THE ACCIDENTAL INCENSE LOVER by MICHELE PROMAULAYKO

These days you’ll rarely find a candle lit in my apartment, having abandoned that ritual for a new one: burning incense. And I’m not talking about the Patchouli scent bombs popularized by Hollywood-generated hippies. Yes, I had preconceived notions about incense before I discovered how complex, sophisticated, and sedative they could be. The practice of burning incense crosses many cultures and religions — Japanese, Buddhist, Hindu, Egyptian, and Native American — to name just a few. The purpose is often to purify a space or to welcome in a spirit guide. A dissertation could be written on the meanings of different scents, forms, and burning techniques of incense — it’s that involved. But for me it’s just a simple pleasure. In particular, I adore the clean-burning, woody aroma of the sticks made by Juniper Ridge. And lately, I’ve been taking a flame to Nepalese-style incense — twisted ropes of rice paper filled with herbs, spices, and other plant materials. I often start and end my day by igniting one stuffed with Sandalwood — the fragrant tendrils of smoke mesmerize and mentally relax me. Plus, it makes your home smell divine.

-Michele Promaulayko

Michele Promaulayko, the former editor in chief of Yahoo Health and Women's Health, is the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan and the Editorial Director of Seventeen. When she’s not proselytizing the benefits of healthy living in the pages of the magazine, she’s wearing out her passport (she was born without the homesickness gene). Michele always returns to her New York City apartment with a few treasured market finds in her suitcase (textiles are an obsession) and a deeper appreciation of global wellness practices. When on the east coast, she spends weekends at the beach, clamming, doing stand-up paddle, and cooking dinner with friends. She aspires to be an itinerant journalist someday so she can get paid to wander the world.

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