Historically, sick rooms were once cleansed using the smoke from burning sage and rosemary. Fragrant Cedar wood is classified as an anti-viral, anti-fungal, expectorant and lymphatic cleanser. The needles from Pine, Spruce and Fir trees contain the main ingredient in Tamiflu (a medicine used to treat the bird flu) called shikimic acid. Respiratory ailments have been helped with the application of incense made with Frankincense. Other similarly beneficial herbs are Eucalyptus leaves and Mullein.

When herbs and fragrant woods are burned slowly, their essential oils are released and carried by the smoke into the lungs of those that are near the smoke. Bronchial inflammation can be relieved by beneficial herbal properties that are directly applied to the tissue using this method.

I know of one woman that had been dealing with such a strong cytokine response during a bout with the flu that she was choking, vomiting and struggling for air. Her husband filled the house with cedar smoke by closing the damper on the wood burning stove and placing the wood into the firebox. The cytokine storm stopped right away. Twenty minutes later, she had no more mucus and was relieved of her flu symptoms. They have been able to use this remedy on other family members – airing the house out afterwards – to good effect.

Native Americans often used the smoke of Cedar to cleanse their homes. Smoke can be used in rustic conditions as a cleanser to rid a person, bedding, clothing or shelter of vermin, viruses and harmful bacteria. Priests were instructed to use Cedar to cleanse a house of the plague in Leviticus 14 (towards the end of the chapter).

HOW TO USE HERBS FOR INCENSE

Carefully place a hot ember or coal from a hardwood fire (use tongs) onto a heat resistant surface. Assemble the herbs around and onto the ember and watch for smoke. Allow the smoke to waft over you and inhale. The goal is to encourage the plant material to produce smoke, not to ignite into an open flame. The smoldering is accomplished by using hot coals rather than an open fire; you can also tie your herbs or wood into tight bundles.

Herbs tightly bundled for incense are called smudge sticks. Some branches, twigs or leaves are supple enough to form into tight braids. If you only have dry leaves, these can be tightly wrapped in unbleached paper and tied with cotton thread. To use a smudge stick, hold one end of it to a flame until it ignites. Then the flame is gently blown out leaving the plant material to smolder and smoke. By binding the plant material into a smudge stick, you are better able to direct the smoke and slow the burning.

WARNING

Never inhale or come near the smoke of a plant to which you are allergic. This article is only for the information of the reader. People that try these methods assume all liability should follow standard safety precautions. This article is not a substitute for the care of a trained health professional.