Great Origin - Daigen-koh

From the moment I came across Daigen-koh, Great Origin, I have not been without it. The incense has the quiet power to calm whatever is "out of tune and harsh." The race of life is stilled, one relaxes into the calm at the center of the self, and life rearranges itself into stillness and meaning. There is, yes, a sweetness, but nothing cloying; and nothing acrid. I wouldn't even have said sweet; I'd have said complex, and not remotely insistent --- an extraordinary blend of peace and power.

It's a warm, lightly sweet spice that makes me think of Christmas cookies baking in the oven. I expect to burn this more often in fall and winter.

I discovered this incense during a trip to Serpent Mound last year. I used it sparingly because it was such a wonderful aroma and evoked so much for me that I wanted to make it last. Fortunately, I found the Shoyeido site and can obtain my favorite fragrances online. In a nutshell, this incense is earthy, not too spicy, very mild, and relatively low smoke despite it not being one of Shoyeido's "low smoke" brands. This is perhaps one of my favorite sticks to burn for yoga and I will continue buying it for that purpose.