Incense burning is a big part of our religiosity. It is practiced in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam and in most other places with migrants from these countries. Although rituals may vary from country to country, religion to religion there is an agreement as to its purpose. It is a way of purifying the surroundings by bringing on an assembly of buddhas, gods and even demons. In Taoist and Buddhist temples, the practice of worshippers is to light and burn sticks while bowing to the statues of a deity.

Modern western culture has an entirely different way of looking at incense burning. They gather loads of incense bottles because they love the different fragrances. They use incense as a way of masking odor. Incense is also used as an accessory in meditation. It clears the air and makes the environment conducive to positive thoughts.