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| The Incense Bible: Plant Scents That Transcend World Culture, Medicine, and Spirituality | 
 enlarge | Author: Kerry Hughes
Publisher: Haworth Press
Category: Book
Buy New: $14.95
Buy New/Used from $14.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  (7 reviews)
Sales Rank: 584139
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 209
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 6 x 0.8
ISBN: 0789021706
Dewey Decimal Number: 585.4
EAN: 9780789021700
ASIN: 0789021706
Publication Date: April 12, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Make a spiritual connection to nature with real, raw, natural incense The Incense Bible is a comprehensive guide to the spiritual meaning of real, raw, natural incense and how to use it in prayer, meditation, or simply in creating a home environment to "reconnect" with divinity and nature. This unique book examines the spiritual and ritual uses of "pure" incense (not sticks, cones, or synthetic mixtures), explores our attraction to it, and explains how we can use it at home to increase wellness. Filled with easy-to-use references and easy-to-understand technical information, the book also looks at the use of incense in health and medicine, a history of its use in a variety of countries and cultures, and various types of raw incense, including eucalyptus, sandalwood, sweet grass, agarwood, frankincense, and myrrh. The Incense Bible examines aspects of spirituality and religion, health and medicine, botanical medicines, ethnobotany, and history of real incense--not the low-quality, processed, synthetic fragrances most people think of as "incense." This enlightening and entertaining book, written in everyday language and filled with photgraphs, examines why incense appeals to our sense of smell, of adventure, and of spiritual and physical well-being--and has for centuries. The book looks at the use of incense for purifications and cleansings, creative inspiration, meditation, worship and prayer, for inducing dreams and sleep, to improve learning and problem solving, and as a perfume for clothes, hair, and body. Topics examined in The Incense Bible include:
types of raw incense, including balsam, cedar, mugwort and moxa, and white sage
safety
how the sense of smell works
the link between taste and scent
scent and memory
allergies and sensitivities
oils and flower essences for healing
how to make incense
incense materials and symbols
the use of incense in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times, in Buddhism and Shamanism, in Israel, in the Catholic Church, in Native American sweat lodges, and in the African rainforest
and much more! The Incense Bible is an essential resource for anyone interested in health and natural medicine, botanical medicines, and ethnobotany, and for anyone seeking to express their spirituality by reconnecting to nature
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Fascinating book...a must read! October 1, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
An inspirational book that takes you on an insightful journey into the cultural world and history of incense-what can be described as the most spiritual way people use plants. As an Osteopathic medical student, I am intrigued by the exploration of raw, natural plant incenses as medicine. The implications for the role of incense in integrative medicine practices are absolutely fascinating. This book reminds me how nature can really be a great guide to healing. Additional helpful information on individual plants supports you in creating your own incense experience. The lists of plants and their properties are handy for checking what feels right to use for a given purpose. Whether choosing a scent to simply perfume the house or to deepen meditation, connection, and spiritual presence, this book is truly the ultimate guide. As a lover of incense, the book gave me new insights into the potential for the use of raw plants in my own practice with incense. This book is a must read for anyone who loves incense, and wants to appreciate its rich potential even more.
 The Incense Bible September 19, 2007
Kerry Hughes writes from the perspective of an ethnobotanist as her private interviewing reveals, but she also includes a lot of interesting information from a spiritual perspective. I appreciated that she included incense practices from numerous cultures, not just Eastern philosophies as do many other books on the subject of incense. More plants could have been discussed to qualify this as a "bible", but she highlights the major ones from key cultures. There is some repetition in the book that could have been edited out, and it may be more of a reference book than a comprehensive review of the subject matter, but I still recommend it. I very much liked the link she makes between plants, fragrance and spirituality, and she includes practical ways to incorporate incense into daily practice to bridge the separation between nature and human beings.
comprehendable and uplifting book August 23, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book has a beautiful underlying intention, to introduce its reader to the dynamics of our underestimated sense of smell. All five senses can be used as tools to feed our soul. When we put healthy tasty food in our mouths and paint our walls colors that are pleasing, we are nourished, inspired, and perhaps more complete feeling. This book presents the 'health food' for our nose- a mysterious tool, at least in my own experience that is easy to use only accidentally. As smell has historically been explored before by many different cultures, the author proficiently unites ideas and uses of incense, ultimately suggesting modern application of sacred rituals.
The importance and use of smell, as I have gathered after reading this book, could be a missing link that encourages ceremony and sacredness in a time that lacks both. If not that, at least by becoming more aware of our senses, we can be more conscious of our environment- thus more in the present.
Incense, as Hughes states the preface of her book, is a vast topic to cover in just one book. This well researched, thoughtful book, however, upholds its aim in an efficient and useful manner. I was happy to discover such an author promoting understanding and applications of our environment and how closely connected we really are to it.
The Incense Bible August 21, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really love how the author blended the esoteric with hard science in The Incense Bible. If you are looking for a woo-woo book, this is not it. Instead it is a carefully researched and well-documented journey of the sense of smell, the spirit of fragrance/incense and the history and science behind it. Ms. Hughes knows how to walk that fine line between science and spirituality and as I went through the book, I began to regard my sense of smell as sacred and sensuous, and yet I am also grateful to learn about how it can transport me to another place and time so readily.
In reading the book, I also felt the author's knowledge and love of the plants that give us the remarkable aromas of incense and I appreciate how she presented the big picture, walking us through various uses for individual fragrances. I have ordered this book to give to a couple of friends of mine who run a Yoga studio, so that they can decide on the perfect blend for their classes. The Incense Bible makes me realize a strong truth, which is we live in a world that offers many gifts - and the sense of smell and the many different moods of incense is certainly one of them. Thank you!
 Very disappointing book with misleading title. August 11, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is not a comprehensive or authoritative work about incense as the title would suggest and one gets the definite impression that the author only has a basic and superficial knowledge about incense.The book hardly discusses the metaphysical properties of incense and only deals with a few types of incense,leaving out many of the popular types and brands of incense.The book is also not well illustrated.
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