If you’re looking for ways to cleanse yourself while away from home, you might be asking, can you burn incense outside? Yes, you can burn incense outside and it actually provides benefits for both you and the environment. You do need to be careful while burning though.
Here is everything you need to know about whether you can burn incense outside or not.
Our team tests, researches, and carefully curates all our recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive commission on purchases made from our links at no additional cost to you.
Benefits of Burning Incense Outside
There are benefits to burning incense outside. You’ll find yourself pulled away from the space you’re in, which can help with alleviating anxiety.
You’ll also benefit your physical health, by not inhaling as much concentrated smoke. Afterward, the stick and ash can be repurposed for the environment.
Health
It is easy to get distracted by other things that are bothering you in your house. Burning incense outside is a great way to clear your mind and help you concentrate without distractions.
By burning incense outside, you’re not subjecting yourself to smoke inhalation either. Burning too much incense in a concentrated area could pose the same health risks as smoking. Always spread out your burning and try to stay away from the smoke in your house if possible.
Environment
The ash falling to the ground isn’t harmful to the environment, in fact, it might provide benefits, depending on your incense sticks. If you’re using all-natural incense sticks that don’t contain harmful toxins, the ash itself may help the soil by acting as a fertilizer.
Always spread it out though, as too much in one area may still be negative.
If you’re unsure about the safety of the incense sticks, ensure that you have a way to collect the ash afterward. You can then reuse it for incense bowls or to water plants and add extra scent to the water.
Things You Need To Consider When Burning Incense Outside
There are certain risks that come with burning incense outside. You‘re not the only one outside and you’re still burning items outside.
Always take precautions and keep these items in mind.
Other People
If you’re at a park or beach, keep other people in mind when burning incense sticks. Even if you’re not facing the smoke, other people might and it could negatively affect them.
Keep a wide enough distance from other people and try to use scents that are not overpowering. If someone approaches you and tells you that the smoke is negatively affecting them, listen to them. Don’t let your cleansing of negative energies be the reason that you create negative energies for others.
Fire Hazards
When burning anything outside, you run the risk of a fire hazard. The ash or embers could fall off the incense and catch something on fire. For that reason, always keep water on hand to put out anything that still burns after it falls.
Burn incense in an altar that catches the ash for the safety of you and nature.
If you’re at the beach and burn incense, you can leave the incense in the sand. Sand has a much higher temperature needed to catch fire, so falling on the sand will often put out embers.
Never burn incense near dry brush. If your area has experienced a dry period recently, keep this in mind when burning.
Best Scents for Burning Incense Outside
There are certain scents that thrive in the outdoors. They provide benefits to cleansing, but also offer extra benefits like breathing better and insect repellant.
These three scents are Cedar, Eucalyptus, and Lemongrass.
1. Cedar
Cedar is a great woody scent for burning outside. If you’re near trees, you might find that the Cedar scent compliments your area.
Cedar is the best scent to burn outside for a cleansing and protective effect. If you find that your energies are getting bombarded by negativity, this is the scent for you.
2. Eucalyptus
Not everyone has a pleasant time outside. Pollen and other allergies may act up while outside, making it difficult to breathe. This may feel like burning incense outside is pointless.
Eucalyptus helps promote better breathing. So if you find yourself congested outside, burn incense to get those sinuses flowing. When you start smelling things again, you’ll know it’s working.
3. Lemongrass
If bugs are making the incensing burning process a problem, Lemongrass is a great option for being a repellent. Lemongrass often has a mint-like scent, which bugs tend to stay away from.
A repellent always works better than an insecticide, as it helps keep bugs away without killing them. You allow nature to keep flowing while still getting in an incense-burning session.
Can You Burn Incense Outside? Yes
So to answer the question, can you burn incense outside, the answer is yes. In fact, you might find yourself benefiting more from burning outside rather than inside. Always be mindful of others and ensure that your incense doesn’t cause any fires.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of incense burning outside, then be sure to check out our other article on the subject. Subscribe to our newsletter so that you know when we post articles, videos, and other special content. Share this article with someone that you know is interested in burning incense outside.