The best incense for your meditation is a scent you enjoy and a stick you can supervise for the time you have. You can meditate without incense. I use the moment of lighting as a cue to set down what I’m doing, then sit once the stick is smoldering steadily.
When I light incense
I’ve used incense at dawn, after lunch and in the evening. You may hear Chinese expressions such as 晨起一炉香 for morning incense or 暮香 for incense at dusk. Treat the times as ideas for a routine. Pick the hour you can set aside; you don’t need to burn incense every day.
Choose a scent and a session length
I reach for the woody and herbal 24-ingredient sticks when I have time. They are about 3 mm in diameter and 22.5 cm long and can burn about 80 minutes. Our rose petal incense has a floral note and a bamboo core. Compare actual sizes and burn times before buying. For a short session with a long stick, fully extinguish it and save the remainder if it can still sit securely in the holder.
Stay with the ember
Use a stable holder and ash tray, ventilate the room and avoid sitting in the smoke. Never leave incense burning when you leave or go to sleep. The U.S. EPA lists burning incense as a source of indoor particles. If smoke bothers you, sit without it. You can find more details in our guide to choosing incense sticks.
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