells going upwards will dissolve all the negative and stuck energy in the atmosphere. Burning natural incense will move that energy away and won't let it stay.   Incense smells in most forms of yoga are used to provide a subtle scent in the air to aid the practice. You do not want excess smoke in your yoga studio or room as deep breathing in yoga will mean you inhale too much smoke. It’s recommended to burn your incense at least 10 minutes before starting your practice as this allows the sent to linger without the risk of inhaling smoke during the yoga session. It is also recommended to burn incense in a well-ventilated or large room to prevent too much smoke from building up.

 

yoga practice tips

 

9 benefits of using an incense smell during yoga

1. Better concentration

Incense smells during yoga can amp up your concentration game. Those delightful scents from the incense make the yoga space all chill, helping you lock in your poses and breaths. The incense smell could dial down your stress, too, giving your focus even more oomph.

 

a woman practicing yoga

 

2. The right atmosphere

Lighting incense during yoga sessions helps you create the right atmosphere for your body and mind. While performing such natural activity, you would always want to avoid anything artificial and toxic and create a serene atmosphere that helps your focus. Also, incense sticks help you boost your energy levels and at the same time, keep your mind restful for a perfect yoga session.  During yoga, incense smells connect your mind and body better.

 

man using incense while doing yoga

 

3. Calmness

Lighting those scented incense while doing yoga can also amp up your chill time. Those pleasant smells work like scented therapy, like a spa for your body and thoughts. This can be a big plus for yoga newbies or anyone feeling the jitters, making them more comfy during their yoga session.

4. Incense smell reduces stress and anxiety

Yoga is known for its stress-relieving and relaxing capabilities. Having incense alongside can enhance these moods further and take you to space away from the hassles of your daily life. In terms of relaxation, it brings your heart rate and breathing to a standard rate and calms your mind and doesn’t allow it to jump from one thing to another.

 

incense smell help to better concentration

 

5. Incense smell makes a spiritual link

Many yoga practitioners light fragrant incense as they practice, aiming to connect with their inner spirit. Different kinds of incense smells have been used forever in religious rituals worldwide, so setting them on fire during your spiritual routines can help you get cozy with yourself or your faith.

  1. Uplifts mood

The smell of incense is known to be the most memory-stimulating of the five senses. Many times, the smell of incense triggers memories from the past that are associated with that fragrance. Such memories tend to uplift the mood with every breath and keep the mind and body focused on the session.

 

Using incense for yoga

 

  1. Enhanced sleep experience

The incense smells are part of your yoga routine. This simple addition might make your post-yoga slumber more delightful while simultaneously easing away stress and anxiety. The fragrant aromas emitted by the incense have a knack for creating a serene ambiance, potentially paving the way for an enhanced and more tranquil sleep cycle.

  1. Enhanced focus

Many use music as a medium to focus while at work, study, engaging in a hobby, or performing yoga. However, incense is known to have some fantastic fragrances that help concentration and increase focus. Scents have a much subtler effect on your mind and body and are less intrusive than playing music in the background.

 

practicing yoga with scented incense enhanced Focus

 

  1. Incense smell cleans vibes

Burning incense while doing yoga might also help clean stuff for your body and mind. Some incense has germ-fighting stuff that can clear the air and lower floating germs or bugs in the room where you do yoga. And there’s this idea that incense can zap bad vibes from your space, making you feel more chill and peaceful while yoga-ing.

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