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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Hi loves! For this post I want to talk about my favorite incense go-to’s. Whenever I’m ready to relax and need to clear my mind, I’ll light up some of my favorite sticks. I love burning incense when I’m doing my meditation and yoga practices. The scents allow you to really relax, center yourself and your mind to travel inward. Also, some places have an unavoidable negative energy. Burning incense in areas that feel energetically heavy and dark allows cleansing to occur, which releases unwanted energy.

So, I wanted to share my favorite go-to’s that I burn to allow me to get in the right head space and overall tranquility.

1. Sandalwood– Sandalwood is mostly used in Buddhist temples and smells so amazing, in my opinion! The scent is really convenient for concentration and meditation. Sandalwood sticks usually relate to spiritual practices, but you can also burn it when you’re hanging in your room and unwinding from the day!

2. Jasmine– This scent overall is amazing because it smells like jasmine flowers, which automatically have such a calming aroma to them. This is a great stress reliever and awesome to light right before bed to let your body know you are letting go of whatever went on during your day!

3. Lavender– Lavender incense sticks are used to help cope with depression, headaches, hypertension and other disorders. I definitely burn this scent when I’m feelin’ the blues or when my head/body feels tense. This scent is also great for cleansing any negative, built-up energy that needs to be released.

4. Patchouli– Patchouli is described as having a dark, musky and earthy aroma profile. It is used to treat skin problems such as eczema, acne and dry chapped skin. So, lighting this scent allows one to really experience the benefits that patchouli has to offer. The smell helps relieve anxiety and is perfect to burn when doing yoga, meditation or any spiritual practice!

The scents that you breathe in really do make an effect on your mind and body. Life can be a hectic ride. Finding different techniques that allow you to get back to your center and release what no longer serves you is very important in living a balanced, healthy life.  That is why I’ve fallen in love with incense. It’s a great technique that can be used in multiple ways. You can use it spiritually to burn and release what no longer serves your highest good, or you can burn it just to relax and settle down!

Each of these scents bring in their own calming sensations that triggers the mind/body to react to whichever stick is burning. Whether you want to burn a stick for aesthetic, religious, spiritual, meditation or cultural reasons, everyone can experience the benefits.  These are my go-to scents that I’ve come to love. There are so many different types of incense out there so it’s important to do the research to figure out which ones would be most beneficial for yourself! I recommend these specific scents to anyone who wants to welcome a more calming aroma into their lives and experience the benefits of centering your mind, body and soul through pleasant smells.

As an honors student of St. Bonaventure University, it is my objective to pursue a career that will complement my passion for working with people, my dedication to exceeding goals, and my motivation to innovate. The industries that I hope to make a difference in are fashion, media, and business.