May 18 2008
The Zen of incense
“Just as there is an art to serving tea, flower arranging, and calligraphy, there is an art to burning incense. A sixteenth-century Zen priest is credited with describing the ten virtues of incense burning:
- Incense burning opens the mind to divinity.
- Incense burning purifies the mind and body.
- Incense burning divests the mind of worldly impurities.
- Incense burning wakes up the mind and keeps one alert.
- Incense burning encourages the mind in solitude.
- Incense burning brings peace to a busy mind.
- One cannot burn too much incense.
- Even a little incense is enough.
- The age of the incense does not affect its efficacy.
- Habitual use of incense causes no harm.”
~ 3 Bowls: Vegetarian Recipes from an American Zen Buddhist Monastery by Seppo Ed Farrey with Myochi Nancy O’Hara
Very nice. I had never looked that closely at the art of incense burning. I live with a Mohawk Indian and am around a lot Native Americans here in the Southwest but they use mostly sage and sweet grass but the same principles apply. I wonder if different scents of incense affect the body/spirit in different ways? I’m sure they do and it would interesting to know more about that. I wonder if historically various cultures used more than one plant? See? You got me thinking about this now. I like that. Next time one of my NA friends burns sage I will have to ask them more about it.