The pace of modern life, pressures in the workplace and all the demands of life in a continually changing world, make this an age of “stress”. Stress, now considered a normal part of life, can be a positive experience creating excitement, increased energy, clarity of thought and creativity.

Manifestations of stress

Physical – muscle tension, back ache, headaches, exhaustion, ulcers, heart attacks and more

Psychological – Depression, anxiety, panic.

Behavioral – Poor concentration, lethargy, self abuse, aggression.

Emotional – lack of confidence, fear, frustration, loss of interest, hysteria

How Aromatherapy can help?

Aromatherapy can help with stress management by a direct link to the limbic and autonomic system. The hypothalamus is the major control center of the autonomic nervous system. It controls the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions which activate the “fight or flight” adrenaline production. As we inhale the essential oils, there is a direct link to the limbic system of the brain via the olfactory nerve. This triggers the secretion of neurotransmitters such as seratonin or encephalins which relax or uplift the spirits.

Essential oils are the backbone of aromatherapy. Essential oils provide the aromatherapy of the aromatherapy. These [essential oils] are liquids stored in various places in plants, that can be removed from the plant using steam distillation, cold pressing, chemicals, or fat-absorption. These can be stored in the peel of a fruit (which is where citrus fruits hide theirs), in the petals of a flower (like the fair rose), in the bark of a tree (the magnificent evergreens, for example), or its leaves (as the eucalyptus does), in the sap of a plant (the strong myrrh bush does this), or, in some rare cases, outside the plant.

Meditation sessions are fantastic to help you manage and balance your day-to-day life. One of the important  elements you can include as part of your meditation session is incense and for a beginner this really is an  important tool and can make the difference between a successful meditation session and an unsuccessful  meditation session.

Aromatherapy is used as a therapeutic method of promoting a state of well-being and can also be used to  improve certain health issues.

Next, you’ll want to consider the type of incense. Obviously, this will be related to what you use it for. Stick  incense is very popular and can be put to a variety of uses. The same can be said for incense cones.

There are many manufacturers in many different countries that make incense. For the most part, choosing  incense based on this factor is a matter of personal choice.

The final aspect of choosing the perfect incense is the burner or incense holder. For the most part, the type of incense you purchase will dictate the style of  burner. There are special bowl shaped burners for smudge bundles, ceramic and wooden incense holders for stick incense and cones. There are different types of hanging burners for resin and powder, and plate style burners for cones as well. Choices within each type of burner are, again, based on personal preference or decorative needs.