Smoke rising through the air in your home is usually a bad sign: someone burned dinner, the fireplace isn't drafting; in general fire inside isn't a good thing. When that smoke slowly rises in whirls from the tip of a resin coated bamboo stick, that is another story.
The tradition of incense burning goes back a long way. Evidence of it's use has been found in many ancient civilizations, in Egypt, Babylonia, China, India, Japan, and early South America. It is used in therapy, mediation, ceremony, and is often associated with religious rites in many cultures.
"Incense was employed to counteract disagreeable odours and drive away demons and was said both to manifest the presence of the gods (fragrance being a divine attribute) and to gratify them....Historically, the chief substances used as incense were such resins as frankincense and myrrh, along with aromatic wood and bark, seeds, roots, and flowers." www.britannica.com
Cleansing our air and the energy in our homes is a refreshing idea that has been around for what seems to be centuries. It is said that incense increases positive energy, and decreases negative energy. This shift creates an environment that can boost motivation, focus, and creativity by putting you in a productive, relaxed state of mind. You could find yourself with reduced tension, anxiety, and depression, even with better sleep.
While not used in Western medicine often, Eastern practitioners will use certain incense blends as anti-septics, burning them through out hospitals to disinfect not just the air, but the whole environment.
In 2017, we discovered MAAPS incense on Instagram and were captured by their sense of style and scent. Creative packaging, geometric holders, and rich earthy scents are the reasons their products caught our eyes. With a 45 minute burn time, they fill your home with dreamy fragrance combinations like Vanilla, Tobacco + Oaked Bourbon or Grapefruit, Corriander + Honey Blossom.
MAAPS was born from the desire of a husband and wife team, Johan and Charlene, wanting to work together and fill the niche for a "...well-designed, high quality incense collection that existed on the same level as candles." By capitalizing on a personal relationship they had with a family who "... had decades of experience in aromatherapy and essential oils," they were able to bring their project to life, Johan bringing with him fifteen years of experience in the retail world. With 10-month old son Johan Luka Jr, and two other big careers on the go, time is their "...most treasured resource." MAAPS happens after hours, when family has been attended to, and packaging incense can be done in the comfort of the living room.
Creating scents can be tricky, but the MAAPS team has a great approach.
"Our top priority is balance. We want to make sure our scents are well-rounded and don't stray too far into any one direction. We know that scent is extremely subjective, so we aim to make our collection appeal to a wide audience, without being too masculine or feminine."
We love having these smokey sticks on our shelves and in our homes, and so have our SALT guests. This week, pair your favourite MAAPS scent with one of their beautiful incense holders and enjoy 35% off with our Swell Winter Sale on until January 27th!
Sources:
https://taodewan.com/benefits-of-burning-incense/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/incense
from SALT Shop - Journal https://saltshop.ca/blogs/news/maaps-incensed
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