I recently received this information in an e-mail.

From: Jane Marion
To: Dharma Friends List
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 1:52 PM
Subject: Burning Incense May Increase Your Risk of Cancer

Dear Dharma Friends,

Several years ago, due to an accident, I started to have a condition called "hypercoagulation". I had heard about it on Layna Berman's radio show, Your Own Health and Fitness (KPFA), when she interviewed a doctor in the city who has gathered interesting facts about this condition. He said that more than 80% of the population has the genes to respond to air pollution in this way (blood gets very thick), and it's considered a primary cause (among those who know about it) for heart attacks, stroke, also depression and other mental disorders (no blood getting to the brain's tiny capillaries), and lung conditions, even cancer. The doctor talked about aromatherapy as a trigger.

Then a few years ago I read an article on the net about burning candles which said that even three paraffin tea lights in a closed room will quickly generate enough diesel smoke (its equivalent), airborn toxins, to exceed the EPA's standards for outdoor air pollution. Suffice to say, I started burning only beeswax candles.

Beeswax is very protective. The wax doesn't actually burn, it evaporates. The only burning thing is the wick, and to be safe, one would use a grass or cotton for the wick, never including a wire in the center, since then you'd be burning a metal, breathing heavy metals such as lead, zinc, tin or aluminum. Any of these metals in the wick would be worse air pollution than allowing heavy cigarette smokers in the shrine room.

Beeswax creates a field of clean air, because it acts like an ionizer, causing all the particulate in the air to drop to the floor. Beeswax candles have a natural odoriferous quality, based on the honey that was collected and stored in the wax in the hive, which in turn comes from the flowers that the bees visited. I used to keep bees 20 years ago. They are one of the most beneficial beings. They even make bee glue (used to seal up the hive cracks) that has antibiotics in it to keep the hive from being infested by fungus or bacteria during the rainy season. One of my great cats used to self treat by chewing off a piece of the glue whenever he had an abscess. He liked to hang out and meditate with the bees.

So today, Dr. Mercola sent me my daily health email, with the article below, which talks about incense and candles. I've talked with a few of you who are very sensitive to either incense or candles, and a few who know about both. For me, the diesel smoke from candle burning is immediately life threatening, as it causes very high blood pressure. That's one of the reasons many of you don't see me in the temple for events. I'd like to be there, but, inevitably I end up ill for a month or more, until my body is done reacting to or expelling the toxins.

For your health, and the health of your sangha and teachers, I hope you read the article below and do your own research. I'm confident you will come to the same conclusion I have. I burn incense next to an open window. I burn beeswax candles. I can't say what is released by burning pure coconut oil, as they do at Rigdzin Ling. It might be just fine. But, it's not improving the air. Perhaps the combination would be good, some beeswax to clean the potential for the butterlamps to pollute. Somehow, I think there was a reason they called them "butter" lamps. Perhaps butter is better. As we are establishing the standards in this country, in our shrines, and in our homes, I hope that we will choose to be healthy while generating great merit and honoring our teachers.

Best Wishes,
Jane Marion


https://www.mercola.com/2007/feb/10/burning-incense-may-increase-your-risk-of-cancer.htm