The practice of meditation is to gain control of your thoughts and to learn to focus your concentration on the subject you are meditating on. Whether that is an issue you are having with your personal life, a Zen saying or story or some other matter that would benefit from your complete focus and concentration. Meditation with incense can either be a means of itself, or as an aid to unlock some part of your consciousness in order to help you understand some matter a bit more clearly.

Winter Solstice is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It marks the gradual return of the sun and signifies birth when new seeds of life will spring forth. Similarly, Christianity uses this time of year to mark the birth of the son, signifying life eternal for all who partake of the light and become the body of Christ

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.

Sandalwood refers to several aromatic woods, including Indian Sandalwood and Australian Sandalwood. Its fragrance provides a wood base note to many perfumes. Sandalwood smells similar to other wood scents, but it has a bright, fresh edge. Sandalwood oil is widely used by the cosmetics industry, and it is very expensive.

Incense is an aromatic substance, which is obtained from certain resinous trees. It releases fragrant smoke when burned and is largely used for the purpose of religious worship. Indeed incense has been used for centuries in religious ceremonies and spiritual purification rites, a practice that persists to this day.

I was a little suspicious of this particular Nag Champa because in the box it has a very strong scent. Not as powerful as Satya’s Super Hit incense, but quite strong just the same. It was a wonderful surprise to discover that when burned the scent is sweet, alluring and complex