Intro on Incenses aka Josssticks (香枝源由)

Recently, our Members & Friends here are quite engross into the topic of Burning/Using of Incenses (Josstick).
In here, I will do a quick & brief introduction on how First Incense come about and the Ways that Taoists/Chinese will used during Honouring/Paying Respect.

According to Records (these records are done by Mortals after the Pre-historical Era), Burning of Incenses started when Fire first being introduced to Mortal in this Planet Earth (another Saying is that, Mortals make Incenses according to the Standing-Straight-Trees that being Strike by Ligthening to gain the Burning effect).

After Mortals know of how to Set-up Fire, Burning of Incenses started. So from conservative calculation, the Burning of Incenses started Million Years ago (may not be the Actual Calculation).

During Faraway Ancient Period, after Mortal know of how to Set-up Fire, the Mortals had tried to gather Woods for Burning and the whenever the Mortals gathered the Woods that gave out Nice Fragrance after Burning, the Mortals would kept them up and used it only on certain timing (such as Relaxing Timing - maybe this is the Oldest form of Aroma-theraphy).

From then, the Burning continue that Mortals started to know of how to Present Good Stuffs to People they Respect & Love.

But by then, Mortals started to depend on Heaven or the Spiritual Realm alot. Anything that the Mortals couldnt resolve, the Mortals would tend to seek Answer from Heaven or Spiritual World, such as Unknown Sickness break-out. The Mortals were gathered around and kowtow to the Heaven or the Spiritual Beings the Mortals believed in. In-order to get the Blessing from the Spiritual Beings, the Mortals would offer Fruits, Food or the Favourite Items of Oneself's collection to the Spiritual Beings, Good Woods (later known as Inceneses) were being presented.

After Mortals get more Cultivated & able to think like a Mortal, situation changed. Mortals tend to want things in Good-shape and Look-nice. Present of Woods didnt really looked good and so, with the "Smart Mind" of Mortals, different form of Incenses started to arise in the Mortal Society. Slowly, Incenses transformed from a piece of BIG Log to Tiny Pleasant Stick.

And this is how our 1st Incense come about.

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Due to alot of Misconception, Folks tend to believe that, Incenses are actually the "Food" for Deities or Spiritual Beings. Which this is NOT True. Till today, alot of Folks Culture still used this Con on Devotees or Ignorant Folks to gain Trust & Wealth. Some Inconsiderate Spiritual People such as Mediums/Spiritual Teachers will tend to use Issues that associated with Incenses to con on People, which is NOT Upright & Accurate.

In Taoism, Incenses are a form of Media that used to Transmit One's Message to the different Level of Heavens or Deities/Spiritual Beings. By doing so, this is to allow Connection being link-up and also, to perform certain forms of Communication/Interaction.

In Taoism, while a Taoist performing the Offering of Incenses, he/she will needed to recite the "Password" as what some Taoists had mentioned. Actually this "Password" is known as the Offering Incenses Incanation (祝香神咒/上香咒).

By doing so, the Message will be able to Transmit thru the Fume of the Incenses to the Heavens and then to the Deities/Spiritual Beings.

So what if Oneself is not able to get hold of Incenses during certain urgent time for making Request?
  In Taoism, we dont Insist of Getting an Items in-order for certain Request to be Heard or Answered, this is the Misunderstanding that the Other Faiths had on Taoism and also, the Misconception created by Folks Culture.

When Oneself is not able to get hold of the Physical Incenses Sticks, Oneself is able to use the "Heart/Mind/Soul Incenses" to do the Communication/Interaction. In Chinese known as Xin Xiang (心香), translated as the Incense from the Heart. To put things more Clear & Easy to Understand, meaning Sincerity & Faithfulness.

By reciting the Offering Incense Mantra and then make the Request, the Message that Oneself wanted to tell the Heaven or Deities/Spiritual Beings will be Transmitted.
And so, in the future, when Oneself met with un-forseen situation that needed Incenses, do not worry or get work-up, just do it in a Calm & Steady-way. The result will still be the same.

Add on, in the Olden Days, the Elders will tend to advise us on this:

If oneself is not able to prepare Good Offerings for Deities/Spiritual Beings, never-mind, cos by Offering 3 Good Incenses-sticks, the Deities/Spiritual Beings will also be able to see your Sincerity & Hardwork.
  PS: Attach are the Incantations
  祝香神咒 (Incenses Offering Incantation)
道由心學。心假香傳。
Dao You Xin Xue, Xin Jia Xiang Chuan
香熱玉爐。心存帝前。
  Xiang Re Yu Lu, Xin Cun Di Qian

真靈下盼。仙旆臨軒。 Zhen Ling Xia Pan, Xian Pei Lin Xuan

令民關告。逕達九天。 Ling Min Guan Gao, Jing Da Jiu Tian

Offering Incenses Incantation (Normal Taoist use)

常焚心香。得大清靜。 Chang Fen Xin Xiang. De Da Qing Jing