Burning incense sticks during worship has existed for thousands of years, with different religions and denominations continuing with the practice to date. Suffering and daily issues are inevitable in human nature, increasing the need to pray.
Praying with incense sticks has gained massive popularity across the globe. This trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Burning incense sticks might be suitable if you need more significance in your prayers.
Praying with incense follows specific steps and practices for the most excellent results possible. Let’s guide you through how to pray with incense sticks, among other essential details about the practice.
How to Pray with Incense Sticks
As highlighted earlier, praying with incense sticks is a step-by-step procedure.
Step #1: Find an incense burner
The first step is finding an ideal incense holder for your sticks. The burner can be homemade or purchased from a local incense supplier. When choosing incense holders, you should select one that supports the sticks straight or at an angle, delivering a good look.
Step #2: Choose incense sticks
Choose the specific number of incense sticks for each prayer session. The quantity, whether 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9, may have a significant representation, depending on the religion or denomination.
For instance, burning one incense stick in Buddhism signifies acquiring mental freedom. Similarly, three sticks symbolize a transition from disturbance to tranquillity. You should understand the significance of different incense sticks for praying regarding your religious and traditional beliefs.
Step #3: Place the incense sticks
With a perfect incense holder for sticks, you can proceed to put them in it upright. To strategically put incense sticks in a holder, you should hold the holding device with one hand and the sticks with the other. The entire preparation process should be done in the room where you intend to pray or in a separate room before being transferred to the prayer area.
Step #4: Prepare the room for praying
If you’re new to praying with incense sticks, you should understand what makes a prayer room ideal. A good prayer room should generally be free from disruptions, but ventilation becomes the priority when burning incense sticks. Your prayer room should allow adequate air circulation as you burn the sticks to prevent the possibility of suffocation and related misfortunes.
Step #5: Light the incense sticks
After working on the above steps, you’re ready to light the incense sticks and pray. Hold a match stick or lighter close to the stick heads to light, watching them burn for seconds to ensure they are burning property.
Incense Sticks and Praying
The long-awaited moment is finally here: praying. As you prepare to pray, take a deep breath to clear your mind from any obstruction as you focus on your crucial prayer.
Various religions and denominations follow different steps when praying with incense sticks. Some raise the burning sticks above their heads to send their prayers to the sky, while others let the sticks burn before them as they pray. For most Roman Catholics, believers move clockwise around the altar until they have completed their prayers.
Other religions kneel, stand, or bow before the altar with incense sticks in their hands while other sticks burn before them. As you finalize your prayer session, take a deep breath and let the sticks burn a little longer before leaving the altar. It allows you to meditate over your prayers as you resume your chores. Ensure not to leave the incense sticks burning after you’ve finished praying to curb fire-related accidents.
History of Incense Sticks in Prayers
You might be wondering about the relationship between incense sticks and prayers. For years, different religions have used incense sticks to pray for several reasons. First, burning incense brings unmatched peace and calm to the mind, creating a good atmosphere for praying.
Again, the scent increases your concentration during prayers while driving away negative energy for believers. It also signifies a new beginning and transformation from past instabilities to a better place.
Burning incense sticks during praying deepens your spiritual connection, setting a perfect foundation for your intentions and spoken prayers. When praying with incense sticks, you don’t have to worry about your emotional stability, direction, or healing.
Safety Measures for Praying With Incense Sticks
Like other combustible materials, burning incense sticks can cause fatal fire accidents if not safely operated. Certain practices are significantly associated with burning incense sticks to prevent such accidents. First, you shouldn’t leave burning incense sticks unattended or within reach of pets or children.
Additionally, praying with incense sticks should be done in a well-ventilated room for proper air circulation. Burning incense sticks for prayers isn’t advisable for people ailing from respiratory conditions.
You can use naturally-cultivated incense sticks known to last longer and burn more safely for outstanding results. Remember to put the incense sticks in their appropriate holders and place them on a stable surface to prevent falling.
