DHOOP...Smelling Salt for the Soul... Incense for the Gods
Dhoop is traditional incense from Nepal/tibet/the himalayas prepared from various aromatic, medicinal and sometimes even psychotropic botanicals, flowers, resins, and extracts. Juniper, Sandalwood, Sal resin, etc.
Dhoop is an essential part of ritual and one may find that by burning it during meditation or ceremony, a collective consciousness emerges from the blissful olfaction of synergistic blends and recipes unchanged for millenia. The very aroma that embodies the smoke as it arises from the smoldering dhoop was enjoyed by those worshiping Shiva, Krishna and other Gods during meditation in times past.
How do I burn my dhoop? You may wish to use your dhoop simply to produce an enjoyable fragrance in ones home or possibly as a traditional offering, or Puja.
The simplest way to burn dhoop is to get a small bowl and fill it with sand and place the stick in the sand. Some individuals enjoy placing sacred objects in the bowl and arranging them around the dhoop for meditations. |
