Blending smells with music being played in real time at clubs and concerts concerns a phenomenon known as aroma jockeying. This is a logical outgrowth of the need today for a a new edge of discovery, so to speak, that involves pushing the experience envelope of live entertainment to expand sight and sound to new, […]
Ambient Scenting For Churches And Houses Of Worship
Houses of worship, particularly churches, have been harnessing the fragrant power of ambient scenting for centuries.
Long before big corporations and retail establishments ever got wind of the idea, certain haunting aromas, such as frankincense, have been associated with the ceremonies and rituals of the Catholic Church.
The purpose of scenting churches has never had anything to do with scent-marketing or business profits. Their use was focused on cementing traditions and creating pleasurable experiences associated with worship.
Air-Scent And Houses of Worship
Air-Scent is the undisputed champion within the ambient air-care industry because of its superior air-care products and unblemished reputation for customer service.
For more than seven decades, Air-Scent has withstood the test of time, both as a pioneer and leader in the field of commercial scenting and ambient air-care.
Founded in 1946, their offerings to their many clients all over the world include eco-friendly and cost-effective solutions for all types of spaces, whether large or small. Advanced and innovative high-tech scent diffusion technologies and odor-control solutions are versatile, and can easily adjust to meet the size and particular needs of any house of worship.
Relevant Studies And Statistics
A study conducted by Rubin, Palmgreen, and Sypher defined multi-sensory worship as: “an increasing internalization of positive attitudes toward the content or subject matter.”
This important study evaluated the different forms of communication on the basis of the impression they made upon an individual who attended a particular worship service. Audio-visual language is a part of this multi-sensory communication, but it also includes other senses such as touch, taste and smell.
Long before Air-Scent made its mark on the ambient-air-care industry, houses of worship understood the unifying power of a pleasing aroma. Some examples might include: burning aromatic candles that produce pine scent during a Christmas Mass or utilizing the sense of smell in the aroma of the bread during a communion service.
The use of rocks to build an altar as they did in the Old Testament engages the sense of touch, and taste comes into play with the eating of the bread and drinking in the cup also during communion.
Incense And The Religions Of The World
Both the Western Catholic and Eastern Christian churches interpret the smoke of burning incense as a symbol of the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. It is integral to many celebrations and rituals ranging from funerals and benedictions to consecrations of a church or an altar. In the Orthodox Church incense is a vital aspect of every service performed. Other Christian groups rely on incense as well, such as The United Methodist Church for its Evening Praise and Prayer service.
Ceremonies and rites conducted within East Asian Buddhist temples as well as those held in Chinese Taoist and Japanese Shinto shrines use incense to honor the deity, Inari Okami, or the Seven Lucky Gods.
In the Jewish tradition, the practice of incense offerings is deeply rooted in the earliest traditions of the faith during the time of the Second Jewish Temple.
It was an incense known as Ketoret that was mentioned in the Bible in the following quote: “As God commanded Moses to place incense before the tabernacle of the testimony.”
Other Scents Associated With Religious Ceremonies
In addition to frankincense, which is burned for purification, spirituality and a devotional setting, Myrrh, Benzoin, Sandalwood, Styrax, Copal, Pine, Cedar and Dragon’s Blood are also popular scents used frequently in religious and pagan rituals and ceremonies. Below are summaries of each aroma and how they relate to ambient scenting in various houses of worship.
Frankincense and Myrrh
Myrrh and frankincense (olibanum) are often used together and they both originate from the gummy sap that seeps out of the Boswellia and Commiphora trees when their bark is cut. Myrrh is a fragrance that is similar to frankincense, although it is used more for healing practices. Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, anguish and affliction, and it has always been closely associated with death and burial. The ancient Egyptians included this substance as part of their embalming process.
Their scents are different, as myrrh is bitter and frankincense sweet with a touch of citrus. Myrrh is known to purify and create serenity. It is rarely used alone and is most commonly burned with frankincense, greatly intensifying the incense to which it is added. It is said that myrrh expands spiritual consciousness and wisdom and sanctifies spaces in which there is prayer.
Frankincense is thought to have come from Phoenicia via Cyprus where it was used extensively to worship the cult of Aphrodite. Modern approaches to the employment of incense clearly indicate its representation of all the elements in nature due to the fact that incense smoke is created through the use of fire, its materials are grown from the earth, and combustible incense is formed using water. Burning frankincense is said to help increase spiritual awareness.
Benzoin
Originating in ancient India and obtained from the resin of the Commiphora wightii Tree, this resin is often coupled with frankincense to create a purifying effect. Also known as gum benjamin, down through history it has been used in small proportions in church incense. It is prepared by spilling the resin over embers, which emits a perfumed smoke. When burned as church incense, benzoin adds a tinge of milky vanilla and woody balsam to the scent.
Copal
Using copal incense is one of the best methods for cleansing a space. This natural resin from trees in the Buresa family is most often burned for purification, and it is neither solid (hardened) nor sap (liquid). It has a powerful, crisp, clean, light, woody scent comparable to pine or turpentine. Since the world was young, copal incense has been a sacred commodity to the people of Mexico, and South and Central America.. Archaeological discoveries of ancient burial grounds uncovered vast amounts of copal resin that burned atop the Aztec and Mayan pyramids as offerings to the gods and deities.
Storax
Storax is a fluid oleoresin, which is induced by wounding the Liquidambar orientalis tree, which thrives in the southwestern portion of Asiatic Turkey. An American species, it is also found in Honduras, and is used both in perfumery and medicine. It has been an incense offering since the days of antiquity in rituals pertaining to Hellenic, Egyptian and Jewish traditions.
The recorded use of Sandalwood goes back 4000 years to the ancient cultures of Egypt, India and a bit later to Greece and Rome. Sandalwood oil emits a sweet, rich, exotic and woody fragrance and it blends very well with both benzoin and frankincense. The use of sandalwood in ancient temples and on personal altars is both devotional and purifying. Drops of sandalwood oils are often applied to the forehead, the temples or rubbed between the eyebrows before beginning rituals to prepare the mind for a spiritual, inward journey.
Dragon’s Blood
Used in pagan rituals of healing, cleansing and magic spells, this dark blood-red resin is associated both with fire and the planet, Mars. It is typically used in crystallized form or as a powder. It is burned for strength, love and courage and has a long and colorful history dating back to antiquity. Greek and Roman cultures found it to be an effective blood coagulant, and in Europe, Mexico and Asia it was a potent astringent wash for open wounds. Italian violin-makers appreciated dragon’s blood as a beautiful varnish.
Pine And Cedar
Pine symbolizes an elevation of mind and spirit and is burned for purification and divination. Its pure, sweet scent has the power to transform and deflect unwanted energy, bless a space and align us to our higher selves. Sacred to the Native Americans for its healing properties and rich, pungent smoke, pine is commonly used in healing ceremonies.
In ancient times, cedar represented heaven, earth and the underworld and its fragrance was allied with everything holy and god-like. Lebanese cedar is an important symbol and appears frequently in the Christian bible. It is spiritually grounding and has both a calming and purifying affect.
Air-Scent And Its Commercial Scenting Machines
Air-Scent is the undisputed champion of ambient scenting, and their many diverse products speak volumes as to their versatility and innovation, which is the byproduct of their superior research, knowledge and application of the principles of industrial science.
Houses of worship require special considerations when it comes to appropriate air-care solutions. Below are some of the company’s many options available to this particular sector.
The Aroma Beam
The Aroma Beam dry vapor fragrance diffuser system is ideal for larger houses of worship up to 50,000 cubic feet. Its power as a mood-lifter cannot be overstated. When partnered with the right fragrance, it can restore energy and impart authenticity to all religious rites and rituals.
There are two types of cartridge systems available for this machine: The Aroma Beam Cartridge and The Aroma Beam Squair.
The Aroma Beam Cartridge guarantees 30 full days of efficient fragrance performance, and it is available in many diverse aromas. Custom scents can also be created if a house of worship so desires. The Aroma Squair is a very versatile choice because it permits the blending and matching from many aromas in order to create a unique fragrance that can be associated with a particular house of worship. This diffuser system comes equipped with 10 refills that promise up to 30 days of adjustable fragrance.
The Aroma One
The Aroma One fan air-freshener is an odor-neutralizing system, which offers two features in one; namely, it annihilates airborne odors and at the same time, offers superior, linear, aroma enrichment for any small space, particularly but not exclusively for restroom-specific malodors.
Some of its most desirable features include: the contemporary design with optimal air flow; its capacity to hold diverse Air-Scent refill types, including bottles, liquid, can and Solid Square wafers; superior air velocity fan blade; its easy conversion from battery to electric and its innovative nesting tray features, such as the on-board drip guard, ventilated refill holder and air-flow retardant, which can lessen output if desired.
Covent or nunnery
Havdalah Jewish spicy scent
Other Scent Machine Options
Air-Scent offers a variety of professional air freshener systems that work well for maintaining smaller areas, such as choir lofts, presbyteries, private chambers and public restroom facilities within churches, temples and synagogues. These include:
- The Odyssey Dispenser, which is well known for its three-way ventilation for maximum air-flow.
- The automatic Odyssey Drip Dispenser, which is non-battery operated and cleans and deodorizes washroom fixtures.
- Spiralz with the Aroma One dispenser
In Conclusion
Houses of worship everywhere can spread their word very fragrantly and effectively via the use of our many air freshening solutions. Pastors of all faiths, priests and rabbis should consider joining the call for a more unifying and aromatic religious experience for all their followers.
If you own or operate a house of worship, or you’re a scent marketing or hygiene sanitation company that services one, call Air-Scent today!
Final thought on fragrance:
To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat.~ Beverly Nichols
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