Synopses & Reviews
Now that aromatherapy has become an everyday luxury and top-quality incense can be found in trendsetting boutiques and nationwide retailers everywhere, it's time for the first stylish volume on this ancient tradition. Touching on topics ranging from spirituality to romance to health and well-being, Incense draws on folklore and wisdom from Japan, India, the Pacific, and the Americas. By translating those traditions into practical applications anyone can enjoy, Incense shows how different scents can bring energy, focus, or relaxation to daily life. Suggestions for arousing the senses abound, such as enhancing a meditation session with spicy clove or adding a rich and sensuous juniper aroma to a steamy bath. Incense also describes the variety of incense products available and explains their essential ingredients: flowers, herbs, and oils. Gorgeously rounded out with Susie Cushner's evocative photography, Incense is an elegant gift that soothes the soul and engages the senses.
Synopsis
Touching on topics ranging from spirituality to romance to health and well-being, Incense draws on folklore and traditions from cultures around the world. Author Gina Hyams uses her knowledge of aromatherapy to translate cultural wisdom into practical applications anyone can enjoy, and to show how different varieties of incense can bring energy, focus, and relaxation to daily life.
About the Author
Gina Hyams is the author of several books on travel and Mexico, including the Day of the Dead Box and Mexicasa, both published by Chronicle Books. Her work has also appeared in several literary anthologies and in San Francisco Magazine, Salon, Newsweek, and on National Public Radio. She lives in Northern California.
Susie Cushner is a Boston-based photographer whose work can be found in Viva la Vida (0-8118-3184-1), as well as Gourmet and Saveur magazines.