How to burn incense safely and safety practice

How to burn incense sticks and cones safely

First, light the tip of the incense. Next, gently blow out the flame or fan it to create a delicate wisp of smoke. (Some cultures believe that one should never blow out the fire with one's mouth because impure breath might pollute the incense, especially for religious purposes.)

For incense sticks, there are two ends. Light one end and place the unlit end in the burner's holder.

For incense coils and cones, gently place them on the centre of the burner. Ensure the holder is fireproof. You can use an incense matt too (available here)

For spirals, hang from the holder.

How to burn wood, resin, gum or pressed incense

Fill a bowl or censer that can insulate heat well. Optional: you can fill the censer with ashes, sand or salt.

Hold the incense charcoal disc over a flame with a pair of tweezers. There are two types of charcoal. One contains potassium nitrate, which is easy to ignite. You will see crackled tiny sparks when it is lit. The other type is made without potassium nitrate. It is more costly, but it is odourless. It means you will enjoy the aroma of incense more.

After a few minutes of burning, the charcoal is smouldering, and you will see a thin layer of ash.

Place a mica plate on top of the charcoal to minimise the burnt notes.

Next, place your choice of wood, resin, gum or pressed incense on top of the mica plate.

Enjoy your experience

Extinguish the charcoal if you need to do something else; never leave your burning charcoal unattended.

Incense Safety Practice

Keep lit or unlit incense out of the reach of children and pets.

Keep incense away from flammable areas/substances.

Ensure your incense holder/ incense censer is secured enough to hold your burning incense from windy areas.

Extinguish burning charcoal entirely if you have urgent things to attend to.

Do not use incense if you have asthma, epilepsy, or a stroke.