Incense is psychoactive

[arcitectus]

I found this article really interesting and thought others may enjoy it. I do not recall if I initially saw this article posted here or somewhere else. Sorry it this is a double post.

Incense is psychoactive: Scientists identify the biology behind the ceremony.
http://www.fasebj.org/Press_Room/07_101865_Press_Release.shtml

[BeautifulEvil]

Good article. There isn't any doubt in my mind about this.

Those that regularly burn resin incense (much better than stick based incense) will readily attest to its ability to alter consciousness in subtle ways (sometimes even not so subtle depending on the quality of the incense, and the particular type).

[deviadah]

I am not sure why but some incense gives me a headache... scents that become strong can irritate. Any comments on this?

Are there good and bad ones? I do find these negative aspects more with stick shaped, or cone shaped, incense... not so much with liquid.

[arcitectus]

I know for me if an incense is too sweet or is of cheap quality it gives me headaches. Usually cheaper incense has a higher quality of alcohol that will diminish the overall quality, like cheap perfume or cologne. With stick incense, sometimes it is the burning wood of the stick in the incense that causes an unnatural or unusual addition to the sent. Japanese incense are compressed sticks with no wood core, you could try that. With cone as well as stick types, it could be the chemical binder being used. I would try the Japanese style incense, or burning raw resins on charcoal. You could also try using a loose powder incense which would not have a binder.

[deviadah]

Thanks for the tip...

It is funny that us humans have such a close relationship with smoke in general. Perhaps it goes back to our alligence with fire. We are the only animal that inhale smoke for pleasure. Smoke is bad for the lungs, no one can argue with that... even if incense has some good qualities.

In order to enjoy a water-pipe, or a cigar, one does not need to inhale the smoke, it is enough to simply let it remain in the mouth...

I always thought this trait was strange!

[solomon levi]

Thanks for the tip...

It is funny that us humans have such a close relationship with smoke in general. Perhaps it goes back to our alligence with fire. We are the only animal that inhale smoke for pleasure. Smoke is bad for the lungs, no one can argue with that... even if incense has some good qualities.

In order to enjoy a water-pipe, or a cigar, one does not need to inhale the smoke, it is enough to simply let it remain in the mouth...

I always thought this trait was strange!

I think what is happening when one holds smoke in the mouth or back of throat is that the pituitary and hypothalamus
are right there behind the nose, so this is a short cut delivery to parts of the brain that have a lot to do with our chemical
make-up (neuro-transmitters and hormones) and thus our mental and emotional states.

[Amor Platonicus]

I found this article really interesting and thought others may enjoy it. I do not recall if I initially saw this article posted here or somewhere else. Sorry it this is a double post.

Incense is psychoactive: Scientists identify the biology behind the ceremony.
http://www.fasebj.org/Press_Room/07_101865_Press_Release.shtml

Well, of course it is. It only makes sense that incense works physically through the brain, as it is physical.
I never knew that scientific studies hadn't been done to prove this before. It seems strange that they waited so long to do test on this.

[deviadah]

It seems strange that they waited so long to do test on this.

Humanity are essentially lazy... it took us many thousands of years to get into space, and once we did we stopped going further into space (physically that is), as if we were satisfied.

Contentment is the root of all evil!

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