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Valued not only for its pleasing fragrance, incense is also enjoyed (consciously or not) for its beneficial effects on both mind & body. Modern aromatherapy suggests it is no coincidence that incense has long been closely associated with religion and spirituality. The basis of aromatherapeutic theory is the belief in smell as the most powerful of the body’s senses and our most direct means of contact with the world. Think how much more evocative a smell can be than a sound or visual image in calling to mind people and places long buried in the memory. This is not surprising if we consider how smell works: aromatic molecules are drawn through the nose to mucous membranes covered with millions of olfactory neurons. These sensors send nerve impulses to the limbic system at the center of the brain, triggering memory and emotion and effecting, through the central nervous system, respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and so on. In this way, incense is able to have profound positive effects on our mental and physical well-being whenever we use it. (PREVIOUS) - (NEXT) |
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