Using Incense with Prayers
Prayer is something you do without the expectation of receiving something in return. Simply praying with a
pure heart is one of the most beautiful acts. Prayers can be offered anywhere, anytime.
Try sending your prayers with incense. Why incense? In traditional Japan, it is said that using incense delivers
your prayers with the rising smoke to the person or object of your prayer.
When you pray for yourself
The moment you’re praying for yourself is the time when you are taking care of your internal state. It's when you can give yourself some love. It’s not easy to take time for yourself in our busy lives, but just remember that you can pray for yourself to take care of your spirit.
Now, gently light an incense and ask yourself, “Am I happy?”
If you are going through a difficult time right now, let's pray and think of the time when you will be in peace when the difficult time passes. Everyone faces difficulties, and in some cases, the same difficulties can come back. If you've been feeling pain about the same thing for a long time, you may be holding on to that painful feeling that has turned into an attachment to you. Let's loosen up and let go of your attachment little by little as the smoke rises little by little.
If you’re at peace now, pray for the blessings you have, pray for being who you are, pray for your life, and pray for receiving your body with the five senses, or any other thing you wish to pray for. What you possess now is a special blessing given only to you.
Because prayers are invisible, using incense can help you visualize your prayers to be carried through the small light of the incense and the faint smoke that rises. This process can influence the amount of energy you put into your prayers. If you pray to the same object every day, use the same incense every time. The energy of the incense and your prayer will resonate. May the gentle scent of incense enriches your prayer time.
When you pray for your loved ones
Think of your loved ones. Most people may think of their parents, partner, or children. When your loved ones are happy, you also become happy. Sharing the same space and time with people close to you makes all of you become receptive to each other’s mood and feelings.
For instance, when your family member, friend, co-worker, boss, classmate, or teacher faces a problem, what can do for them? If there is nothing you can do to help, many people start to pray for them. You may send prayers for your family’s fulfilling lives, their safety, their success for business, their resolution to personal problems, or their recovery from injury or illness. That’s when you’re sending love through prayers to your loved ones.
An important tip here is that you visualize yourself and your loved ones being in a happy, calm moment together. This mindset helps the prayer become more effective. Using an incense while praying creates a calming mind. Select an incense fragrance that helps your mood stay neutral while visualizing the happy moments with your loved ones.
When you pray for your pets
Do you have pets or have had pets? Try to remember the emotions and the scenery of the day you first met them. What do you remember? What do you feel about the interactions you had with them?
When they are injured or feeling sick, it would be a natural practice to pray for their recovery. They are your family member who spend a lot of time with you. Although pets and humans do not communicate in the same language (besides some pets who seem to understand the language of the humans), feelings can be
understood between each other, developing a deep bond as a pet and owner, an experience that enriches people’s lives.
Unfortunately, often times, your pet’s lifespan is shorter than a human’s. When your pet dies, most people would appreciate them for the good memories they shared together. They would also hope that the pet will enjoy their afterlife and to meet again sometime in the future.
How about conveying your emotions toward your deceased pet using incense? Your pets may become curious to the small light and a thin, mystical smoke with a nostalgic scent of incense. When you pray for them, you feel promising that your pet is watching over you from heaven to heal and send energy to you.
What scent reminds you of your pet? Did they have a favorite scent? Use incense to experience the scent—the gentle stimulation of the scent may recall the memories you had with your pet. This may also be an opportunity to develop new relationships with them.
:: Recommended Incense for prayers to pets ::
Little smoke:
Less smoke:
When you pray for all humanity
Some people may have the habit of praying for world peace and safety of others on a daily basis, while others may not. This is not to say who is better or not.
We all share this planet Earth. People choose where they live and lead their lives together on this planet. Some people may be living in cities with skyscrapers while others may be living in countryside full of nature.
These places may be peaceful or may be going through a war. In any case, no matter what the circumstances, we all live in this same planet together which means, we are all somehow connected.
“Wishing all humanity to have a life full of happiness.”
When you pray for all people in the world, remember that you are also included. It could also be that a stranger is praying for your happiness. Isn't that amazing? Don't you get a warm feeling when you realize this? This is the power of prayer.
Notice that this prayer takes less than a minute. It would also work if you just mutter or say in your heart. Why not make this heartwarming prayer for humanity, a habit along with your favorite scent?
:: Recommended Incense for prayers to all humanity::
