Reader Query: Incense

Hi, Om Gal!

Love the blog . . . Keeps me entertained while I’m at work, painfully waiting for 5:00 to come so I can head to yoga!  Anyways, this email did have a purpose.  I was wondering if you knew anything about incense for meditation and for before/after yoga?  I tried to do a Google search for types of incense recommended for meditation or yoga, but I didn’t find many results.  More importantly, do you know of any cool stores that sell such incense?  I live in the North Shore area but would be more than willing to trek into the city if I have to.

Thanks for your help!

Jill

Hi Jill:

Thanks for your inquiry.  Not only do I have an easy answer for you, but you've spared O.G. readers from hearing any more about my first marathon for a while.  (Somewhere, yogis are bowing to you that they get to read about incense rather than the impending loss of my toenails).  

In my opinion, Nag Champa is the most authentic-scented incense.  You can purchase it online, here.  However, if you're looking for reasons to swing through Boston in search of items to enhance your yoga and/or meditation practice, consider the following.

Locally, there's a great place in Cambridge (Tibet Arts, on Mass Ave.) where you can buy incense, among other yoga and meditation trinkets, tools, etc.  Farther down Mass Ave., toward Harvard Square, there's another wonderful boutique called Utso.  I purchased one of my favorite pieces of clothing there last summer, a lightweight tunic with a Buddha print (above*). 

If you tire of incense, candles do the trick too.  Aveda and Pacifica  are among my favorites. Finally, I love my salt crystal lamp (available at Cambridge Naturals), which is said to purify the air, energetically.  I suspected it might be hocus pocus when my pal Coeli gave me one for a birthday, years ago, but I really love it and do find that I sleep better after having lit it.

I hope this helps.

Peace,

Rebecca     

*Photo: Me, Chanel Luck, and Roberto Lim (both of YogaThree) at Global Mala Boston 2008.  Credit: Deborah Perkins.