Best Incense For Cleansing

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We all want to feel amazing and surrounded by positivity. Burning incense is one way of cleansing ourselves and our environment. While there are many types of incense, it is sometimes unclear which is most effective for cleansing.

In this guide, I’ll be talking you through the best incense for cleansing, highlighting their benefits, and providing some helpful buying advice.

Whether you’re looking to boost your energy levels, feel grounded, remove negative energy, or simply purify yourself, these types of incense with cleansing properties will be a good choice.

Find out which incense is best for cleansing in this video:

10 Best Incense For Cleansing

1. Frankincense

The healing properties of Frankincense have been used for thousands of years. With connections to spirituality, Frankincense is favored for its purity and ability to remove negative energy.

Frankincense resin is native to places like the Middle East and India and is well known because of its appearance in the Bible. That’s why you’ll often find it burning in churches as a sign of lifting prayers to heaven. 

This beautiful frankincense resin is 100% organic and sourced from Somalia. It’s high quality, coming from the ‘King’ of frankincense trees, the Boswellia Carterii, and produces a delicate yet highly aromatic aroma that’s perfect for cleansing.


2. Sage

The most common cleansing incense is Sage. This powerful incense has been used by Native American cultures for thousands of years. 

White sage, in particular, has the power to clear negative energy and restore balance in a space. What’s more, this incense can be used to cleanse the body and objects through a ritual known as smudging.

Taking care of our mother earth is important, so this sustainably produced white sage is the perfect choice for cleansing your home. It comes in a bundle of three smudging sticks wrapped in 100% natural packaging.


3. Palo Santo

Among the traditions of Shamanism in South America, Palo Santo is used to purging a space or a person of negative energies. This woody incense is also used to attract good fortune

There is also the association between Palo Santo and peace which is why it is frequently used by people chanting the word ‘peace’ while burning it.

I love these Palo Santo incense cones from Kiru which is a company that works with locals to sustainably produce its wares. The fresh aroma is perfect for mediation and will soothe away your stress.


4. Myrrh

Most of us are familiar with myrrh as one of the gifts from the Wise Men to the Baby Jesus in the biblical story. Back then, Myrrh was often burned in temples and places of worship as it was used to purify the air.

Today, Myrrh is commonly burned as a purifying incense for meditative purposes. Interestingly enough, the incense is known for its antibacterial properties and when combined with frankincense, it can eliminate airborne contaminants

Sourced from East Africa, these myrrh incense bricks are great for the home as they’re non-toxic and give off very little smoke. They come with a stunning little burner and a free sample of another type of incense for you to try.


5. Sandalwood

Sandalwood has been a popular skincare product in India for as long as anyone can remember. But its sweet and woody aroma also makes a delightful cleansing incense that is known to reduce irritability and aggression.

Various cultures have deep spiritual connections with sandalwood and have acknowledged that it offers protection both for themselves and their environment as well as providing healing properties

For something a little different, I love this sandalwood incense powder. All you need to do is create a little pile and light the top. Your room will then be filled with the cleansing and sacred aroma that is said to stimulate the crown chakra.


6. Lavender

One of the main uses of lavender as incense is for cleansing crystals. This is because of its soothing and relaxing properties. Moreover, lavender is known to reduce stress levels which are essential when cleansing your crystals.

Many people also use lavender as a way of keeping the energy in check within their homes. While sage is often used for this, the soothing and healing properties of lavender make it another good choice.

If you want something beautiful to look at as well as something that will cleanse you then these lavender incense cones are perfect. They create a waterfall of smoke that will help you to relax with a non-toxic and fragrant aroma.


7. Patchouli

Patchouli is highly recommended for cleansing earth-colored crystals. It will remove negative energy and invokes positivity. This plant is even said to be an aphrodisiac.

If you like to meditate then patchouli is one of the best incense to cleanse yourself with. It will invoke feelings of calm as well as stimulating the mind.

I found these super high-quality patchouli incense sticks that have a high charcoal content and are 100% safe and clean to burn. Each of the 100 sticks burns for an hour giving you lots of time to boost your positivity and cleanse your mind.


8. Jasmine 

Jasmine has strong ties with love and romance, when used in cleansing, it has strong benefits for your love life and happiness. Moreover, this incense can be used when looking to solidify friendships.

You will also notice benefits to your general mood when using jasmine. If you feel that you need to cleanse your space to uplift yourself, this is the ideal incense. 

These beautiful Himalayan jasmine incense sticks are perfect for smudging and meditation. The herbal sticks are completely safe and non-toxic and you even get a stick holder so they’re great as a starter kit.


9. Cedar

One of the main uses of cedar as an incense is for cleansing a new home as it is thought that it will balance the property and rid it of negative energy. This is performed in a similar way to sage smudging. You can also use the same process to cleanse yourself or an object that is plagued by negative spirits. 

Thanks to the calming effect and positivity of cedar, it is often used to improve sleep especially if nightmares are a problem.

Made from 100% natural cedar bark, these incense cones come with a holder and are perfectly safe to burn. I love their natural appearance and think they’d make an ideal gift for someone just moving into a new home.


10. Citrus

Any citrus incense can be used for crystal cleansing when you need to restore the flow of energy. As an uplifting type of incense it is excellent for restorative purposes and will also recharge your energy levels if you are feeling sluggish. 

Blood orange is a common incense stick in the citrus family and this has a warm, comforting aroma that is often used to calm stress

Burning bergamot can help to bring on prosperity and these lovely bergamot incense sticks are perfect for filling your home with this uplifting aroma. The sticks are made from natural ingredients and come all the way from India so feel really authentic.


How To Cleanse Yourself With Incense

Cleansing yourself with incense is an easy activity that anyone can do. You don’t need any special training, all you need is the right incense for what you are trying to achieve. This handy guide will show you how to get started.

  • To begin, you will need to make sure that there is a window open in the room you are cleansing yourself. This allows bad energy to flow out and good energy to flow in. Alternatively, you can do the cleansing outdoors. 
  • Before you begin the cleansing, choose some positive mantras to repeat as you cleanse yourself. Depending on what you are trying to achieve these could be things like I cover myself in love and light or I am filled with positive energy. 
  • Cleansing yourself works best with smudging sticks or incense sticks as you will need to move the incense over your body. Using a cone or powder in a burner may be a little trickier. 
  • Start at your feet and, moving the incense side to side, slowly work your way up your body, repeating your mantra as you go. 
  • If you also want to cleanse a particular room, you will need to move clockwise around that room with your incense. Make sure to move the incense up and down the walls as well as getting into corners and tight spots. 
  • You can repeat this process as often as you feel that you need to.

What Incense Is Good For House Cleansing?

Most commonly, people use white sage for cleansing their homes. This is a very effective incense known for its ability to remove negative energy. Since it has been used in Native American culture for so long, its effectiveness is clearly demonstrated.

Some other incense types, like cedar, are particularly useful for refreshing and elevating a new home’s energy. Rosemary is also commonly used when first moving into a property as it is the perfect incense for new beginnings.

If you have a feeling of discomfort or unease in your home then juniper is one of the best incense to choose. But if you want to purify the space then something resinous like frankincense is by far the best choice.

What Incense Is Good For Cleansing Crystals?

Once more, a lot of people turn to sage when looking to cleanse their crystals. Its ability to take away negative energy is perfect when trying to recharge and re-energize crystals. 

But in much the same way that there are other choices for cleaning the home, there are plenty of incense that are perfect for cleansing crystals. For example, sandalwood is the incense of choice when you want to balance emotional energy. It’s great for times when you have used your crystals for managing stress and will release and dispel negative energy.

Uplifting types of incense such as eucalyptus and mint are also excellent for cleansing crystals and will restore positive energy. Just keep in mind that you only need a little for each cleansing.

How Many Incense Sticks To Burn For Cleansing?

When cleansing crystals, you really only need one incense stick. You cleanse the crystals by passing each one through the smoke so one will be more than enough. Depending on how many crystals you are looking to cleanse, you may not need to use the entire stick. If you wish, you can snub it and save it for next time. 

When you are cleansing your home, you should aim to use one incense stick for every room. It’s important not to use the same stick for two different rooms as there could be a transfer of energy from one room to the other. 

Before you begin cleansing the room, you should clean it and remove all traces of dirt and dust. It’s also essential to declutter.

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